JavaScript on PDF

JavaScript has ushered the next wave of online applications. Through Ajax, JavaScript is able to develop Rich Internet Applications (RIA) without prior download requirements from its users.

As an online application, JavaScript becomes the tool of highly portable applications and through Ajax, online interaction is more than just HTML based document viewer. Your browser has become your platform for different online applications.

This programming language has always been in connection with the browser. Although applications that are based in JavaScript are possible, implementing JavaScript in other platforms has been a little bit challenging.

The Adobe API

Interestingly, Adobe has taken a keen interest in JavaScript and decided to do something out of that interest. The company created an API wherein developers will have the ability to launch JavaScript functions in PDF.

That means developers will not only rely on the browser or creating a standalone application for an Ajax based application, developers can also build an “An Ajax Based PDF.”

Just imagine opening a simple PDF file and what you’ll get is a powerful application. The loading time may be a little bit slow but once it’s implemented, it might be as powerful compared to browser based, Ajax applications.

There is a unique feature in Adobe API for JavaScript in PDF. At first glance it has all the basic functions that you would use in JavaScript but eventually you will realize that you are working on something different that only Adobe has created.

Instead of the usual tagging of the document, Adobe has created a shortcut so that you would just have to refer to the document as “this”. This really sounds simple because it actually is. After all, “this” will not really create any security problems because by default, you are already in a PDF document.

Advanced (and Challenging) Tool

PDF almost has the same behavior when it comes to its openness to JavaScript. Advanced tools such as SOA, additional XML extensions and other standards of ECMAScript could be implemented in PDF. But to do this, you have to go through a debugger console that requires perfection…literally.

The debugger comes in a notepad like form that will never allow you to undo incase you have done something terribly wrong. All you could do is to edit the error in external editor. But to even things, there is a syntax checker so the inconvenience and convenience offered makes it even.

Limited Viewing

And now for the bad news: although this sounds very promising, JavaScript in PDF could never be viewed in Acrobat Reader. This feature will only be available in Acrobat Professional. That means, if you haven’t shelled out a single cent to view PDF files, you will not be able to view JavaScript in PDF.

But like most things that depreciate over time, there will be a time wherein JavaScript in PDF will be viewable even in simple Acrobat Reader.

Watch out for updates on Acrobat Readers because you might live to see the day when JavaScript is actually implemented in basic Acrobat.