Create PDF/eForm with interactive features in template not working (e.g. bar code, macros, ...)
Hi together,
I received a PDF template from business with some functionality, like creating a bar code for instance. So in this case there is a field in the PDF where I can enter a number and a bar code will be created.
After I upload the PDF to Pega (7.1.9) and download it again, it is still working. But when I map some properties in this eForm and I generate the eForm via a button using OOTB activity GenerateEForm, this functionality is not working. Even when I download the PDF, open in locally and change this field. It seems that the PDF lost this functionality completly.
Does anybody have idea how to fix this?
Many thanks in advance.
Kind Regards, Marcel
***Updated by Moderator: Marissa to update categories***
Accepted Solution
Sopra Steria AG
CH
I found a solution. We have implemented some custom code to set permissions on a PDF, as this was an issue with P5.5. This is not needed anymore and was causing the issue.
Sopra Steria AG
CH
Yes, I just needed to clarify if I am allowed to do that. You can enter a number in "Client No." on the top right and then you can see that there is a second bar code generated in the footer on the first page.
Pegasystems Inc.
GB
[ warning, quite a bit of speculation from me here follows (with some justification however) - I haven't actually tried converting your PDF ]
Thanks for this: I tried typing numbers in the fields in Adobe Acrobat - and noted that a barcode (a 2d 'matrix' style) does appear; I haven't tried converting this through PRPC myself - but I can say we use the 'iText' library for reading/writing fields in 'eForm' PDFs such as this.
The version of iText we use is quite old:
select distinct(pzjar) from pr_engineclasses where upper( pzjar ) like '%ITEXT%';
Gives:
iText-2.1.7.jar
Whereas 'iText' is currently at the version 7.x (http://itextpdf.com/)
Version 2.17 seems to be the latest version of iText that was released under the Mozilla Public License (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IText); I don't know whether the licence change that happened at that version is the reason PRPC ships with the older version or not.
I don't know whether version 2.17 of iText supports the use of Barcode fields (is that the mechanism being used in your document do you know ?) or not.
[ warning, quite a bit of speculation from me here follows (with some justification however) - I haven't actually tried converting your PDF ]
Thanks for this: I tried typing numbers in the fields in Adobe Acrobat - and noted that a barcode (a 2d 'matrix' style) does appear; I haven't tried converting this through PRPC myself - but I can say we use the 'iText' library for reading/writing fields in 'eForm' PDFs such as this.
The version of iText we use is quite old:
select distinct(pzjar) from pr_engineclasses where upper( pzjar ) like '%ITEXT%';
Gives:
iText-2.1.7.jar
Whereas 'iText' is currently at the version 7.x (http://itextpdf.com/)
Version 2.17 seems to be the latest version of iText that was released under the Mozilla Public License (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IText); I don't know whether the licence change that happened at that version is the reason PRPC ships with the older version or not.
I don't know whether version 2.17 of iText supports the use of Barcode fields (is that the mechanism being used in your document do you know ?) or not.
I don't know whether trying a later version of iText would solve this or not: and even it is did you would have to construct custom code in order to use it. (The OOTB Activity in PRPC "generatePopulatedEForm" calls Engine Code under the covers ("efUtils.generatePopulatedEForm" for instance), so that is not easily customizable by a non Pega Developer.
You may wish to consider logging an ENHANCEMENT ("feedback") item regarding this.
Maybe somebody else on the forum has more experience of processing eForms that contain Barcode fields ?
Cheers
John
Sopra Steria AG
CH
Thanks John, this helped to understand the issue a little bit more. I am currently in clarification with the guys who created the PDF, if they are using iText.
If somebody has an idea how I can solve the issue, also any workaround would be appriciated, please let me know.
Accepted Solution
Sopra Steria AG
CH
I found a solution. We have implemented some custom code to set permissions on a PDF, as this was an issue with P5.5. This is not needed anymore and was causing the issue.
Veteran Careers First
US
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PDF EForm Help
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I am using my self-study VM as a lab to prototype POC for merging/concatenating PDFs.
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With such I am attempting to upload PDF with the EForm Accelerator and then Map the Pdf fields to properties on the clipboard.
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I can create both rules for PDF which include Rule-File-eForm and Rule-Map-eForm rule.
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I then create an activity to call the ‘GenerateEForm’ activity.
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For the parameters, I have entered the MapPurpose and TargetEFormPage.
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I run the activity from the ‘Actions’ menu on my calling activity.
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I get the error Unable to find the specified Rule-Map-eForm rule ‘Code-Pega-eForm.ManualTest’
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I have tried this many ways for a few days now.
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No matter what I do I get the same error.
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Any ideas
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(See Attachment)
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