Document integration usage details

The following usage details describe the best practices and limitations for integrating your Volt application with a PDF.

  • Selecting PDF types:
    • PDFs must allow the input of information to be populated by data that is collected in a Volt application. Adobe™ Acrobat Pro is the primary tool that is used for creating PDFs where you can complete fields, and can be used to reliably create or modify existing PDFs to make them compatible with the Volt document integration feature.
    • In some cases, Adobe™ Acrobat Reader extensions are removed by Reader after the document is populated.
    • XFA PDFs have partial support when they have compatibility mode enabled.
    • Encrypted PDFs cannot be populated.
    • Some PDF documents are intended only for printing and have no data entry fields. These PDFs cannot be populated.
    • A number of freely available PDF authoring tools on the web do not create compatible PDFs. Some PDF documents that are created or modified with these tools might appear to have direct text entry support but do not allow completion of fields.
    • Some PDFs that are generated by freely available PDF authoring tools are not compatible with the "Flatten PDF Form" feature, the field values may appear blank.
    • If a PDF has limitations that make it unusable for populating with data from Volt, you can still attach the PDF to the form and it is returned unmodified. This is useful if you want to return a static PDF containing detailed instructions.
    • Populating fields in a signed PDF document results in a validation warning message that is displayed by the PDF Reader. The warning message tells users unsigned changes were added after the document was signed.
    • When you work with languages that contain extended character sets, be sure to match the language of the Volt form with the Language/Font of the PDF item. Any character or glyph that is missing from a font is omitted from the value that is passed.
    • The built-in PDF viewer on iOS/Safari does not properly render values of filled PDF's. This is an iOS/Safari limitation.
  • Mapping information:
    • Values can be mapped to PDF Text Fields that are marked as readonly. You can populate a PDF from values that are collected in the Volt form, while the PDF remains unmodifiable through direct entry.
    • The design time exercise of creating a map to indicate how data moves from application to the PDF are made much easier when items on both sides are properly named. When you use the Volt mapping dialog, if items in the PDF do not have recognizable names, Adobe™ Acrobat Pro can be used to modify the PDF.
    • Take care to understand the format and constraints of the item you are mapping to and from. In some cases, a poorly matched map results in a blank item in the PDF because no value is mapped. For example, mapping a Number into a PDF Date Text Field, or mapping multiple selections from a Select Many choice item into a PDF Radio Group. In other cases, a value appears in the PDF but might result in constraint violations within the PDF. For example, mapping an unconstrained Single-Line Entry into a PDF Field.
    • Multi-lined values cannot be mapped to single lined text fields in a PDF.
    • The Export Values for PDF choice type items can be determined by inspecting the PDF with an editing tool. The Export Values are also displayed as part of the Description property in the extra information hover text within the Volt mapping dialog. To see the Export Values, hover over the information icon next to any PDF item in the list to be mapped. For a successful map, the Saved Value for the Volt item should be adjusted to match the Export Value.
    • To map choice items, the Saved Value for the selected choice must match the Export Value for the available choice in the PDF item. The Export Value is used as an indicator of whether a particular choice in the item is marked as selected, or turned on. This note is applicable to Volt choice items such as Select One, Select Many, Drop Down, Survey, and Choice Slider.
    • When you map a Check Box to a PDF Check Box, the Export Value is automatically determined so no special consideration needs to be made around matching the Export Value.
    • Select Many
      • A Select Many can be mapped into a PDF Radio Group. However, configure the Select Many with a constraint that allows only one choice selection so the constraints of the PDF Radio Group are not violated
      • A Select Many should not be mapped to a cluster of PDF Check Boxes if the PDF Check Boxes do not have unique Export Values. In this case, the Volt form might need to be altered to replace the Select Many item with a cluster of individual Checkboxes.
      • A Select Many maps well to a PDF List Box Multi-Select but can also be mapped to a cluster of PDF Check Boxes by creating multiple maps. One map from the Select Many to each Check Box in the cluster. When mapping from a Select Many to a PDF Check Box, the Saved Value of a selected choice must match the Export Value of the PDF Check Box for the PDF check box to be turned on.
    • Each question in a Survey must be mapped separately, and must use the same rules for mapping as a Select One or Select Many.
    • Some Volt items that cannot be mapped are Image, HTML Fragments, Text, Button, Line, Media, Web Link, Attachment, Page Navigation, Section, and Tabbed Folder.
    • Some PDF items that cannot be mapped are Button, Digital Signature, Image, and Text.