Exporting a PDF from FileMaker with a form field

[chris_elle]

Hello

Please can anyone tell me if it is possible to export a PDF from FileMaker with one field which is a text field so that a user can enter their name in the form field.

I do not want to read the text back or export the data at all. The PDF will be saved and sent back via email by the users.

The field will contain the name of the person.

In the past the client has exported the records as PDFs and added the field in Acrobat and saved the PDF again. This has been time consuming.

Is there a plug in which would do the job?

Thank you very much for your help.

Christine

 

[Ocean West]

Is this a one page PDF? or MultiPage Pdf?

If it is a one page PDF you could place the PDF on the layout and then add a field on top of the PDF and print the page or save as PDF with the data embedded.

If it is a multi page PDF you could do something where you break it up and append to the pdf the static pages after you write the 1 page with the embedded data.

 

 

[comment]

1 hour ago, chris_elle said:

Please can anyone tell me if it is possible to export a PDF from FileMaker with one field which is a text field so that a user can enter their name in the form field.

Filemaker will not create a fillable PDF form natively.

 

1 hour ago, chris_elle said:

Is there a plug in which would do the job?

Possibly. Check out PDF Manipulator DC and MBS FileMaker Plugin. It might also be possible to automate the use of a third-party application (such as Acrobat) or an API. Caveat: I haven't tried any of this.

 

1 hour ago, chris_elle said:

I do not want to read the text back or export the data at all.

Do you need any data from Filemaker to go into the PDF before sending it out to be filled? If not, why try and produce it from Filemaker at all?

 

[chris_elle]

Hello. Thank you.

I have hundreds of records to export as single page PDFs with personalised information on them. I can export the records as PDFs and save them individually, no problem at all. 

I then need to have 1 form field added for the person who receives the form to fill in some text information and save it. Previously the client created text form fields in Acrobat and resaved the PDF. She can still do this if this is the only option.

I wondered if there was a plug in which would do the job in 1 go.

The client does not need to read back this data.

I will check out the plug ins mentioned.

 

Regards

 

Christine

 

[comment]

1 hour ago, chris_elle said:

Previously the client created text form fields in Acrobat and resaved the PDF. She can still do this if this is the only option.

If she has Acrobat (and is on a Mac) you might be able to use AppleScript to do it for her.