Getting data from posted PDF forms

[ffolinda]

Catherine Zavala suggested I post my question here. I am trying to resolve a question that seems to keep coming up. I know using Acrobat 7 or 8 I can create a PDF form that I can post on a web page and have it filled out and printed. Works fine. If I distribute the form as an attachment, then the filled out form information comes back and I can store the results in a datafile on my local computer and bring that data into something like a spreadsheet.

However, if I just post the PDF form with a button to submit as email, then the "data" is sent back to the email address associated with the button, but the data comes as an attachment and is an .xml file. That I am trying to determine is how to get that data from the attached .xml file into a central collection, or does this require having some type of script running on the server which processes the data?

Any comments about collecting data from a POSTED TO A WEB SITE PDF form would be appreciated.

Linda Ffolliott
Ag College

[fischerm]

I've not done form submissions with PDFs yet, but from reading about it, it seems there are two options. One is what you are doing I think, using a mailto:someone@email.arizona.edu link on the button. This seems to pack up the data as you see it and delivers it as an XML file. The other options is to change the submit link to be a CGI/Server program, like http://myserver.arizona.edu/processform.php or something. That program can then do whatever it wants with the data, and present some sort of 'thanks for submitting' page.

Option one works ok as long as the client has their email program configured, but as you see the XML data is not very readable. You would need to find some program capable of parsing the XML file into something that Excel can read. I only have the mac XL, and it didn't like my random XML document I fed it, maybe MS Access has some XML importing features, otherwise you're stuck with some custom program.

It is possible to open the XML document up in something like notepad/textedit, skim through it and try and pick out the useful bits of information. Its tedious, but if your volume is low, it might be a workable option.

Option two requires someone who could write the server form processing program, using PHP, or ASP or perl or something. This has the advantage of not needing the client's email program to be configured, so things like public terminals work better.

Either way I think you're going to need to find someone who can write a simple program to parse out the useful bits you want from the form.

[jharriso]

Access does indeed have XML processing capabilities, it should be possible to add records based on a single XML file, and continue adding to that same database.

[ffolinda]

Josh and Mark

Adobe keeps telling me a posted form can work.........and it seems like it can. Pretty much, without a lot of instructions for a public person who might find the form posted, it requires that the user has an email program like outlook or eudora associated with the computer he/she is using, since clicking on the submit by email opens up that program and send it to the indicated recipient (in this case me). But data is returned to me, in my testing, and can be put with other data. Similar to if one used the Distribute through email option.

see if this form works for you...

http://cals.arizona.edu/ecat/acrobatform/software_posted.pdf

Linda Ffolliott
Ag College