Adobe Forms

© 2011 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All Rights Reserved. Adobe Confidential.

Forms vs. Applications… and how to make them behaveJohn BrinkmanAdobe Enterprise Forms Architect


History

Several years ago we recognized the pattern where customers were developing forms with too much JavaScript, too much complexity

On analysis we recognized that we needed to take two approaches

1. Product improvements to reduce the need for JavaScript

2. Better user education on form design patterns

http://blogs.adobe.com/formfeed(since October 2008)

http://blogs.adobe.com/formfeed


Outline

1. Forms, Applications and Monsters

2. Steps to Sanity

3. Form Design Review (Library of Congress)


So you’ve decided to use PDF forms…

You want to:

Enforce business rules

Create a really good user experience

Now you need to add script to your forms


Will you be creating a monster?

We see users create forms with:

o Tens of thousands of lines of script

o Several megabytes in size

o Slow open time

o Sluggish performance

o Big memory footprint

o High maintenance costs

o Susceptible to changes in new versions of Reader

o These are our "monster forms"


Will you be creating a monster?

Nobody sets out to create a monster

They start small and the requirements start to creep

Form complexity grows incrementally

After several revisions of the form you have a large investment in JavaScript


The small monster

You wrote a modest amount of code

Not the most elegant code … but it works


The small monster



You have a manageable, small monster


The small monster




Your initial form is a great success!


The small monster





You copy the code and design patterns to 200 new forms in your department


The small monster





You copy the code and design patterns to 200 new forms in your department

You discover a flaw in your design pattern – affecting all 200 forms…


The small monster

You are now trying to tame an army of small monsters


Bad habits escalate

Inefficient code is excusable in small forms -- does not factor into overall processing costs

Small inefficiencies in small forms become big inefficiencies in big forms

Design flaws repeated over many small forms become a maintenance nightmare


Two Problem Scenarios

The big monster form:

many person-years of development invested

Critical to business processes

Fragile to update, hard to test

Susceptible to changes in Reader

The collection of small monster forms:

Collectively, many person-years invested

Used in many parts of the business

Common code not shared: maintenance is very expensive

Re-testing is a big job

14


Where did we go wrong?

It is perfectly valid to develop forms with lots of script

If the script is well-written the form(s) can be:

Performant

Low maintenance

Testable

BUT…

Adopt a new mindset:

You are no longer developing forms

You are developing applications

Are you ready for application development?


Application Development Methodology

Do your form developers have programming skills?

Do you have coding standards?

Do you perform code reviews?

Do you have a source control system?

Do you insist on documentation?

Do you aggressively modularize common code patterns?

Are you prepared to take a step backward and re-factor when needed?

Do you have a quality assurance methodology?

Do you have a form deployment methodology?


You’ve been granted custody of a monster

You’ve been asked to add an enhancement or diagnose a problem -- but don’t know the intricacies of the form

How do I tame the monster?

Welcome to my world


Outline


2. Steps to Sanity



Steps to sanity

1. Be an expert

2. Bring your forms to version 9.1

3. Share code

4. Think Accessibility First

5. Get to know the available tools

6. Common problems, common solutions


Steps to sanity

1. Be an expert:

JavaScript

XML

XFA


Be a JavaScript Expert

JavaScript has some very powerful constructs that (if used correctly) can greatly improve your code

Can you write a recursive function?

Do you use try/catch?

Do you use arrays and object literals?

Do you understand JavaScript closure?

Do you use regular expressions?


Be a JavaScript Expert

There are different implementations of JavaScript

Acrobat/Reader uses Mozilla JavaScript (Spidermonkey)

Includes E4X for manipulating XML

Check out this web page: http://code.google.com/p/jslibs/wiki/JavascriptTips

Server products use ExtendScript – highly compatible

http://code.google.com/p/jslibs/wiki/JavascriptTips


Steps to sanity

1. Be an expert:

JavaScript

XML

XFA


Be an XML Expert

Can you create an XML document in notepad?

Have you ever written an XSL script?

Can you decipher an XML Schema?

Do you know how XLIFF is used?

Do you understand XHTML?

You need to be familiar with the basics of each


Steps to sanity

1. Be an expert:

JavaScript

XML

XFA


Be an XFA Expert

XFA Schema

XFA Scripting Object Model

SOM expressions

XFA Events


XFA (template) Schema

Publicly documented (in detail)

Visible in XML Source view


Be an XFA Expert

XFA Schema


SOM expressions

XFA Events



The scripting object model closely mirrors XFA grammar. e.g.:

<field name="city"><border><fill><color value="0,0,0"/>

</fill></border>

</field>

Set field background color:

city.border.fill.color.value = "100,100,100";or (shortcut):

city.fillColor = "100,100,100";


Script Properties that do not correspond to schema:

DOM hierarchy:

all, index, classAll, classIndex, className, somExpression, instanceIndex, isContainer, model, parent, parentSubform, nodes

Shortcuts:

borderColor, borderWidth, fillColor, fontColor, formatMessage, mandatory, mandatoryMessage, validationMessage

Dropdown lists:

boundItem, length, selectedIndex

Field values:

isNull, rawValue, formattedValue, editValue

Miscellaneous:

dataNode, errorText, oneOfChild


Be an XFA Expert

XFA Schema


SOM expressions

XFA Events


SOM Expressions

Used in data binding

Used as the parameter to resolveNode() and resolveNodes()

Used for FormCalc expressions


SOM expressions and JavaScript Object Expressions

Similar, but not the same. E.g.

A.B.rawValue

Is evaluated differently from:

this.resolveNode("A.B").rawValue;

Can return a different result, but usually does not

SOM has extra capabilities that object expressions do not have

33


SOM Expressions

item[-1] // previous item

po.* // all children of po

item.#field[*] // all field children of item

// predicate in FormCalc:

po.item.[subtotal > 100]

// predicate in JavaScript:

po.item.(subtotal.rawValue > 100)


Be an XFA Expert

XFA Schema


SOM expressions

XFA Events


Use XFA Events Effectively

Filter keystrokes onChange e.g.:

Convert input to input uppercase

Prevent users from formatting telephone numbers(demo)

Use xfa.event.cancelAction inside preSubmit / preSign / prePrint to cancel if conditions aren’t right

Use initialize to change properties that designer doesn’t expose

Use propagating events (details later)


Use XFA Events Effectively

Use execEvent() minimally. It is not intended as a method for sharing code

Put shared code in script objects:

Better performance

Better code readability


Steps to sanity

1. Be an expert


3. Share code





Acrobat 9.1

Enhancements in the 9.1 release specifically addressed the issue of excessive code in forms

Full control over validation processing

Propagating events

field.presence = "inactive"


Acrobat 9.1 (XFA 3.0)

Historical Reader behavior was to issue one error message per validation failure

Form authors wrote their own validation frameworks – in order to avoid the message boxes


Encapsulation

In this context Encapsulation means:

Keep the code that defines field behaviour inside the field

Validations, calculations should be defined in field calculation, validation scripts

Messages that are specific to a field defined within the field


Encapsulated validation

Numeric Field: A.B.C.D:

Encapsulation.A1.B.C.D::validate - (JavaScript, client)this.rawValue > 0;

encapsulation.A1.B.C.D::validationState - (JavaScript, client)this.borderColor = this.errorText ? "255,0,0" : "0,0,0";this.assist.toolTip.value = this.errorText;


External validation

Numeric Field: A.B.C.D

Button Field: checkForm

encapsulation.validate::click - (JavaScript, client) var field = A.B.C.D;var bValid = field.isNull || (field.rawValue > 0);if (bValid) {

field.borderColor = "0,0,0";field.assist.toolTip.value = "";

} else {field.borderColor = "255,0,0";field.assist.toolTip.value =

"The value of D must be greater than zero";}


Why is encapsulated better?

(demo)

Better (immediate) user validation feedback

No need for a separate action to trigger validation

Form processor will prevent submit if there are validation failures

External validation is replicating functionality found in the XFA processor

External validation requires writing code for mandatory processing –encapsulated version is handled declaratively

Less code, simpler code



If any subforms are renamed/moved/unwrapped, the field SOM expression changes

Changed SOM expression causes the external validation script to break:

var field = A.B.C.D;

var bValid = field.isNull || (field.rawValue > 0);

if (bValid) {...

In the encapsulated version, there are no references to field or subformnames, only “this” object.



When field "D" is included in a fragment:

Encapsulated:

Validation logic is automatically included

Not Encapsulated:

External validation logic not automatically included in the fragment

External logic needs to be knit into the validation logic of the host form


Acrobat 9.1 (XFA 3.0)Propagating events

When the same event logic appears on many fields, we can define the event once and propagate

Use cases:

Field highlighting on enter or mouseEnter

Change field appearance on validationState

Change row color on indexChange


Designing Propagating events

ES2 designer does not allow you to define propagating field events on a subform

A10 designer removes the propagating UI

To use them you need to edit XML source – or use a macro

demo: uniqueValues.pdf


Inactive presence

object.presence = "visible | invisible | hidden | inactive";

visible: object is rendered; events fire

invisible: object is not rendered; participates in layout; events fire

hidden: object is not rendered; excluded from layout; events fire

inactive: objects is not rendered; excluded from layout; events do not fire

(demo)

49


Payment sample

Payment Type validation script:

if (this.rawValue === "Credit Card") {

CreditCardDetails.presence = "visible";

} else {

CreditCardDetails.presence = "inactive";

}

// this isn't really a validation –// just a place to trigger on changes to this field

true;

50


How to bring a form to 9.1


Remove the compatibility PI

Bug fixes can change the behaviour of forms

We use a processing instruction to ensure compatibility between Reader releases

Compatibility PI ensures you continue to get the same set of behaviours(and same set of bugs) in new releases

To get the latest, from XML Source view, remove:

<?originalXFAVersion http://www.xfa.org/schema/xfa-template/2.5/?>


What if you can’t move to 9.1 yet?

It is possible to build a framework that uses encapsulation and avoids the message boxes

Samples on the formfeed blog


Steps to sanity

1. Be an expert


3. Share code





Share Code

Code sharing is one of the disciplines of good programming

Benefits of code sharing:

Less code

Faster development

Lower maintenance costs

Consistent behaviours within a form and between forms

Simplify complex operations for use by novice form designers

55


Share Code

BUT … to get the benefits of code sharing you need to make an investment:

Recognize repeated patterns

Generalize the repeated operation

Isolate the variable parts of the operation into parameters

The generalized version of functionality has higher up-front development costs

Once the initial investment has been made in shared code, the ROI will more than compensate

56


Share Code

Code Sharing Mechanisms:

Functions within a script event

Functions within a script object

Script objects stored as fragments

Propagating events

57


Shared Code Sample

Task: Copy all field data from one subform to another.

Brute force code looks like:

S2.F1.rawValue = S1.F1.rawValue;





(demo)

58


Shared Code Sample

Before:






After:

utilities.subformCopy(S2, S1);

59


Create a fragment from a script object

60


Steps to sanity

1. Be an expert


3. Share code





Think Accessibility First

Even if Accessibility is not currently a requirement, make sure you know what an accessible form looks like

The up-front development costs for Accessible forms are much lower than retrofitting accessibility


Think Accessibility First

Some design patterns are not accessibility-friendly

Most importantly:

Use captions. Do not use separate text objects

Make sure your tables have rows designated as a header

Carefully define tab order

Don’t rely on color to convey invalid fields

Correcting these after the fact is expensive


Steps to sanity

1. Be an expert


3. Share code





Get to know the available tools

Use the JavaScript console

Form Summary Tool

Dump the data DOM

XFA Debugger

JSLint

Accessibility Checker

XLIFF translator

Develop your own Designer Macros



JavaScript errors show up in the console

At the end of a form session, make sure there are no errors in the console

Use console.println() to trace code

Better yet, leave conditional trace statements in your code permanently




Form Summary Tool

Dump the data DOM

XFA Debugger

JSLint




Form Summary Tool

Effective way to get an overview of form content

Understanding the details of a form report can help identify problems

(demo)




Form Summary Tool

Dump the data DOM

XFA Debugger

JSLint




Dump the data DOM

Many form design challenges require a good understanding of what the data looks like

Easiest way to understand the data is to dump a snapshot(demo)




Form Summary Tool

Dump the data DOM

XFA Debugger

JSLint




XFA Debugger

For advanced form design it helps to have an understanding of the form processing stages

Opening a form:

1. Create several DOMs

2. Merge data and template

3. Perform calculations and validations

4. Perform layout (pagination)

XFA Debugger gives insight into the final DOMs and resulting layout


XFA Debugger

How it is implemented:

Acroform PDF with a button that loads and opens an XFA-PDF

Once open, uses the XFA scripting object model to extract the state of the form

Passes the state to an embedded flash widget

Flash widget decodes state and displays it graphically

(demo)




Form Summary Tool

Dump the data DOM

XFA Debugger

JSLint




JS Lint

Thank you Douglas Crockford

http://www.jslint.com/

(demo)

http://www.jslint.com/



Accessibility experience is only as good as the effort made by the form author

Accessibility Checker is a Designer Macro that reports on a few basic properties throughout your form

Does not check everything e.g. low contrast colors

(demo)


XLIFF Translator

Set up designer to embed xliff id’s in your form template

XLIFF translator sample is a form whose data schema is the XLIFF schema

Translator sample updates the visible form when translating text

77


Create your own Designer macros

The scripting object model is the same as the model used by the runtime

Several samples available to get started

Lots of possibilities

Enforce your own design checks

Apply bulk updates

Generate reports

. . .


Steps to sanity

1. Be an expert


3. Share code





Common problems and probable causes

Large PDF size

Slow open time

Sluggish performance

Big memory footprint

Layout issues (blank pages)


Large PDF Size

Embedded fonts

Embedded images

Too many objects


Embedded fonts


If you need to embed fonts:

Use as few fonts as possible

More control over font embedding on server:

Specify which fonts are embedded and which are not

Specify thresholds for font subsetting

Fonts used by interactive form fields may not be subset

Don’t need to embed fonts installed by Adobe Reader


Embedded Images


Embedded Image

The image is *always* embedded in the PDF

"Embedded" refers to whether it is embedded in the form design

Whether the image is embedded in the template or not has a big impact on how it is stored in the PDF and how it is processed


Linked image

<field name="ImageField1">

<value>

<image href=".\20110209.jpg" contentType="image/jpg"/>

</value>. . .


Embedded Image

<field name="ImageField1"><value><image contentType="image/jpg">

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

...


Embedded Image

Images embedded in the template are stored in base64 format

Causes very large templates: base64 is 4/3 bigger than binary

Forces Designer and Reader to keep the image in DOM memory

Slower open times, higher memory footprint, slower performance in Reader and Designer

Same image used <n> times is stored <n> times


Linked Images in PDF

Linked images are stored in a PDF names tree

Linked images are all resolved to a single copy of the image


Embedded Image storage in PDF

PDF

XDP (Template)

Base64 Image

Base64 Image


Linked Image storage in PDF

PDF

XDP (Template) Names Tree

<image> Binary Image

<image>


Too many objects

Your form may be too large if you have:

Text labels instead of captions

Unnecessary wrapper subforms

Spacing objects

Rectangles instead of borders

Rich text instead of plain text

Duplicated subform instead of repeated subform


Slow open time

Forms with certification and encryption take longer to open

(Rights enabling uses encryption)

Large form open time degrades more quickly with decryption

Too many pages!?

Tortured tables – complex row/cell definitions

Fix your binding warnings


Sluggish Performance

Form too large

Too much script

Circular script references

Forced re-layout or re-merge


Big memory footprint

1. Use strict scoping



4. Don’t use Acroforms XMLData object (use E4X instead)


Layout issues

Bring your form ahead to 9.1 and re-test

Many layout bug fixes in 9.0 and 9.1

Even if you know you can’t use 9.1, you at least will know if it is a bug or a user error

Use XFA Debugger to check for layout warnings


Outline


2. Steps to Sanity



Form Review

Library of Congress Registration Form


Review Step 1

Form Report:

Target: XFA 2.5 (Reader 7.05)

Strict Scoping Off

Bring form version to 9.1

Turn on strict scoping

Start size: 1.66MB

New size after moving to 9.1: 938KB


Step 1b) Check for errors

Conversion to strict scoping and moving to a newer version can expose script errors

Test the form and watch the script console

With the LOC form, we needed to fix 3 scripting issues

100


Review Step 2

From the report: Fonts are embedded

1 instance of "Times New Roman"

9 instances of "Georgia"

15 instances of "Verdana"

366 instances of "Myriad Pro"


Step 2: Reduce Fonts

Change 1 instance of "Times New Roman" to "Myriad Pro" :

New size: 703 KB (From 938KB)

Change 9 instances of "Georgia" to "Myriad Pro" :

New size: 505KB

Change 15 instances of "Verdana" to "Myriad Pro" :

New size: 321KB

(demo)


Step 3: Embedded Images

Two embedded images are 136KB and 26KB

Replace with links

New size: 312KB (from 321 KB)


Step 4: Country Drop Down Lists

Seven address blocks with a country drop down list

259 countries in each list

1813 total <text> elements for drop down lists (15% of form definition)

Load the lists from a macro on preOpen event:

function load(countryField) {

var countries = ["Afghanistan",… "Zimbabwe"];

countryField.setItems(countries.join(","));

}

New size: 299KB (from 312KB)


Check in XFA Debugger

Many objects marked as growable that do not need to be growable

Growable objects are more expensive than fixed size objects for layout

Not a critical problem for this form, but on a large scale could become noticeable

Likely an artefact of early version of Designer

105


Review Step 5: Code Review

ACR.details.AI.f2af::initialize - (JavaScript, client)

if(this.rawValue==null)

this.rawValue="";

ACR.details.Cert.FID::initialize - (JavaScript, client)

if(this.rawValue=="" || this.rawValue==null)

this.rawValue=ACR.WBRT.FID.rawValue;


Empty fields are always null

ACR.details.AI.f2af::initialize - (JavaScript, client)

if(this.rawValue==null)

this.rawValue="";

ACR.details.Cert.FID::initialize - (JavaScript, client)

if(this.rawValue=="" || this.rawValue==null)

if(this.isNull)this.rawValue=ACR.WBRT.FID.rawValue;


If you want a string…

field.rawValue – data type according to field value

field.formattedValue – always returns string

field.editValue – always returns string


Validation on exit

ACRegistration.details.Author_Information.f2gpseu::exit - (JavaScript, client)

if(pseudo_2g.rawValue=="Yes" && this.rawValue==null || pseudo_2g.rawValue=="Yes" && this.rawValue=="")

{xfa.host.messageBox("You must enter a Pseudonym");xfa.host.setFocus(this);

}

(demo 2g)

Exit event is not a good place to perform validations (save/close/reopen sequence will leave the field invalid – but not detected)

Exit validation traps the user in the mandatory field

Validation logic is repeated in global script

Should use presence="inactive" and mandatory setting


Alternative:

Design f2gpseu as "required"

ACR.Author.pseudo_2g::change - (JavaScript, client)

if(this.rawValue=="Yes") {f2gpseu.presence = "visible";TextField2.presence = "visible";anon_2g.rawValue = "";

} else {f2gpseu.presence = "invisible inactive";f2gpseu.rawValue = "";TextField2.presence = "invisible";

}

110


Validate numeric

ACR.Cert.f8dacc::exit - (JavaScript, client)

formTools.isNumeric(this);

isNumeric() – if not all digits, message box error and resets focus back in the field

Alternative is to prevent alpha input via the change event


Code to copy subforms...if(this.rawValue==1) {xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Correspodence_Contact.f6_same_as_rights").rawValue = 0;xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Correspodence_Contact.f6_first").rawValue= xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Copyright_Claimain_Information.f3af").rawValue;xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Correspodence_Contact.f6_middle").rawValue= xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Copyright_Claimain_Information.f3am").rawValue;xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Correspodence_Contact.f6_last").rawValue= xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Copyright_Claimain_Information.f3al").rawValue;xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Correspodence_Contact.f6_org").rawValue = xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Copyright_Claimain_Information.f3b").rawValue;xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Correspodence_Contact.f6_street").rawValue = xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Copyright_Claimain_Information.f3c").rawValue;xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Correspodence_Contact.f6_street2").rawValue = xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Copyright_Claimain_Information.f3c2").rawValue;xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Correspodence_Contact.f6_city").rawValue = xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Copyright_Claimain_Information.f3c_cit").rawValue;xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Correspodence_Contact.f6_st").rawValue = xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Copyright_Claimain_Information.f3c_st").rawValue;xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Correspodence_Contact.f6_postal").rawValue = xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Copyright_Claimain_Information.f3c_pos").rawValue;xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Correspodence_Contact.f6_coun").rawValue = xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Copyright_Claimain_Information.f3c_cou").rawValue;xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Correspodence_Contact.f6_email").rawValue = xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Copyright_Claimain_Information.f3c_email").rawValue;xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Correspodence_Contact.f6_phone").rawValue = xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Copyright_Claimain_Information.f3c_phone").rawValue;}if(this.rawValue==1){xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Correspodence_Contact.f6_same_as_claimant").rawValue = 0;xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Correspodence_Contact.f6_first").rawValue= xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Rights_and_Permissions_Contact.f5_first").rawValue;xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Correspodence_Contact.f6_middle").rawValue= xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Rights_and_Permissions_Contact.f5_middle").rawValue;xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Correspodence_Contact.f6_last").rawValue= xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Rights_and_Permissions_Contact.f5_last").rawValue;xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Correspodence_Contact.f6_org").rawValue = xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Rights_and_Permissions_Contact.f5_org").rawValue;xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Correspodence_Contact.f6_street").rawValue = xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Rights_and_Permissions_Contact.f5_street").rawValue;xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Correspodence_Contact.f6_street2").rawValue = xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Rights_and_Permissions_Contact.f5_street2").rawValue;xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Correspodence_Contact.f6_city").rawValue = xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Rights_and_Permissions_Contact.f5_city").rawValue;xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Correspodence_Contact.f6_st").rawValue = xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Rights_and_Permissions_Contact.f5_st").rawValue;xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Correspodence_Contact.f6_postal").rawValue = xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Rights_and_Permissions_Contact.f5_postal").rawValue;xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Correspodence_Contact.f6_coun").rawValue = xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Rights_and_Permissions_Contact.f5_country").rawValue;xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Correspodence_Contact.f6_email").rawValue = xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Rights_and_Permissions_Contact.f5_emai").rawValue;xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Correspodence_Contact.f6_phone").rawValue = xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Rights_and_Permissions_Contact.f5_phone").rawValue;}if(this.rawValue==1){xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Mail_Certificate_To.f7_same_as_rights").rawValue = 0;xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Mail_Certificate_To.f7_same_as_correspondance").rawValue = 0;xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Mail_Certificate_To.f7_first").rawValue = xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Copyright_Claimain_Information.f3af").rawValue; xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Mail_Certificate_To.f7_middle").rawValue= xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Copyright_Claimain_Information.f3am").rawValue;xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Mail_Certificate_To.f7_last").rawValue= xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Copyright_Claimain_Information.f3al").rawValue;xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Mail_Certificate_To.f7_org").rawValue = xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Copyright_Claimain_Information.f3b").rawValue;xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Mail_Certificate_To.f7_street").rawValue = xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Copyright_Claimain_Information.f3c").rawValue;xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Mail_Certificate_To.f7_street2").rawValue = xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Copyright_Claimain_Information.f3c2").rawValue;xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Mail_Certificate_To.f7_city").rawValue = xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Copyright_Claimain_Information.f3c_cit").rawValue;xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Mail_Certificate_To.f7_sat").rawValue = xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Copyright_Claimain_Information.f3c_st").rawValue;xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Mail_Certificate_To.f7_postal").rawValue = xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Copyright_Claimain_Information.f3c_pos").rawValue;xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Mail_Certificate_To.f7_coun").rawValue = xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Copyright_Claimain_Information.f3c_cou").rawValue;}if(this.rawValue==1){xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Mail_Certificate_To.f7_same_as_claimant").rawValue = 0;xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Mail_Certificate_To.f7_same_as_rights").rawValue = 0;xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Mail_Certificate_To.f7_first").rawValue= xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Correspodence_Contact.f6_first").rawValue;xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Mail_Certificate_To.f7_middle").rawValue= xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Correspodence_Contact.f6_middle").rawValue;xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Mail_Certificate_To.f7_last").rawValue= xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Correspodence_Contact.f6_last").rawValue;xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Mail_Certificate_To.f7_org").rawValue = xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Correspodence_Contact.f6_org").rawValue;xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Mail_Certificate_To.f7_street").rawValue= xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Correspodence_Contact.f6_street").rawValue;xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Mail_Certificate_To.f7_street2").rawValue = xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Correspodence_Contact.f6_street2").rawValue;xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Mail_Certificate_To.f7_city").rawValue = xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Correspodence_Contact.f6_city").rawValue;xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Mail_Certificate_To.f7_sat").rawValue = xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Correspodence_Contact.f6_st").rawValue;xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Mail_Certificate_To.f7_postal").rawValue = xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Correspodence_Contact.f6_postal").rawValue;xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Mail_Certificate_To.f7_coun").rawValue = xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Correspodence_Contact.f6_coun").rawValue;}if(this.rawValue==1){xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Mail_Certificate_To.f7_same_as_claimant").rawValue = 0;xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Mail_Certificate_To.f7_same_as_correspondance").rawValue = 0;xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Mail_Certificate_To.f7_first").rawValue= xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Rights_and_Permissions_Contact.f5_first").rawValue;xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Mail_Certificate_To.f7_middle").rawValue= xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Rights_and_Permissions_Contact.f5_middle").rawValue;xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Mail_Certificate_To.f7_last").rawValue= xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Rights_and_Permissions_Contact.f5_last").rawValue;xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Mail_Certificate_To.f7_org").rawValue = xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Rights_and_Permissions_Contact.f5_org").rawValue;xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Mail_Certificate_To.f7_street").rawValue= xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Rights_and_Permissions_Contact.f5_street").rawValue;xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Mail_Certificate_To.f7_street2").rawValue= xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Rights_and_Permissions_Contact.f5_street2").rawValue;xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Mail_Certificate_To.f7_city").rawValue = xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Rights_and_Permissions_Contact.f5_city").rawValue;xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Mail_Certificate_To.f7_sat").rawValue = xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Rights_and_Permissions_Contact.f5_st").rawValue;xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Mail_Certificate_To.f7_postal").rawValue= xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Rights_and_Permissions_Contact.f5_postal").rawValue;xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Mail_Certificate_To.f7_coun").rawValue = xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Rights_and_Permissions_Contact.f5_country").rawValue;}if(this.rawValue==1){xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Rights_and_Permissions_Contact.f5_first").rawValue= xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Copyright_Claimain_Information.f3af").rawValue;xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Rights_and_Permissions_Contact.f5_middle").rawValue= xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Copyright_Claimain_Information.f3am").rawValue;xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Rights_and_Permissions_Contact.f5_last").rawValue= xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Copyright_Claimain_Information.f3al").rawValue;xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Rights_and_Permissions_Contact.f5_org").rawValue= xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Copyright_Claimain_Information.f3b").rawValue;xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Rights_and_Permissions_Contact.f5_street").rawValue= xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Copyright_Claimain_Information.f3c").rawValue;xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Rights_and_Permissions_Contact.f5_street2").rawValue = xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Copyright_Claimain_Information.f3c2").rawValue;xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Rights_and_Permissions_Contact.f5_city").rawValue = xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Copyright_Claimain_Information.f3c_cit").rawValue;xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Rights_and_Permissions_Contact.f5_st").rawValue= xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Copyright_Claimain_Information.f3c_st").rawValue;xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Rights_and_Permissions_Contact.f5_postal").rawValue = xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Copyright_Claimain_Information.f3c_pos").rawValue;xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Rights_and_Permissions_Contact.f5_country").rawValue = xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Copyright_Claimain_Information.f3c_cou").rawValue;xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Rights_and_Permissions_Contact.f5_emai").rawValue = xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Copyright_Claimain_Information.f3c_email").rawValue;xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Rights_and_Permissions_Contact.f5_phone").rawValue = xfa.resolveNode("Application_for_Copyright_Registration.details.Copyright_Claimain_Information.f3c_phone").rawValue;}

112


Code needed when subform copy is shared code…

if (this.rawValue === 1) {f6_same_as_rights.rawValue = 0;util.SF_Copy(Correspodence_Contact, Copyright_Claimain_Information);

}if (this.rawValue === 1) {

Correspodence_Contact.f6_same_as_claimant.rawValue = 0;util.SF_Copy(Correspodence_Contact, Rights_and_Permissions_Contact);


f7_same_as_rights.rawValue = f7_same_as_correspondance.rawValue = 0;util.SF_Copy(Mail_Certificate_To, Copyright_Claimain_Information);


f7_same_as_claimant.rawValue = f7_same_as_rights.rawValue = 0;util.SF_Copy(Mail_Certificate_To. Correspodence_Contact);


f7_same_as_claimant").rawValue = f7_same_as_correspondance").rawValue = 0;util.SF_Copy(Mail_Certificate_To, Rights_and_Permissions_Contact);


util.SF_Copy(util.SF_Copy(Rights_and_Permissions_Contact, Copyright_Claimain_Information);

}

113


Seldom (if ever) need to construct a SOM expression

var numberOfTitles = 0;numberOfTitles = ACR.details.WBR.instanceManager.count;for(x=0;x<numberOfTitles;x++) {

var vNodeName = "ACR.details.WBR["+ x +"].f1b";var vTitleValue = xfa.resolveNode(vNodeName).rawValue;. . .

}

114


resolveNode() vs resolveNodes()

Both functions accept a SOM expression argument and search from the context of the node where the call originates

resolveNode() expects to return a single node and returns either a node or null

resolveNodes() expects to return multiple nodes and returns a nodelist

SOM expressions that include either "[*]" notation or a predicate expression will return a list

Calling resolveNode() with an expression that returns a list will cause a runtime error

115


Seldom (if ever) need to construct a SOM expression

var numberOfTitles = 0;numberOfTitles = ACR.details.WBR.instanceManager.count;for(x=0;x<numberOfTitles;x++) {

var vNodeName = "ACR.details.WBR["+ x +"].f1b";var vTitleValue = xfa.resolveNode(vNodeName).rawValue;. . .

}

Preferred:

var titles = this.resolveNodes("WBR[*].f1b");for (var i = 0; i < titles.length; i++) {

var vTitleValue = titles.item(i).rawValue;. . .

}

116


prePrint validation

367 lines of script to validate the form contents

if(Work_Being_Registered_Type.f1a.rawValue=="" || Work_Being_Registered_Type.f1a.rawValue==null) {

vRequiredFieldsNotFilledFlag = true;errorMessages+="\r1a. - You must select the Type of Work...";formTools.markFieldRequired(Work_Being_Registered_Type.f1a);

} else {formTools.markFieldNotRequired(Work_Being_Registered_Type.f1a);

}

Many blocks of code similar to this – can be wholly eliminated if using mandatory field processing

117


prePrint validation

Need to push the validations out to the individual fields for encapsulated design

118


Too much script

Form currently has over 1200 total lines of script

In 9.1 the same functionality can be implemented in less than half the amount of script – and with a better user experience

119


Questions?

Date post:	28-Nov-2014
Category:	Documents
Upload:	lucas-nery
View:	214 times
Download:	7 times

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