Form properties: Calculate

The Calculate properties are specific to the Text Box and Dropdown fields. They enable a field to be calculated based on the contents of other fields in the document. The calculation is invoked whenever the value of the appropriate fields change.

Calculations are performed on fields with obvious numeric values, even if they are combined with text, so long as the numbers are grouped. For example, Revu can extract the numeric value from entries like 123Text and Text123, but would likely have trouble getting the desired value from entries like T1e2x3t or 123Text123.

Value Is Not Calculated: This is the default calculation type. No calculations will be made.

Calculation Field: Select this option to make simple calculations based on the contents of the other fields in the PDF.

Sum (+): Sums the selected fields.
Product (x): Mulitples the selected fields.
Average: Takes the average of the selected fields.
Minimum: Takes the smallest value of all the selected fields.
Maximum: Takes the largest value of all the selected fields.

Simplified Field Notation: Specify the Simplified Field Notation to make more complicated arithmetic calculations. The following is an example of a Simplified Field Notation calculation where a result is being calculated for the "ResultsTextBox" form field from values found in other fields on the form:

ResultsTextBox = AverageEmployeeSalaryTextBox * NumberOfEmployeesTextBox + TotalEmployeeBonusTextBox -TotalTaxesTextBox

In the example above, only the calculation part of the equation (what is shown to the right of the equals (=) sign) would be entered in the calculation field for the "ResultsTextBox" form field. Entering the product of the equation (what is shown to the left of the equals (=) sign) would create an error as the "ResultsTextBox" field would be trying to use itself in its own calculation, which is paradoxical. It is not necessary to include the equals (=) sign itself either; it is implied.

Ultimately, names used in the simplified field notation are replaced with the equivalent JavaScript calculation. For example, this example gets translated into the following JavaScript:

this.getField("ResultsTextBox").value = this.getField("AverageEmployeeSalaryTextBox").value * this.getField("NumberOfEmployeesTextBox").value + this.getField("TotalEmployeeBonusTextBox").value - this.getField("TotalTaxesTextBox").value

Custom Calculation Field: Use this field to specify a Custom Calculation Field using JavaScript. For example, a form may be created letting the user input the amplitude, period, phase shift, vertical shift, and x-coordinate for a sine wave, a Custom Calculation Field might look like:

var amplitude = new Number(this.getField("AmplitudeTextBox").value);

var period = new Number(this.getField("PeriodTextBox").value);

var phaseShift = new Number(this.getField("PhaseShiftTextBox").value);

var verticalShift = new Number(this.getField("VerticalShiftTextBox").value);

var x = new Number(this.getField("XTextBox").value);

event.value = verticalShift + amplitude * Math.sin(period * x + phaseShift);

Form properties: Calculate

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