Converting smartform output into CSV format.

[Former Member]

Hi guys,

I am having an requirement to convert output coming from smartform into csv format. But as i debugged further i found that some of the content is coming from adobe form. The data coming in adobe form i have converted to csv by using gui_download, but the format coming in adobe form i.e. Name, City, Address etc fields these fields also i have to populate in output excel. Please Help me out.

[Sandra_Rossi]

Do you want to convert the PDF to an image and insert it into the Excel file?

Or do you want to extract every field of the Adobe form, and place them at some given positions in the Excel file?

Should the Excel file be a CSV file, or an XLSX file, or another Excel format?

Could you please explain how an Adobe form can be part of a Smart Form?

[Former Member]

Yes. I want to convert the output coming in smartform to be converted into csv file. I want to extract every field of the Adobe form, and place them in csv file.

[Sandra_Rossi]

I don't understand. Adobe form or Smart Form ? (Depending on the technology used, the answer will be completely different)

[Former Member]

Its an adobe form.

[Sandra_Rossi]

So, for "Converting Adobe form output into CSV format", assuming the Adobe form has been generated via ADS, you have to create a program in 3 steps:

• Extract the XML data out of the Adobe form.
• Parse the XML data and generate the CSV file

To extract the XML data, you may use the demo program FP_PDF_TEST_03 (it will download the XML as a file on your desktop).

To parse the XML data, you have several ways: from scratch (the XML is a string of characters), XML transformation, iXML (class CL_IXML, ...), sXML reader (classes CL_SXML_*_READER, ...)

Whatever the technology you choose for parsing the XML data, you'll need to decide how the fields will be mapped to the CSV file (which data of the form to which column of the CSV).

It's easier to generate the content of the CSV file from scratch (values separated by ',' or ';' depending on the Windows regional settings).

[Jelena]

Sorry but this approach makes just as much sense as trying to get a whole orange out of orange juice. You don't need any form in the middle. Just get the data and get it into a file.

[pokrakam]

One could always just print, scan, and OCR it. Simples.

[Former Member]

Can you please explain a little more briefly how should i close my issue?

[pokrakam]

If you are replying to my comment, it was a 'comment' response to Jelena's 'answer', in particular about the orange juice theory. Mine was not an 'answer' to your question. This forum software makes a very clear distinction between 'comments' and 'answers'. Not all of us like it, but that's how it works these days.

Just to be 100% clear: Yes my idea is technically possible, but it doesn't make any practical sense to print and scan all PDFs, so please disregard my comment.

[Jelena]

"Just get the data and get it into a file" seems like a rather straightforward solution to me. Not sure what else is expected... In any case, the original question doesn't provide much detail, so even if anyone wanted to elaborate I doubt it'd be possible due to lack of information.

If you are asking about closing the question on SCN then it's explained in this blog.

Sorry but it seems so far any answers or comments here have been more detailed than your posts. Before asking for anything more, I'd urge you to review this blog.

Thank you.

[Former Member]

Didn't notice was in a fuzz. Anyway Thanks. I hope it works. 🙂

[matt]

So when you wrote "smartform" you meant "adobe form" . Do you understand how important it is to be precise when asking questions if you want sensible answers?

[Former Member]

Sorry boss but the requirement given to me was wrong. Got the correct requirement and now the issue is closed.