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What is the difference between these names: SAP Interactive Forms by Adobe, IFbA, Interactive Forms, PDF-Based Print Forms, PDF Forms, Adobe Forms?
IFbA is the abbreviation of SAP Interactive Forms by Adobe, it is not used by SAP, but by the SDN community IFbA are often referred as PDF forms and Adobe forms. SAP Interactive Forms by Adobe is the name of the technology. This name is sometimes disturbing as forms may be non-interactive Depending on the context where the name is used, Interactive Form may refer either to all types of forms using IFbA technology (even non-interactive forms), or only to forms which have interactive capability To avoid ambiguities, use IFbA (or SAP Interactive Forms by Adobe), or Adobe Forms, or PDF Forms, to refer to the technology PDF-Based Print Forms is the name used by SAP to distinguish non-interactive forms from interactive forms. Technically, a non-interactive form has the Interactive flag switched off, it does not contain any input field (and thus, programs do not have logic to read the values of input fields).
Do we need a license?
Interactive forms need a license if you use them productively (see Note 750784 - SAP Interactive Forms: Licenses) If you use Adobe Reader to display PDF-Based Print Forms via application virtualization (like Citrix Metaframe Server/XenApp), you may need an Adobe license too
What are the differences between Smart Forms and Adobe Forms?
For both of them, SAP dynamically creates a function module that must be called from an ABAP program to generate the form In Smart Forms, it is possible to add ABAP code during generation of the form, that is not possible with Adobe Forms It is possible to add javascript or FormCalc code in Adobe Forms, which is executed during the generation of the form Other differences are indicated in Note 1009567 Functional differences SAP Interactive Forms/Smart Forms Smart forms Vs PDF print forms - pros and cons, by Francois Gendebien, 2007/04/30 Use smartforms compatible interfaces with PDF forms, by Francois Gendebien, 2007/03/16
and SAP library - Smart Forms - Notes About Migrating Smart Forms See also the answer above about differences between Smart Forms and Adobe Forms
Growing (Rich) Text Fields in Adobe Interactive Forms, by Juergen Hauser, 2006/03/01 How do i play with access and presence script functions for UI elements in Adobe forms?, by Juergen Hauser Some common mistakes that happen using tables in Adobe forms, by Juergen Hauser
Resources
Interactive Form by Adobe - SDN Home Page (FAQ, forum, etc.) SAP Library - SAP Interactive Forms by Adobe SAP Interactive Forms PDF-Based Print Forms Blogs A PDF form or not a PDF form - that is the often the question, by Markus Meisl, 2006/12/22. Discusses when we should use a PDF form. Offline possibilities of Adobe forms, by Francois Gendebien Hey I have some problems in my Adobe development.., by Dezso Pap Some more problems..., by Dezso Pap https://www.sdn.sap.com/irj/sdn/weblogs?blog=/pub/wlg/8185, by Dezso Pap, 2008/01/25 The most important SAP Notes for SAP Interactive Forms, by Markus Meisl, 2006/11/03 Performance of Adobe forms..., by Robert Eijpe ADS SSL configuration journal I. / ABAP -> JAVA \/, by Dezso Pap, 2008/01/25 (part II made as a wiki, see below) Wikis Configuring SSL with certificates for the ADS Part II., by Dezso Pap, 2008/09/01 (continuation of blog above) SSL configuration WD JAVA or BI, by Dezso Pap, 2008/09/04 Server side digital signature on a document, by Dezso Pap, 2009/04/20 Rasterizing fonts in ADS 701 or later , by Dezso Pap, 2012/02/28