Using Output,
you can create applications with the following functionality:
Generate final form documents by populating Designer
files with XML data.
Output forms in a range of formats, including non-interactive
PDF, PDF/A, PostScript, PCL, and label printer print streams.
Control laser printer features, select paper trays, do duplex
printing, and staple printed documents.
Process single documents, document packages, and document
batches from single or multiple Designer 11 templates that may use
fragments.
Assemble PDF documents and convert PDF documents from native documents.
Dynamically assemble XDP files and place fragments at insertion
points in XDP files for demanding document assembly tasks.
Convert PDF packages that may contain any combination of
PDF forms and documents to PostScript.
Edit and create XDC files in the repository and on a file
system using the device profile editor.
Convert PDF documents to PDF/A-1b and PDF/A-2b using the
DocConverter service.
Flatten interactive forms, without losing the state of the
form (retain modifications to an interactive form that have been
effected by user-driven events).
Central Migration Bridge service permits the use of form
templates, data, and data transformations from Adobe Central Output
server in the LiveCycle context. You must have Central 5.7 installed
on the same server as LiveCycle. Central Migration Bridge is available
to existing Central customers to make the migration process easier
to stage in phases and complete.
Document design for Output
Designer form design features include
tools for designing fixed and flowable document layouts for Output.
The layout and output choices you make when you design forms and
documents are implemented and performed by Output.
Using
Designer, form authors can use a variety of layout specifications
and features in form designs and templates:
Create
forms whose layouts adjust when merged with XML data. This ensures that
rendered (or printed) forms accommodate the merged data content
and volume by including or excluding design elements, growing to
create space for data, and paginating automatically.
Define duplex formatting and the media (paper tray) in a
form template to logically link document layout to printer capabilities.
Access fragments in the repository and incorporate them into
form templates for greater control and management of document designs.
Spell-check documents and generate sample test data while
designing forms. Using the sample test data, you can then generate
a PDF preview or print directly to a target printer.
These
features were designed for use with Output. Forms and documents created
with these layout features can be rendered or printed in a variety
of formats without compromising the design intent.
Supported document formats
Using Output, processes can merge XML
data with forms or documents created using Designer to produce documents
in a variety of formats:
PDF final form documents
for viewing and printing in Adobe Reader or Acrobat
PDF archive documents in PDF/A-1b and PDF/A-2b
PostScript and PCL documents for direct printing to monochrome
and color laser printers
ZPL for direct printing of documents to Zebra label printers
IPL for direct printing of documents to Intermec label printers
DPL for direct printing of documents to Datamax label printers
TPCL for direct printing of documents to Tec Toshiba label
printers
Using Output, you can also generate documents
in a wide range of languages, including those that use Western and
Eastern European, Asian, and Middle Eastern character sets.
Controlling print features
Using Output, you can leverage and control
the specific capabilities of the printers you use to generate printed
documents. Using XDC Editor, you can edit existing XML Forms Architecture
Device Configuration (XDC files), create new ones, and map media
to specific paper trays.
You can generate documents that
access the following features of laser printers:
You can generate PDF
documents that automatically open a print dialog box in Adobe Reader
or Acrobat. You can also generate PDF documents that are preconfigured
to specify duplex printing and the number of copies to be printed
on a default or specified printer.
Generating flexible documents
Output provides flexible document
generation. You can generate the following types of document:
A single document from a specific Designer template
A batch of documents from a single template
A batch of documents, each from separate files by using a
single Designer template.
Using this flexible generation
capability, you can also leverage fragments in document output.
You can generate a document package that uses multiple Designer
templates. For example, a mortgage application can contain numerous sections.
Some of them are customized for the client by using specific templates for
interactive forms and fragments. Others are standardized by using
dynamic PDF documents. The final generated output is a single cohesive
document.
With Output, you can also produce companion metadata
files for document integration and statistics. For example, metadata
from incoming XML such as submitted fax numbers or account numbers
can be integrated into forms for output. Output also supports metadata
that is used for generating documents, such as page numbering and
the specific documents included in a batch.
Document conversion and assembly
Output supports document generation
beyond simple print control and PDF rendering. It also supports
PDF document assembly and conversion. For example, you can convert
PDF documents to TIFF files for archiving or to PostScript files
for direct server-based printing. You can convert interactive PDF forms
(fillable forms) to final version PDF forms (filled information
is frozen, and the document is no longer interactive).
The
DocConverter service converts documents to PDF/A:
Transforms PDF forms, XML forms (created in Designer), and
PDF forms created in Acrobat to PDF/A-1b and PDF/A-2b.
Converts signed or unsigned PDF documents (Digital Signatures
required).
Validates the compliance of a PDF/A file and converts it
if necessary.
LiveCycle fully supports the DocConverter
service and does not require call to Acrobat to convert or report
on compliance.
You can use Output to manipulate and assemble
the multiple source PDFs into a single seamless document.
Document and process automation
You can develop processes that
automate generating documents that include barcodes that contain
variable data or print directly to label printers. Barcode data
can be a range of standard codes, including 2D symbologies such
as PDF417, Datamatrix, or QR. When you output to a Zebra label printer,
you can use standard or RFID labels. When you output to any of the
label formats, you utilize accurate resident barcodes and efficient
resident fonts.