Adding type areas in Acrobat...

[YNOT]

I've got a situation and I'm not sure if it's do-able. I've got a customer who I recently designed a logo for. He's satisfied with the logo and I'm now working on a biz card. Well, I sent him a bill and he loved my 'invoice' so much that he asked me if I could create him a 'cool' invoice like mine.

I explained that mine was created in my 'graphics' software and that I wasn't sure how he could fill it out on his computer but he wanted me to make him one to see.

Well, now he's seen it...he likes it and he wants to know how he can fill it out on his computer. It's simple for me...my invoices are similar and I just edit the text in Illy for each job and print as I need them.

So...my question is...is there a way for me to add 'text' windows in an Acrobat pdf that he can fill out on his own computer and then print?

This is the invoice...8.5 x 11...

http://www.satanclauz.com/mynot/TMac_invoice_308.jpg


Any help would be greatly appreciated!!!

Thanks!

[garricks]

If he has Acrobat Professional 7 or 8, the simplest thing is for him to just open the document, and choose Tools > Typewriter > Typewriter. Then he just clicks where the text should go and type. It can be saved and printed, but it can also be very inelegant if he's not careful where he clicks. You can click literally anywhere on the page.

The second way is with the Forms tools. Tools > Forms > Text Field tool. Unfortunately I have read about it in the Acrobat Bible, but haven't actually used it. And i believe there are issues with saving the filled-in forms. You can print, but not save, them.

If the client only has Acrobat Reader, after you design and save the document to PDF open it in Acrobat Pro and use Tools > Typewriter > Enable Typewriter in Reader... but that restricts things like editing the document (back in Acro Pro). And once you save, you can't undo it.

Hope that helps!

[budafist]

What about....*gasp*....Word?

[Mynock]

You should be able to create something in Adobe Designer, but unless he has a full version of Acrobat I don't think he can save them only print them.

[Jimeda Fork]

Fields

- you can set up multiple fields, set the tab order and do calculations, etc.

Only thing is the end user has to have a version of acrobat that will allow them to save the file, not just reader.

[Danger_Mouse]

I been creatiing editable forms in Acrobat lately and I love doing it.

I create the master in Illy then edit in Acrobat creating all kinds of different interactive fields.

You NEED full version of acrobat to resave the pdf's (unless you find soem javascript to embedd into the PDF to do that for you.

You can also set it up online so it is emailed to a certain addy when you hit submit.

I am creating an interactive job order to use in house right now (still in the works) and I tell you it's saved everyone hours of administrative crap already and I haven't embedded any java script yet.

Look into it and experiment, you might find it easier than you think.

[Virgo Nightingale]

Forms are a good way to go. As Jimeda mentions, it can do calculations, so it can easily add up subtotals, calculate tax, etc. You can also use Javascript to do other random things (I used a bit of script to automatically add sales tax if and only if the person filling out the form entered a specific state in another field). The client will have to have Reader 7 or 8 in order to to save any form data he's filled in. I also suggest making it a read-only file so he doesn't accidentally save over the original.

[Danger_Mouse]

^ all the info entered too can be exported into excel spread sheets. The office LOVES that.

[Virgo Nightingale]

^ all the info entered too can be exported into excel spread sheets. The office LOVES that.
I'm sure there's a way to do the reverse: import data from an excel file into a pdf form. I've never done it, but there's probably a way to do that.

[Mynock]

DM you use Illustrator and Designer? Or do you edit them in Acrobat?

[Danger_Mouse]

I use illy, then save as pdf, edit pdf and add diffferent forms/fields/calculations in Acrobat. I just open the FORM tool bar and start playing around.

Figured most of it out without reading anything.

Virgo, you totally can do the reverse as well. I haven't needed to go the other way yet but I did see that option.

[doctorfoz]

can someone help me with the 'you can save the filled in form with javascript' thing? I'm creating a form which will be filled in using Reader 7 - I'd like them to be able to save the form.

thanks
Simon

[Drazan]

Acrobat Designer (CS2)/ Live Cycle (CS3) are applications that specifical used to make PDf forms you can also add in "print" button at the top.

Everything is drag & Drop and clickable for easy customization.

It's a bit more flexable than the form tools in acrobat pro.

Any chance on just making a header for their accounting ware?

Jade