Adobe Form/PDF Form Introduction

 Introduction:

·       Adobe forms are interactive smartforms.

·      We can interact with the layout of the adobe forms.

·       Adobe forms provides the output in the form of PDF.

·       T-code for Adobe form id SFP.

·       In Adobe form, we need to create an interface, the same interface can be used in multiple adobe forms.

·       Adobe form also generates a function at runtime.

·       Adobe life cycle designer(ADLC) is required to design the adobe form layout.

Difference b/w smart form and adobe form:

·       Smart forms are not interactive whereas adobe forms are interactive.

·       In Smart forms the form interface, global definitions, pages, windows are all together whereas in Adobe forms the from interface, global definition are the part of interface, we design the layout separately in the form.

Types of interfaces in Adobe form:

1.      ABAP dictionary-based interface: This interface has different standard parameters in the form of interface.

2.      XML schema-based interface: We use this interface type if we create forms in form builder in web Dynpro for ABAP.

3.      Smart form compatible interface: This interface also has different standard parameters in the form interface.

Types of Layouts:

1.      Standard Layout: Use this layout for PDF-based print forms or for interactive forms used in an offline scenario( sent by email ) and not integrated in a web dynpro environment at runtime.

2.       ZCI Layout: Zero Client Installation(ZCI) technology is used to integrate the form at runtime in web dynpro application.

3.       xACF Layout: The Active Component Framework technology is used to integrate the form at runtime in web dynpro application. Active X must be enabled in the browser.

4.      Unknown Layout Type:  The form has not yet been classified. This is the case if we are creating a new form  or editing a form created with an older version of SAP NetWeaver.

System variables DATE,TIME, USERNAME and SUBRC these are variables will automatically appear in context tab.

Layout tab:

1.       Hierarchy: whatever Layout elements we are creating those under Hierarchy in Hierarchical order.

2.       Data View:  The data of Adobe form will be available in data view tab.

3.       Design View: This view is used for designing the layout elements in adobe forms.

Master Page:

·       Every form design contains at least one master page that adobe life cycle designer creates automatically.

·       Master Page is responsible for formatting body pages.

·       Master Page help to facilitate design consistency because they can provide a background and layout format for more than one of the body pages in form design.

Body page:

·       Body page represents the pages of the forms.

      Each body page derives its page size and orientation from a master page and by default each body pages associated with the default master page that adobe lifecycle designer creates.

·       Each body page is created with a default sub form that covers the whole page.

Integration into Program:

To integrate the adobe form in the program, we make use of below three function modules:

1.       FP_JOB_OPEN: This function module is used to open the job. We can set the default parameter values and pass them to this function module.

2.       FP_FUNCTION_MODULE_NAME: This function module is used to get the function module name of the adobe form.

3.       FP_JOB_CLOSE: This function module is used to close the job.

Scripting Languages in Adobe Form:

Depends upon the requirement, we can use the scripting languages in adobe forms. In Adobe forms there are 2 scripting languages.

1.       FormCalc:

•        FormCalc is the default scripting language in designer.
•        It is an easy-to-use calculation language.
•  FormCalc is the best choice to work in functions like( date and time, financial, arithmetic, and logical etc. )
• FormCalc usually provides better performance than JavaScript because it executes calculations and validations more quickly.

2.    JavaScript:

•         It is more ideal for creating sophisticated interactive and dynamic forms.
•       Performance of JavaScript is lower than FormCalc.
•       XFA – XML Form Architecture.

Import Points to work on Adobe Form:

·       ADLC – Adobe Lifecycle Designer Should be installed. Without ADLC can’t open layout.

·       ADS – Adobe Document Service Server should be present in the system. If we don’t have then, can’t open the Adobe Form after successful activation( Getting error while opening Adobe Form). To check if the system has the server execute the program FP_TEST_00 in SE38, if we don’t get output or any error then basis team to configure the ADS.

·      Concept of Positioned / Flowed page.

·       If the body page is positioned. We can insert the sub forms anywhere in the body page. The starting point of the sub forms we can change.

·       If the body page is flowed. The Sub form is inserted at the starting of body page. The staring point of the sub forms are one after another we can’t change the starting position of sub forms in case of it is flowed.