Hi all.

I have this interactive PDF that works right now as an orderlist so the client downloads the PDF writes their needs and the send it back to us. It would be awesome to have this on PSW instead. Problem is that it seems like that's not able possible to do in a simple way. one option is to make a database with ALL the variables and make the pdf background and place the variables, but that just not good enough since next to every product there needs to be a visible picture + information

So the question is, is it possible to have a interactive PDF on PSW that just saves the information the users puts in it and then print, so our office can see what they ordered ?

Reprohuset,

You could do it by placing your pdf as background in PSM, and make some "User Input" variables. To do this, create a new variable in a text box, and go to the Edit Expression window for that variable. There, enter a field's name that doesn't already exists in your database. The field's name has to be between square brackets. Ex: [MyField]

Once it's done, in the Data Field tab(go to Window->Data Fields if you don't see it), select the new field, and in the Properties window(Window->Properties), you can change the Source under the Publication label to "User Input", if it's not already set to that.

After you've done that, publish your document to PrintShop Mail Web. Once the customers order that document, they will be able to enter their own text in those fields, and the custom text will be placed accordingly.

Hope that helps!

Regards,
Raphaël Lalonde Lefebvre

Thank you Raphael Lalonde Lefebvre.


New question:

Can I have a User input field that actually is a Date field and set it to "to day" as standart ?

Reprohuset,

It is "kind of" possible, but it's a bit tricky.

You cannot use expressions in the default value of a User Input field, so you cannot use the TODAY() function. In PSW, the User Input Fields options do not include a "date" option, and you cannot call the today's date. So at first, it seems like it's not possible.

But! I've found a way. In PrintShop Mail, create a text box. You can place it outside the printable area, we don't want it to show up. Create a variable inside of it, for example, @mydate@, and then right-click on it and go to Edit Expression. There, enter:

DATE(TODAY())

Then, create a new text box, and create the user input field in it. You will set it's default value to @mydate@. Notice that the today's date now show up. Publish the form to PSW.

Now, in PSW, you'll notice that the default value box says @mydate@, but the softproof actually renders it as the today's date. Unfortunately, there is no ways around having @mydate@ show up, which isn't nice for the users I guess, but at least that allows us to have the today's date as the default value. Maybe name the variable @Today@ instead, to have a more meaningful name.

Hope that helps!

Regards,
Raphaël Lalonde Lefebvre

Hi Raphael Lalonde Lefebvre.

Thanks for the tip it works but as you point out its not the ideal solution for the customers perspective.
It seems a bit strange that the PSW don't have this date function available as a part of the "Web form parameters" options.