Adobe adds bar codes to PDF forms

Advertisement (Why?)

Thanks xStainDx. Adobe Systems is set to expand its electronic forms with new capabilities for adding bar codes to forms based on the company's portable document format.

The technology, to be announced Monday, will allow faster processing of forms ultimately intended for printing. Early backers include the Internal Revenue Service, which will experiment with adding bar code capacity to several PDF-based tax forms this year.

Adobe also announced the release of a test version of Adobe Designer, a new product announced last year for creating forms that combine PDF and XML (Extensible Markup Language), the fast-growing standard for exchanging data between disparate computing systems.

Electronic forms have become a key strategic focus for Adobe as the company tries to expand PDF, now commonly used to electronically exchange documents, into a flexible container for exchanging business data.

One of Adobe's key differentiators from purely electronic forms competitors, such as Microsoft's InfoPath, is PDF's ability to accommodate both digital and printed matter.

View: Read more at CNET News

News source: CNET News

** 33 Windows XP Pre-Service Pack 2 Critical Updates
** 25 Windows XP Pre-Service Pack 2 Recommended Updates
** 05 Internet Explorer Updates
** 03 Outlook Express Updates
** Bootvis Tool (version 1.3.37)
** Euro Conversion Tool
** MSN Messenger 6.1.0207 w/ Option to uninstall Windows Messenger 4.7
** Windows Messenger 5.0.0468 (if you chose not to install MSN Messenger)
** Microsoft Virtual Machine w/ 2 Updates
** Sun Java 1.4.2_03 (for those running SP1a or SP1)
** Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer 1.2
** Microsoft Data Access Components 2.8 w/ 1 Update
** Microsoft DirectX 9.0b w/ 1 Update & Optional Control Panel Shortcut
** Microsoft Jet 4.0 Service Pack 8
** Microsoft Jet 4.0 Service Pack 8 Replication Update
** Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1 w/ 1 Update
** Microsoft SharePoint Migration Tool
** Microsoft Windows Journal Viewer
** Windows XP PowerToys (including 8 Bonus Powertoys)
** Microsoft XML 3.0 SP4
** Microsoft XML 4.0 SP2
** Windows Media Player 9 w/ Update to Build 3093 & 8 other Updates & Enhancements
** Windows Movie Maker 2.0
** Windows Rights Management Client 1.0
** 3D Windows XP ScreenSaver
** Adaptec ASPI Layer for Windows XP
** Bliss Screensaver
** Microsoft American Flag ScreenSaver
** Device Manager Shortcut to All Programs Menu"
** Desktop Icon Restore Tool"
** Windows Media Player Classic version 6.4.7.5"
** Microsoft Virtual CD Tool"
** Ability to remove ASP.Net Uset Account
** Ability to remove all Windows XP ScreenSavers
** Ability to remove all Win9x based Wallpapers
** Ability to remove all Windows XP Wallpapers
** IE Spy-Ad
** Optional Internet Explorer Spellcheck tool
** System Uptime Tool
** Macromedia Flash Player
** Macromedia Shockwave Player
** MSN Plus 2.5.4
** Neowin Screensaver (XP logon Hack)
** Microsoft NZ Bliss Wallpaper
** Option to replace update 8-Bit Shutdown and Logoff Icons on Windows Classic Theme
** Startup Monitor
** Startup CPL
** UxTheme.dll Patcher (so you can use custom themes)
** 62 Registry Tweaks
** And Much More!!

(3 replies) #1 Rudy on 08 Mar 2004 - 09:25

i guess pdf is usefull for legal documents but i really hate having to download adobe to view them

#1.1 jagedEdge on 08 Mar 2004 - 12:15

It isn't exactly a bad piece of software to have, though the reader is a bit bloated. I love Preview in OS X. Reads just about anything.

#1.2 Rudy on 08 Mar 2004 - 17:01

i just wish i wouldnt have to install Adobe to view the files....i mean the idea is great but the program slow/buggy

#1.3 LordHatrus on 08 Mar 2004 - 21:07

Well you don't need to DL adobe products in linux either

#2 Varsity on 08 Mar 2004 - 10:46

Now that is a good idea.

(2 replies) #3 Intelligen on 08 Mar 2004 - 15:30

Try the adobe speedup program. Helps a LOT

http://sio.midco.net/intelligen/_private/ar-speedup.zip

#3.1 Trajik 2600 on 08 Mar 2004 - 22:13

That just found a permanent home in my utilities folder

#3.2 [ timko ] on 08 Mar 2004 - 22:57

Ka-ching!!!!! I'm gonna add this to my program store folder as well and write protect the biatch... thanks!

#4 JohnsonBox on 08 Mar 2004 - 17:06

What I've been feeling about PDF is its "tiresome" copyrighted document/content, which is often not allowed to copy anything about it -- even when you just want to copy a little episode...

(2 replies) #5 nic on 08 Mar 2004 - 17:56

Adobe Acrobat 6 Professional pretty crappy. They should spend their time working on that. As of now, half of the documents we created with Adobe Acrobat 4 don't display properly in Acrobat 6. And in the Acrobat 6 PDF optimizer, just because you set "compatible with Acrobat 4" doesn't mean its going to actually load in Acrobat 4. Most of the time opening one of these in Acrobat 4 gives an error and then closes the application.

And then there is the size of Acrobat 6 Pro: 237MB. Priemier 6.5 is 250MB. Seems like a lot to me for what it is doing.

#5.1 Mav Phoenix on 08 Mar 2004 - 19:50

Have you contacted Adobe about that?

#5.2 nic on 09 Mar 2004 - 20:11

yeah. I've submitted 2 bug reports

Commenting has either been disabled on this article or you are not logged in. Click here to login or register, its free!

Note: Anonymous commenting is disabled in order to keep the quality of responses to a high standard.

Neowin.net