Adobe LiveCycle Designer and Adobe Acrobat actually posses diverse scripting object models. This can be quite confusing for many, but this ...

Transitioning From Adobe Acrobat To Adobe LiveCycle Designer

By February 19, 2021

Adobe LiveCycle Designer and Adobe Acrobat actually posses diverse scripting object models. This can be quite confusing for many, but this article aims to clear it up. By revealing the differences between the two as well as providing advice on conversion, you should be a lot clearer regarding how to convert the JavaScript found in Adobe Acrobat for use in Adobe Livecycle Designer. Read on to find out more…


Let’s begin by revealing a little bit more about the LiveCycle Designer software which was released last year. This has been designed in order to let you build intelligent forms. There are various methods for doing so, such as adding form logic through LiveCycle Designer UI or adding JavaScript scripting. This is highly beneficial because through working offline and alike it can enhance workflow efficiency and usability dramatically. Another reason why this program is popular is because it gives the possibility of saving in PDF containing the XML form data, XDP, HTML and more. Get some Free SVGs to help you make amazing designs.

When dealing with Adobe Acrobat and Adobe LiveCycle Designer it is not the case that the two completely do not work together. A lot of the Acrobat JavaScript will work in LiveCycle Designer formats. Yet, there are some that won’t and this is due to the difference between the two scripting models as there is barely any overlap. Companies like Supportiv can assist if you need more programs in place to run all of your work.

When converting the JavaScript found in Adobe Acrobat to Adobe LiveCycle Designer the first thing you need to do is decide how much of Acrobat can actually be used in LiveCycle Designer form, and consequently how much needs to be converted.

Make a table and spilt it into three categories. The first category is for those that do work in LiveCycle Designer forms. However, they do not have any LiveCycle Designer JavaScript equivalent either. The second is for those that again work however there is the possibility for a conversion to LiveCycle Designer JavaScript. And finally, the latter category is for those that simply have to be converted because they do not work in LiveCycle Designer forms. Most technology experts recommend converting all that is possible. Yet, begin with your necessities; those that will not work without conversion.

There are various different ways to make the transition to Adobe LiveCycle Designer; this encompasses everything from LiveCycle Designer UI form logic to FormCalc scripting. The latter is a popular and effective option. FormCalc is essentially an easy and straightforward calculation language. It is popular because it doesn’t need the knowledge of traditional scripting techniques it can actually facilitate quick and effective form design without it. This is especially beneficial for individuals who are going to be using the software and performing a substantial amount of calculations.

Nevertheless, the method of conversion you select largely depends on your design goals as well as your skill set. FormCalc Scripting is quite straight forward but some programming knowledge would be useful. There is also LiveCycle Designer UI form logic; this is extremely easy to create and maintain and thus no programming skills are required. And then there is LiveCycle Designer JavaScript which is recommended you have programming ability for. Make sure you don’t choose anything that is out of your depth.

But finally, if you are struggling then simply look to the internet for guidance. You will find lots of step-by-step guides which talk you through the exact process; from importing a file to testing and debugging. You will never be too far away from help.  

Disclosure: This is a collaborative post

You Might Also Like

0 comments