Creating Dynamic Forms with Adobe LiveCycle Designer [Paperback]

J. P. Terry (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0321509870 | ISBN-13: 978-0321509871 | Publication Date: September 6, 2007 | Edition: 1

Adobe LiveCycle Designer is the form creation tool that comes bundled with
Adobe Acrobat Professional. This is the first and only book that explains
how to use Designer to create interactive and dynamic forms. The book was
written in tandem with the Adobe LiveCycle development team and it has been
thoroughly reviewed by over a dozen Adobe engineers. This book is accessible
enough for a beginner but rich enough for an experienced user. It covers all
of the major topics and includes valuable links to other LiveCycle Designer
documentation and resources.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

J.P. Terry is the VP of Client Services for SmartDoc Technologies, a leading company in the field of intelligent and dynamic document solutions. SmartDoc develops interactive PDF systems for Fidelity Investments, Merrill Lynch, MetLife and Blue Cross Blue Shield. SmartDoc Technologies is a member of the Adobe Solutions network and a Google Enterprise Professional. Prior to SmartDoc Technologies, J.P. founded BrandWizard Technologies and was the CEO of BrandWizard from 2000 until 2005. Mr. Terry is a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design, the Omnicom Executive training program and Wharton's Financial Executive program.

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Adobe Press; 1 edition (September 6, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0321509870
• ISBN-13: 978-0321509871
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 7 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #161,189 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #11 in Books > Computers & Technology > Databases > Database Design

More About the Author

J.P. Terry is the CEO of SmartDoc Technologies, www.smartdoctech.com. SmartDoc is a leader in Adobe LiveCycle and Apple enterprise iPad and iPhone solutions. SmartDoc has developed paperless systems for Fidelity and the IRS and is a member of the Adobe Solutions network. With our global offices in New Jersey and Beijing-China, we offer high-quality, 24-hour development at very attractive rates.

J.P. often writes and speaks about dynamic PDF technology and is the author of the Adobe Press books, "Creating Dynamic Forms with Adobe LiveCycle Designer" and "Paperless: Real-World Solutions with Adobe Technology. The sample files for these books are available at www.smartdoctech.com.

Prior to SmartDoc Technologies, J.P. founded BrandWizard Technologies and was the CEO of BrandWizard from 2000 until 2005. Mr. Terry is a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design, the Omnicom Executive training program, and Wharton's Financial Executive program.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome Book!!, September 11, 2007

By 

J. Babin "CA Patent Lawyer" (San Diego, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Creating Dynamic Forms with Adobe LiveCycle Designer (Paperback)

This is the book that should have been included with Adobe LiveCycle Designer! It takes you step-by-step through the process of designing a and creating an interactive form and explains how to add scripts using both Adobe's Form Calc and JavaScript. First it goes through an overview of the software interface and explains the differences between different form types. Chapter 2 provides a discussion of basic design concepts and considerations for making forms readable and user-friendly. Don't skip that chapter - there's lots of great suggestions there! Next the book shows you how to create a form and incorporate all the built-in objects and tools like fill-in fields, menus, and buttons. There's also a section explaining master pages, body pages and most importantly sub-forms which are the real key to getting the most out of the software. Chapter 4 has all the basics for adding functionality with JavaScript and Form Calc. The explanation here is very straightforward and easy to follow, especially for a non-computer person like me. There are tons of examples in the text and Mr. Terry has provided a link to download all the forms he created and discusses, including several examples linked to xml data files that you can use as a starting place to make your own. In chapter 5, he shows you how to use the forms to enter and collect data, including very understandable examples of what should happen when you take various actions. Finally, the last chapter provides sample scripts for common tasks and explains how and why they work. Use this book as a workbook - go through the examples and sample files and you will be well on your way to creating very useful and functional forms. I tried using the tutorials that came with the software, but felt like I had only scratched the surface of knowing how to use LiveCycle Designer. This book filled an essential gap in my knowledge. I find a lot of computer books virtually incomprehensible, but Mr. Terry's writing style makes this book very easy to read and use. Never thought I could get excited about making a form, but the software is really pretty cool and this book helped me find that out. Highly recommended!!!

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Adobe LiveCycle Book, March 25, 2008

By 

Hal9000 "Hal9000" (Orlando, FL) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Creating Dynamic Forms with Adobe LiveCycle Designer (Paperback)

This book tells you everything you need to know to get started creating dynamic forms with Adobe LiveCycle Designer. And it tells it in a concise, succinct, and easy-to-read manner.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Book, December 11, 2007

By 

Bob (Tucson, Arizona USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Creating Dynamic Forms with Adobe LiveCycle Designer (Paperback)

This book gave me all the answers I needed. I struggled with some of the instructions because I was using version 7.0 and some things did not line up with version 8.0. Scripting was a little difficult at first but after playing around I got the form to do exactly what I wanted. There was reference to a form that I never did find in either version 7.0 or 8.0.

Although a little expensive, if you want to get a form developed and in production quickly this book can help.