Tim Huff - Man, I didn't know Acrobat could do that!

Hello all, well, I am rededicating myself back to my blog and really trying to get you the best information about the Acrobat Family of products out there! So here is a quick hit for you!

You know that there are a lot of commands in Acrobat that just do not have a button or a pull down item to get to them. So, I am going to open the pandora’s box to the unknown and really killer keyboard shortcuts in Acrobat. If you read this blog you know that I am a PC guy. But, I am embracing the Mac Platform. I am an old engineer so I love Unix (the VI editor rocks!) So, this list will show all the short cuts that ship in the box. So here you go Down Load the Acrobat 8 Pro keyboard Short Cuts.

Keep some Life in your life

Tim

Posted by Tim Huff at 11:08 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Hey all, Adobe is sponsoring a 3D PDF contest for you to show off your coolest 3D PDF files.

Example:

3D Trailer Example by Tim Huff

You could win some cool prizes by simply sharing your great work.

The contest is open to 2D and 3D CAD users as well as Technical Publishers from all industries that are using Acrobat 3D.

Entry is straightforward with several easy options:

• Share your existing 3D PDF files. All files will remain Adobe Confidential.


• If you’re not a current Acrobat 3D user you can even use the free trial version of Acrobat 3D to convert your existing 3D models into a 3D PDF

Entrants could win valuable prizes that include a Dell Precision M4300 laptop, Apple iPhone, Apple Video iPod, 3Dconnexion navigator, Adobe software and more.

Winners will also receive recognition on the Acrobat 3D website as well as on the Acrobat User Community website.

The contest runs from Oct 15, 2007 until Jan 31, 2008.

Full details at HERE Get to the Entry Form Here

So I look forward to judging some of your killer 3D creations.

Have fun with this and remember to put some life in your life

Tim

Posted by Tim Huff at 07:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Hello all of you from the PDF Central Conference, as I promised, here are the links to the documents From my sessions. Here is the list of my sessions:

Adding Depth to your PDFs: 3D diagrams and layers with Acrobat 3D

Starring: Tim Huff, Adobe Systems, Inc.

Tuesday October 23, 2007 9:00am - 10:15am Beginner

Publish, share, review, and mark up 3D designs in Intelligent Documents with Adobe® Acrobat® 3D software. Acrobat 3D enriches collaboration by enabling extended teams to use Adobe PDF documents to more securely and reliably communicate 3D design intent. Tim will discuss how to insert and publish 3D designs from major CAD applications in Adobe PDF documents that can easily be shared with suppliers, partners, and end users of the free Adobe Reader® software.

 

What We've Got Here is Failure to Communicate: Making you PDFs 508 Compliant

Starring: Tim Huff, Adobe Systems, Inc.

Tuesday October 23, 2007 10:30am - 11:45am Intermediate

Don't let accessibility issues keep you from reaching all of your clients. Learn how to make your PDFs 508 compliant. Section 508 requires that Federal agencies' electronic and information technology is accessible to people with disabilities. 508 compliant is currently required for Federal agencies’ but there’s always the possibility that it will spill over into society as a whole. Several companies are already voluntarily making their forms, websites, etc. 508-conforming because they are concerned that such requirements may come into being in the future.

Here are a list of some of the items we went over

• Adobe - Accessibility _ Section 508 Explained.pdf
• acrobat7 accessibility faq
• Adobe - Accessibility _ What is accessibility_.pdf

Dynamic Form Design: Designing Forms with LiveCycle Designer

Starring: Tim Huff, Adobe Systems, Inc.

Tuesday October 23, 2007 1:00pm - 2:15pm Intermediate

Join Tim as he shows you how to use Designer to create PDF forms. Learn how to lay out a form from scratch and create fillable and interactive objects.

Here are some example files for you

• Use a pull down to chage an Image
• Forms I used for the class

Links to the blogs that address the forms presentation:

• Pull Down changes Image
• Create a form with Calculation fields
• Forms from Scratch using Acrobat and InDesign
• Setting a default in your forms drop down list
• Forms data collection with Acrobat 8 Professional

It was a really good event, I met a lot of great people, what to thank everyone for having me, hope to see you all soon, and remember to keep some life in your life.

Tim

 

Posted by Tim Huff at 04:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Hello all, well this is a direct reference to a comment to that was on this site. ( So see, I do read them ), so the question was how to use a drop-down list to change an image in an Acrobat Form? Well click the more button to find out!

Ok I'm going to go right out and say it... jeezzz this is so hard.....Ok just got to let it out...Big deep breath.....Ok to have a Drop Down list select and show a certain graphic within a form requires..............a small amount of programming! Ok, I said it, yes you must write a little code to have it happen for you. Wow, I feel so cleansed! Invigorated even, because if you have the ability to write very basic conditional code, you will be able to get more things done much quicker! I'll get off the soap box now and get on with it. This was a fun little task, because the Acrobat Designer is a very powerful program that allows you to be very flexible with your forms. There is a great resource for the Acrobat Designer Here and Here is a PDF of the Form Calc Users Ref. A must have for form creators! So here you go, I have also attached the finished form here for you to play with; Dropdown to Change Pix.

So let's get started, First open the Adobe LiveCycle Designer (sorry Mac Users you do not have this one, I will show this process for standard Acroforms in a later post) and start a blank form.

1. Drag and Drop a Drop-Down List any where on the page
2. Add a Text Field under the Drop-Down List
3. Under the Text Field add 3 Image Fields (Hint, it is alway a good idea to name your fields)

Your form should look like this:

Go in and add three images to the images fields, any thing is fine. You now need to open the Script Editor window by going to the Window pull down and select Script Editor, this will open a window that will allow you to add your code. Ok it gets tricky here so go slow;

1. Select the Drop-down List you placed on your form
2. Goto the Script Editor and select FormCalc as our language (on the right side) and where it says Show pull down and select Change as the event
3. Copy and paste the code below (Note: I changed the name of the image boxes)

   // Code written by Tim Huff - Business Development Manager for Acrobat Oct 5 2007
   // Populate a variable (sNewValue) with the Current Value of the Drop-down list using the newText event.
   var sNewValue = $.boundItem(xfa.event.newText) TextField1.rawValue = sNewValue; // Fill the Text box with what you got
   // Test your variable agaist the name of the Image Object. The names for each Image object is listed under the Image
   if (sNewValue == "Acrobat Logo") then
   //Let's hide the Acrobat Logo
   AcrobatLogo.presence = "invisible";
   AcrobatPro.presence = "visible";
   AcrobatPro.presence = "visible";
   elseif (sNewValue == "Acrobat Pro Box") then
   //Let's hide the Acrobat Pro Box
   AcrobatPro.presence = "invisible";
   Acrobat3D.presence = "visible";
   AcrobatLogo.presence = "visible";
   elseif ( sNewValue == "Acrobat 3D Box") then
   //Let's hide the Acrobat 3D Box
   Acrobat3D.presence = "invisible";
   AcrobatLogo.presence = "visible";
   AcrobatPro.presence = "visible";
   elseif ( sNewValue == "All") then
   // Ok for fun let's hide'em all
   Acrobat3D.presence = "invisible";
   AcrobatLogo.presence = "invisible";
   AcrobatPro.presence = "invisible"; endif

Now you should be able to just click on the Preview PDF tab and run your code. That was pretty deep for a Monday morning, so have fun, don't get to frustrated, check out the links I set up for you and you can download a version of the form here Form for Drop-down list to change images Have a good week, I am off to the PDF Central Conference, so try to put some life in your life, check out a soccer game on Fox Soccer Channel Let's go FC Dallas! Go Cowboys!

Later all Tim

If electricity comes from electrons, does that mean that morality comes from morons? - Unknown

Posted by Tim Huff at 07:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This is funny but get this question alot. Previous to release 8 of Acrobat, this was not an easy task. But in Acrobat 8 we gave you an easy way to create a blank PDF.

This is a pretty straight forward process, but, you may be suprised at what you actually get when you create a blank PDF. Once the PDF is created you will be put into an edit mode that allows you to, add text, and if you use the advance edit tools, you can also add graphics. Now don't get this mixed up with a word processor, or a publishing tool, but, think of those times when you need a quick cover sheet added to a project, or a quck summary page, any time you need a quick sheet.

Let's get to how we do this;

First, in Acrobat 8, go to File|Create PDF|From Blank Page

Ok that's it, but, I want to explain what you are seeing right now, you have a blank PDF, but, we took it to the next level, we added an editor that allows you to add simple text with some formating

So you ask, ok Tim, pretty cool but, I want to put an image on this page, I look at this toolbar and I don't see where I can add an image! Well you thought you just "stumped the chump" huh? Nope, it's just a bit hidden, heres what you do, select the hand tool , this will get you out of edit mode and then go to Tools|Advanced Editing|Touch up Object Tool. Then Right Mouse Click somewhere on the PDF and you will see Place Image

Select an image to add and volia, you have an image. Ahh to be the Alpha Geek! Anyway here is my result-

And that's it, pretty easy, but a very useful tool that was 100% customer driven! So, remember if you have a good idea on a new or improved feature in Acrobat, please e-mail me I would love to hear from you, welp gots to go watch the Cowboys loose, Hummm, already 21 New England - 10 Dallas, I guess it's time to go to the Tivo and watch some Euro2008 qualifying.

So, put some life in your life, see ya later

Tim

Posted by Tim Huff at 09:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)