[Okular-devel] [okular] [Bug 343852] New: okular's pdf form data isn't compliant with the standard FDF format, which results in severe pdf usability problems

[Yuri]

https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=343852

            Bug ID: 343852
           Summary: okular's pdf form data isn't compliant with the
                    standard FDF format, which results in severe pdf
                    usability problems
           Product: okular
           Version: unspecified
          Platform: Other
                OS: FreeBSD
            Status: UNCONFIRMED
          Severity: major
          Priority: NOR
         Component: PDF backend
          Assignee: okular-devel at kde.org
          Reporter: yuri at tsoft.com

Currently forms data is stored in some XML files located away from the pdf
file: ~/.kde4/share/apps/okular/docdata/299074.<pdf-file-name>.pdf.xml

There is the standard for the form field data defined in section "8.6.6 Forms
Data Format" of PDF reference:
http://partners.adobe.com/public/developer/en/pdf/PDFReference16.pdf

In short, field data by default should be embedded in the pdf file itself. User
can also export (or extract) it into the separate .fdf file, that can be stored
separately. FSF is just the directory-style format, defined in the same fashion
as the pdf format itself.

Current implementation doesn't follow this standard, and doesn't store the data
with the document. Forms data becomes not portable, and it is
difficult/impossible to keep several versions of the filled form.

In short, the way how forms are currently implemented is barely usable, and
prone to user confusion and accidental data loss. (!!! Why forms data dies when
user deletes ~/.kde4 ? !!!) One can fill the form and print it, but people
can't keep backup copies or send filled document to others.

Anybody experienced with pdf forms will have a problem with the current
implementation.

This is the major usability problem.

Reproducible: Always

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