Adobe Forms

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Introduction

▪ Adobe forms are interactive smartforms.

▪ We can interact with the output of adobe forms.

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

▪ Transaction code for adobe forms is SFP.

▪ In adobe form, we need to create an interface, the same interface can be used in

multiple adobe forms.

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Introduction(Contd.)

▪ Adobe form also generates a function module at run time.

▪ Adobe livecycle designer (ADLC) is required to design a layout with the help of adobe

forms.

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Adobe Forms & Smartforms Comparison

▪ Smartforms are not interactive forms whereas adobe forms are Interactive

smartforms.

▪ In smartforms - The form interface, global definitions, pages, windows are all together

whereas in adobe forms - The form interface, global definitions are the part of interface.

We design the layout separately in a form.

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Types of Interfaces in Adobe Forms

▪ There are 3 types of interfaces in adobe forms:

1. ABAP dictionary-based interface

2. XML schema-based interface

3. Smartform compatible interface

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Types of Interfaces in Adobe Forms

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

form interface.

2. XML schema-based interface - We use this interface type if we create forms in form

builder in web dynpro for ABAP.

3. Smartform compatible interface - This interface also has different standard parameters

in the form interface.

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Types of Layouts in Adobe Forms

▪ There are 4 types of layouts in adobe forms:

1. Standard layout

2. ZCI layout

3. xACF layout

4. Unknown layout type

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Types of Layouts in Adobe Forms

1. Standard Layout - Use this layout type for PDF-based print forms or for interactive forms

used in an offline scenario(for sending by e-mail) 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 applications.

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Types of Layouts in Adobe Forms(Contd.)

3. xACF Layout - The active components framework technology is used to integrate the

form at runtime in web dynpro applications. ActiveX 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.

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System Variables in Context tab for ABAP Dictionary based Interface

▪ The default system variables in the context tab for ABAP dictionary based interface are

as follows:

 SFPSY-DATE - System variable for date.

 SFPSY-TIME - System variable for time.

 SFPSY-USERNAME - System variable for user name.

 SFPSY-SUBRC - System variable for return code.

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Various Views of Adobe Forms

▪ The various views of adobe forms are as follows:

 Design view - This view is used for designing the layout elements in adobe forms.

 Data view - In this view the data is available.

 Hierarchy - In this view all the layout elements are available in hierarchical order.

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Master Page

▪ Every form design contains at least one master page that adobe livecycle designer

creates automatically.

▪ Master pages are responsible for formatting body pages.

▪ They help to facilitate design consistency because they can provide a background and

layout format for more than one of the body pages in a form design.

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Body Page

▪ Body pages represent the pages of a form.

▪ Each body page derives its page size and orientation from a master page.

▪ By default, each body page is associated with the default master page that adobe

livecycle designer creates.

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

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Integration into Programs

▪ We need to call the adobe form from the program. To integrate the adobe form in the

program, we make use of 3 function modules:

1. FP_JOB_OPEN

2. FP_FUNCTION_MODULE_NAME

3. FP_JOB_CLOSE

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Integration into Programs

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.

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Scripting Languages in Adobe Forms

▪ Depends upon the requirement, we can use the scripting languages in adobe forms. In

adobe forms, there are 2 scripting languages:

1. FormCalc

2. JavaScript

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Formcalc

▪ Formcalc is the default scripting language in designer.

▪ It is an easy-to-use calculation language.

▪ FormCalc is the best choice to work on functions like - date and time, financial,

arithmetic, logical etc.

▪ FormCalc usually provides better performance than JavaScript because it executes

calculations and validations more quickly.

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JavaScript

▪ FormCalc is default scripting language in designer, but Java script is more ideal for

creating interactive and dynamic forms.

▪ Performance of JavaScript is lower than FormCalc.

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Adobe Forms Translation into Other Languages

▪ Transaction code to translate a Adobe form into other languages is SE63.

▪ Path : SE63-Other Texts- PDF-Based Forms - PDFB PDF-Based Forms

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Sending Adobe Form as an E-Mail Attachment

▪ To send the PDF form as an e-mail attachment, we will make use of the various standard

classes of SAP related to BCS( Business Communication Services). The various standard

classes are as follows :

 CL_BCS

 CL_DOCUMENT_BCS

 CL_SAPUSER_BCS

 CL_CAM_ADDRESS_BCS
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Sending Adobe Form as an E-Mail Attachment

 CL_BCS - This class is used for creating the send request, adding the recipient, sending

the document etc.

 CL_DOCUMENT_BCS - This class is used for creating the document, adding the

attachment etc.

 CL_SAPUSER_BCS - This class is used to create SAP users.

 CL_CAM_ADDRESS_BCS - This class is used to create the external recipients

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Sending Adobe Form as an E-Mail Attachment

1. Get the PDF content of the Adobe form.

2. Convert the PDF content from RAWSTRING format to binary format.

3. Create the send request.

4. Create the SAP user/external user( recipient)

5. Add the recipient

6. Create the document.

7. Add the attachment.

8. Set the document

9. Activate/deactivate immediate sending

10. Send

11. Commit

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Important Points

1. ADLC - Adobe Livecycle Designer

2. ADS Connection - Adobe Document Services Server. We can check the connection of

ADS through Program : FP_TEST_00.

3. Concept of positioned/flowed page.

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Q&A

 What is the path to reset the palettes?

Answer : Palettes->Workspace->Reset Palettes Locations.

 What is the pre-requisite to display an Image in output of adobe form?

Answer : Select the checkbox - Embed image data in the object.

 What is the full form of XFA?

Answer : XML Form Architecture.

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Q&A

 What is the full form of ADS?

Answer : Adobe Document Services Server.

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Thank You

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