Hi all. has anybody been able to develop an app that allows fillable pdf's to be fillable? Here is my issue. I have a pdf, it is fillable (wrote it in acrobat myself) I load it into the app and install it and it opens up, all of the boxes are blue like they should be, but they are not fillable. I also have the file on my device and when i open it using my pdf application (same one) it is fillable and I can send it with the send button that is on the form. I am a TOTAL novice, green as can be. If this is a question that has been answered before I apologize, I haven't been able to find an answer for this so far. Thanks!! Joe

Not sure if I can help you, but what we're looking for is a PDF plugin that allows an edit. I 'believe' the current BT PDF plugin is a view only, so what you're going to need to do is find/create/rig a method of editing your document within the BT Environment. Have you tried other screens to see if you could 'work around' the problem? Would the 'launch native app' work for you? You might also see if an external SDK might work for you... I found this at Github... <a href="https://github.com/PSPDFKit/PSPDFKit-Demo" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">https://github.com/PSPDFKit/PSPDFKit-Demo</a> I'd snoop into a couple of these options to see if one will suit your needs. Side Question: Is this something that an HTML Form wouldn't replace adequately? Why PDF? Cheers! -- Smug

Hi Smug, First off thanks for the response. In my hours of research I have read that there is some type of GLOBAL_ setting that can be set to readable, or writeable. I'm trying to do this with buzztouch and with eclipse. Not sure how to native app launch a PDF reader, i will look into that. as for the HTML, i would literally have less that a clue how to do the code. I tried to convert the PDF that I wrote into HTML and it lost pretty much all formatting. The ONLY reason I am hoping to use a PDF is I already have the files written. We have been doing this by hand for years and they are in Word or PDF. Anything I can do to not have to completely rewrite 50+ PDFs will save me time in the long run. FWIW I made a form on JotForm and that worked just fine. I am guessing the real issue is PDF (crap!!) Thoughts are always appreciate. Joe

Well, I wouldn't worry too much. If there is an easy way to do it, there is a BT'er who'll be online soon enough and let you know. I'd be interested to know myself. Haven't found a need yet, but it's a good feature to have. Good Luck! Cheers! -- Smug

nobody?? Anybody?? This is killing me I spent all weekend on this.

OOPS

Can you provide a PDF file that I can try?

sure do, How can I get one out there??? (I'm new, really new)

sure do, How can I get one out there??? (I'm new, really new)

If you have a Dropbox account, use that. if you don't have an account, you'll find it worthy to have an account. At least the free one. Cheers! -- Smug

Excellent suggestion Smug. So here goes nothing. let me know if i screwed this up. https://www.dropbox.com/s/v1yz1377y7kyt48/FDAI-Checklist2.1.pdf THANK YOU!!!!!

That PDF is read-only via the built-in PDF libraries for iOS. I suspect you will not be able to create a PDF Plugin to make it be a read-write PDF. If you are determined, try http://pspdfkit.com/ but it looks very expensive and it does not seem to support Acrobat Forms. However, there is a non-BuzzTouch alternative! I tried your PDF with the free Adobe Reader app on my iPhone. I had no trouble filling out the form with that app. Tapping on the upper-right corner of the PDF would email the filled-out form to a pre-selected recipient. https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/adobe-reader/id469337564?mt=8 Decisions, decisions ... -- Niraj

Niraj, Good evening. Thanks again for your help. The form is 100% fillable, unless i open it in Buzztouch..... (I guess I should say that Android is my first goal here) anyways, so my next thought was to create a method or a class (unsure of the real lingo) that would copy the file (stored in the res or assets folder) to some public place (sdcard/flash storage), then open it with the PDF viewer of your choice, (whatever is installed on the device). From there you fill it out, send it and it's done. Alternatively if there were no internet you could save the filled out form to the sdcard/flash storage. But that would all be done through the PDF app. Sounds great in theory, its the learning curve that I am struggling with. My thought is if PDF reader can open this form as fillable, I should be able to tell PDF reader to open the file. Thoughts?? and again your time is much appreciated. Joe

Niraj, Good evening. Thanks again for your help. The form is 100% fillable, unless i open it in Buzztouch..... (I guess I should say that Android is my first goal here) anyways, so my next thought was to create a method or a class (unsure of the real lingo) that would copy the file (stored in the res or assets folder) to some public place (sdcard/flash storage), then open it with the PDF viewer of your choice, (whatever is installed on the device). From there you fill it out, send it and it's done. Alternatively if there were no internet you could save the filled out form to the sdcard/flash storage. But that would all be done through the PDF app. Sounds great in theory, its the learning curve that I am struggling with. My thought is if PDF reader can open this form as fillable, I should be able to tell PDF reader to open the file. Thoughts?? and again your time is much appreciated. Joe

I dont know what the syntax of the dataURL would/should be, but It 'might' be possible to use the 'launch native app' to have the device launch a external pdf viewer that can accomodate forms... Just another train of thought... Cheers! -- Smug

I thought that Android gives you a choice of which PDF Reader app to use when launching a PDF Doc for viewing? IF that is the case THEN Splash Screen suggests for the User to download the Adobe Reader app ENDIF Will that simplify things enough that no coding is required on your part? -- Niraj

Android does give you an option. so through my volumes of research to this one little problem i have a theory. When you store something in your app res or assets folder it is in the app data which is behind the readable / writeable barrier (whatever that is even called) so by nature the PDF which will open in buzztouch with whatever pdf viewer is chosen at the splash screen but because it is in a read only folder you can't modify it, unless you move it. my next idea is to copy the file from the res/asset folder and put it in a temporary folder in the flash storage. then try to open it. Thoughts? copying a file ought to be easy enough, thoughts?? Thanks again guys.

. grrr

why does it do that?

Good catch, the read-write aspect. Gosh, I don't know enough about Android to guide you. iOS has a similar approach to allowing for only read-access, and yet having a folder for read-write activities. Suggest to ask via another post, change the question to directly address your current problem. Best luck!

Hello all. After who knows how long I have pulled this off. My "App" is still very infant and established developers will probably laugh at my method, however, here is what I did..... Step one, copy the file from the secure side of the memory. I am currently using a button to do this, but I am sure that you could use an oncreate or something like that Step two, open the file from the SD card. This I am using a button for again. I would love to colaborate with somebody that really knows their way around the code. I am quite confident this could be made to work with any button in BT Step three. delete the file off the SD card. I use this for security. If anybody would like copy of my code (it's a mess) I would be more than happy to share it. I have struggled to find a nice concise answer somewhere, but this is doable and i have a signed app running on a nexus tablet and nexus phone. Thanks, Joe

Good job! :-)