ARTS PDF Variform Plus Version 1.0.2 ARTS PDF Variform Plus TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 INTRODUCTION................................................................................................... 4 1.1 Product Highlights ............................................................................................. 4 2.0 ARTS PDF VARIFORM PLUS SETUP................................................................. 5 2.1 System Requirements ....................................................................................... 5 2.2 Installation ......................................................................................................... 5 2.2.1 Demo Mode ............................................................................................................... 5 3.0 USING ARTS PDF VARIFORM PLUS ................................................................. 6 4.0 ACROBAT FORM FIELDS ................................................................................... 7 4.1 Appearance ....................................................................................................... 8 4.2 Options .............................................................................................................. 8 4.3 Actions............................................................................................................... 8 4.4 Format ............................................................................................................... 8 4.5 Validate ............................................................................................................. 9 4.6 Calculate ........................................................................................................... 9 5.0 USING ARTS PDF VARIFORM PLUS ............................................................... 10 5.1 Preferences ..................................................................................................... 10 5.1.1 5.1.2 General Preferences................................................................................................ 10 Default Folder Preferences ...................................................................................... 12 5.2 5.2.1 5.2.2 5.2.3 5.2.4 5.2.5 5.2.6 5.2.7 5.2.8 5.2.9 The "ARTS PDF Variform Plus" Main Window ................................................ 13 Data Source Options................................................................................................ 13 Other Options........................................................................................................... 14 Print Records ........................................................................................................... 15 Page Range ............................................................................................................. 16 Print to... .................................................................................................................. 16 Save Settings / Load Settings.................................................................................. 17 Defaults.................................................................................................................... 17 Cancel...................................................................................................................... 17 Print/Save ................................................................................................................ 17 5.3 5.3.1 The "Export Field Names" Window ................................................................. 18 Export Options ......................................................................................................... 18 5.4 Using Variable Images .................................................................................... 18 Page 2 of 28 ARTS PDF Variform Plus 1.0.2 Copyright © 2004 ARTS PDF ARTS PDF Variform Plus 6.0 ARTS PDF VARIFORM PLUS PILOT ................................................................ 19 6.1 Pilot Setup ....................................................................................................... 19 6.1.1 6.1.2 6.1.3 6.1.4 6.1.5 6.1.6 Add........................................................................................................................... 20 Edit ........................................................................................................................... 20 Remove.................................................................................................................... 20 Disable/Enable......................................................................................................... 20 Options..................................................................................................................... 20 Add/Edit Pilot Folder Settings .................................................................................. 21 7.0 CONNECTING TO AND USING DATABASE FILES ......................................... 23 7.1 Connect to a data source ................................................................................ 23 7.1.1 7.1.2 Select a File Data Source ........................................................................................ 23 Select Database....................................................................................................... 24 7.2 7.2.1 Connect to an authenticated database............................................................ 25 Create a Machine Data Source ............................................................................... 25 7.3 7.3.1 SQL Queries.................................................................................................... 27 Querying an authenticated Database ...................................................................... 27 8.0 TROUBLESHOOTING........................................................................................ 28 Page 3 of 28 ARTS PDF Variform Plus 1.0.2 Copyright © 2004 ARTS PDF ARTS PDF Variform Plus 1.0 INTRODUCTION Welcome to personalized printing with Adobe ® Acrobat ® forms and ARTS PDF Variform PlusTM by ARTS PDFTM. ARTS PDF Variform Plus extends Acrobat forms and overcomes restrictions that limit their usability. Acrobat forms were designed with web server-based applications in mind. So for anyone to consider an Acrobat forms application, this immediately brings to mind a significant "forms project" and trying to enlist the help of IT or MIS department. Such prospects are either beyond the reach of most individuals, difficult to implement given organizational constraints, beyond available budgets, or achievable in the next decade. ARTS PDF believes that there are literally millions of private databases. These exist in the form of word processing documents, spreadsheet files, PC databases, and even custom query results from large databases. Adobe's Acrobat forms plug-in allows virtually any PDF document created from virtually any desktop application to be turned into a variable data form. But please remember that the term "form" is used in the general sense. It can include multi-line blocks of text. The definition is only restricted by our imaginations. Combining the freedom of independent Acrobat forms design and ARTS PDF Variform Plus's local access means that general usage of Acrobat forms can be extended to individuals, small or home offices, small businesses, self-employed professionals, branch offices, corporate departments, membership organizations, etc. 1.1 Product Highlights ARTS PDF Variform Plus provides a set of tools for managing and printing data from external files to PDF forms documents. With ARTS PDF Variform Plus, you can specify the range of records from a data file to be printed and extract form field names from an existing Acrobat form document to an external file. ARTS PDF Variform Plus can use data files from any ODBC compliant database, Adobe FDF/XFDF files, or tab, comma, semicolon or space-delimited text files. Any Acrobat form document using form fields and appropriate security settings can be used as a merge document. Merged data can be printed to a printer or new, merged PDF documents can be created by selecting print to "PDF". Page 4 of 28 ARTS PDF Variform Plus 1.0.2 Copyright © 2004 ARTS PDF ARTS PDF Variform Plus 2.0 ARTS PDF VARIFORM PLUS SETUP 2.1 · · System Requirements PC with Pentium processor Memory and disk space the same as required by Adobe ® Acrobat ® Windows ® NT 4.0 (S.P.4 or higher), Windows ® 2000 or Windows ® XP Adobe ® Acrobat ® 5.05 or higher · · 2.2 Installation Note: If you have multiple versions of Acrobat installed ARTS PDF Variform Plus will automatically be installed to the most recent version of Acrobat. 1. During installation you will be prompted for a serial number. Enter the serial number from the label on your CD jacket. 2. The installer will then provide you with a "User Code". Please enter this code on the registration card in the space provided and mail the card to ARTS PDF. Without your registration information we have no way to identify you as a registered owner or to contact you for notices of updates. 3. Store your CD in a safe place in case you need it later. In addition to this User's Guide, the ARTS PDF Variform Plus folder contains the ARTS PDF Variform Plus plug-in, and other support files needed by ARTS PDF Variform Plus. The installation CD also has some sample PDF documents that demonstrate different data merge applications. The sample files are not installed to your hard disk. CAUTION: Any folders or files which are created during installation are required by ARTS PDF Variform Plus. If you rename, move, or delete these folders the product will not work correctly or may not work at all. To validate the software's registration and/or to view the installation status, launch Acrobat and select the "About 3rd Party Plug-Ins" box at the bottom of the Acrobat Help pulldown menu for "ARTS PDF Variform Plus...". The word "***Unregistered***" appears in the ARTS PDF Variform Plus "About" box when the version is not fully licensed. To validate your license, click on the "Register..." button, and then enter the serial number provided by ARTS PDF. 2.2.1 Demo Mode When ARTS PDF Variform Plus is in demo mode it will print DEMO on all output. Otherwise, the demo version of ARTS PDF Variform Plus is identical to the licensed version. Page 5 of 28 ARTS PDF Variform Plus 1.0.2 Copyright © 2004 ARTS PDF ARTS PDF Variform Plus 3.0 USING ARTS PDF VARIFORM PLUS To use ARTS PDF Variform Plus, first locate the ARTS PDF Variform Plus tool buttons or menu items under the Acrobat menu. Use either the toolbar or the menu items from Acrobat's menu to setup the watched folder, or ARTS PDF Variform Plus print settings. Once you have set the properties, you can use it to merge data to the selected PDF form. Figure 1: The ARTS PDF Variform Plus menu Variform Plus Setup Export Field Names Figure 2: The ARTS PDF Variform Plus toolbar Page 6 of 28 ARTS PDF Variform Plus 1.0.2 Copyright © 2004 ARTS PDF ARTS PDF Variform Plus 4.0 ACROBAT FORM FIELDS There are currently seven different types of form fields which can be created in Acrobat 4. These are described briefly below. Due to the nature of certain form field types, ARTS PDF Variform Plus will only merge data into Combo boxes or Text boxes. If other field types are used with ARTS PDF Variform Plus the resulting output for those fields will be blank. If there is a need to include items which would normally be indicated in a Check Box, the user should design the form using a Text box and put the appropriate character for "checked" in the data file. As an example, design the form to use the Zapf Dingbats font and put the numeral 3 or 4 in the data file for this field. This will cause a or to appear in the merged file. Consult the Acrobat documentation (Help -> Acrobat Guide) for more information on creating Acrobat forms. · · · · Buttons allow you to activate a series of actions. Check boxes allow your user to make multiple selections from a group of items. Combo boxes allow you to specify a list of items that appear in a pop-up menu. List boxes allow the user to create a list of items in a form field that displays all the time. Text boxes allow you to create a field into which you can enter text using the keyboard. Radio buttons allow your user to select one item from the displayed options. Digital signature fields allow you to create a form field that your user can then fill in with a signature and a printable representation. This field can be set to lock other fields after it is signed. Text boxes allow you to create a field into which you can enter text using the keyboard. · · · Page 7 of 28 ARTS PDF Variform Plus 1.0.2 Copyright © 2004 ARTS PDF ARTS PDF Variform Plus 4.1 Appearance When creating form fields, Acrobat allows the user to ...