Using Keystroke Command with Adobe Form Fields

[sailjazzin]

I have a task that prompts for a first and last name, assigns those names to variables and then goes about printing a bunch for different forms/documents.

One of the forms being printed is an Adobe Acrobat form (form developed via Adobe Live Cycle). The task opens the Acrobat form fine, and I use a keystroke command to tab to the first form entry. Then a problem starts.

These forms utilize some local cache that remember previous entries in the form fields. This creates a repeatable problem when attempting to load these fields using the Keystroke command. The local form cache kicks in after the first character is typed, then a list of previous entries starting with that letter are displayed for you to pick (just like on many other "form" type software).

If you are working on the form manually, you can simply keep typing the field input, ignoring the cache options. However, if you are using the Keystroke commend in AA, the second character of the Keystroke string comes up missing. My thought is that there is some timing interference between the second keystroke character and Adobe processing the form field’s prior entry cache.

My work around was to use a Message command to pause the AA task prompting the user to enter the information directly in the Adobe file, then clicking OK in the Message box in AA when they are done. This is clunky, but I can’t figure out any other way to do this.

Maybe a future feature could be to add a function within the Keystroke Command that adds user defined delays between each character sent. But, I am sure there are other “real” solutions available vs. my clunkified one!

[forumsupport]

Hello,

You can insert a Pause command in the task if you want the task to pause after certain actions in the task. Insert a pause so that you have a chance to enter or modify some information during task replay.

You can find Pause command under 'Pause/Delays/Wait' command category. To insert the command, just double click on it.

To continue, click on the 'Resume' button found at bottom right corner of your screen.

Alternatively, try inserting enough delay before and after the keystrokes command that inserts prompted value in a form field. Also, if your keystroke command is very long then break down your keystrokes given in one line at a stretch into several lines and try to insert 'Delay' command in between the lines for the error-less execution of the task. Breaking the keystrokes into several lines would give sufficient time to execute each action smoothly.

Hope that helps.

[philkryder]

Originally Posted by sailjazzin

I have a task that prompts for a first and last name, assigns those names to variables and then goes about printing a bunch for different forms/documents.

One of the forms being printed is an Adobe Acrobat form (form developed via Adobe Live Cycle). The task opens the Acrobat form fine, and I use a keystroke command to tab to the first form entry. Then a problem starts.

These forms utilize some local cache that remember previous entries in the form fields. This creates a repeatable problem when attempting to load these fields using the Keystroke command. The local form cache kicks in after the first character is typed, then a list of previous entries starting with that letter are displayed for you to pick (just like on many other "form" type software).

If you are working on the form manually, you can simply keep typing the field input, ignoring the cache options. However, if you are using the Keystroke commend in AA, the second character of the Keystroke string comes up missing. My thought is that there is some timing interference between the second keystroke character and Adobe processing the form field’s prior entry cache.

My work around was to use a Message command to pause the AA task prompting the user to enter the information directly in the Adobe file, then clicking OK in the Message box in AA when they are done. This is clunky, but I can’t figure out any other way to do this.

Maybe a future feature could be to add a function within the Keystroke Command that adds user defined delays between each character sent. But, I am sure there are other “real” solutions available vs. my clunkified one!

Try this:

I assume you have tabbed into the field into which you wish to type.

Try typing a BLANK character (one space) before the text that you want.
My guess is this will not match any prior text that has been entered.
If a blank doesn't work than try something else like a french bracket {.

Then type the text you want.

Then type a HOME key which will bring you back to the beginning of the field.

Then type a DELETE key which will remove the french bracket {

So, if you want to type "My name is Phil"
Instead type
"{My name is Phil"
Then [HOME]
Then [Delete]

Report back.

Phil