JavaScript and Metadata

[Maik_Schulze@adobeforums.com]

Hello,

I'd like to know whether the following is possible. It would also be great if someone could be point me in the right directions regarding the appropriate API functions / keywords.

We set up a LiveCycle server that dynamically creates 3D PDFs out of CAD files. Now we also would like to dynamically add metadata (3D coordinates, strings,...) to the PDF. This PDF is then sent to the client that is using Adobe Reader.

The JavaScript code that is embedded into the file as well should interpret the metadata and control some behavior in accordance. The client is not required to add further meta data to the file as the modified data should be directly fed into our database.

I assume it is definately possible to add meta data with LiveCycle, but what about the reading of them via JavaScript in the Reader? How can I add meta data to a PDF in Acrobat Pro Extended? I'd like to build some client test case before touching the server. Could you point me to some functions or even tutorials?

Kind regards
Maik

[Leonard_Rosenthol@adobeforums.com]

Are you talking about metadata at the document level? On the 3D object itself? Or on specific "objects" inside the 3D data?

PDF supports all of these things, but creating/editing/retrieving the metadata for each is different...

[Maik_Schulze@adobeforums.com]

Hello Leonard,

I'm talking about metadata at the document level. There is no immmediate relation to 3d nodes or the 3d context at all.

Regards
Maik

[Leonard_Rosenthol@adobeforums.com]

look at the doc object - I think it's getInfo and setInfo.

[Maik_Schulze@adobeforums.com]

Hello Leonard,

thank you for pointing me into the right direction. When working on document.info I discovered that document.metadata might do the trick as well and supports structures and not just value pairs.

The example in the documentation really helped me getting started. Unfortunately I'm a little bit stuck. I defined my own XMP namespace and an according XML structure. I have trouble querying the data. Most queries produce an empty string.

Is there a tutorial that shows how to read property qualifiers and alternatives?

Let's take this as an example:

[...]
<dc:rights>
<rdf:Alt>
<rdf:li xml:lang="x-default">English</rdf:li>
<rdf:li xml:lang="ger">German</rdf:li>
</rdf:Alt>
</dc:rights>
[...]

Querying it as following
var p = [...]mydc::rights.myrdf::Alt.myrdf::li;
results in "p = English"
How can I read the German alternative? Can somebody point me to an appropriate tutorial? I have similar problems with sequence structures and qualifiers.

Regards
Maik

[Leonard_Rosenthol@adobeforums.com]

language alternates aren't well handled at the higher levels. You'd be best to use the E4X features of JavaScript to get to them at the "raw" XML level if yo ureally need it.

[ulrike73@adobeforums.com]

Leonard,

you mentioned, that creating/editing/retrieving of metadata is also possible for 3d objects.

How does this work? I only find, that the metadata string of a mesh in a scene is read only. How can I add a metadata string or edit existing metadata?

Is it correct, that this metadata will be displayed by the "Object Data Pane"?

A plugin solution would also be ok. I am investigating Acrobat version 8.1 and 9.

Ulrike