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June 8, 2007
XML Forms Architecture (XFA)
Specification
Version 2.5
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Contents
.................................................................................................................................................................................................................i
Preface.......................................................................................................................................viii
Intellectual Property...................................................................................................................................................................viii
Document Contents.....................................................................................................................................................................ix
Intended Audience.......................................................................................................................................................................ix
Perspective Used in Describing Processing Guidelines...................................................................................................ix
Associated Schemas.......................................................................................................................................................................x
Related Documentation................................................................................................................................................................x
What’s New........................................................................................................................................................................................x
Conventions......................................................................................................................................................................................x
Part 1: XFA Processing Guidelines
1 Introduction to XML Forms Architecture (XFA) ......................................................................15
Key Features...................................................................................................................................................................................15
Scenarios for Using a Form Described by XFA...................................................................................................................15
Family of XFA Grammars...........................................................................................................................................................17
Major Components of an XFA Form: XFA Template and Data ....................................................................................20
Data Binding: Making the Connection Between XFA Template and Data..............................................................24
Lifecycle of an XFA Form...........................................................................................................................................................25
Static versus Dynamic Forms...................................................................................................................................................27
2 Template Features for Designing Static Forms.......................................................................29
Form Structural Building Blocks..............................................................................................................................................29
Basic Composition........................................................................................................................................................................33
Content Types...............................................................................................................................................................................36
Formatting Text That Appears as Fixed or Variable Content.......................................................................................39
Basic Layout ...................................................................................................................................................................................45
Appearance Order (Z-Order)....................................................................................................................................................57
Extending XFA Templates ........................................................................................................................................................58
Connecting the PDF to the XFA Template..........................................................................................................................59
3 Object Models in XFA................................................................................................................62
XFA Names......................................................................................................................................................................................62
Document Object Models.........................................................................................................................................................63
Scripting Object Model..............................................................................................................................................................73
4 Exchanging Data Between an External Application and a Basic XFA Form........................108
Creating, Updating, and Unloading a Basic XFA Data DOM......................................................................................108
Localization and Canonicalization......................................................................................................................................138
Loading a Template to Produce the XFA Template DOM..........................................................................................154
Basic Data Binding to Produce the XFA Form DOM.....................................................................................................155
Form Processing........................................................................................................................................................................187
Data Output.................................................................................................................................................................................187
iii
XFA Specification
Contents iv
5 Representing and Processing Rich Text.................................................................................188
About Rich Text..........................................................................................................................................................................188
Representation of Rich Text Across XML and XFA DOMs...........................................................................................189
Rich Text That Contains External Objects.........................................................................................................................193
Displaying and Printing Rich Text.......................................................................................................................................194
6 Template Features for Designing Forms with Repeating Sections.....................................195
Prototypes....................................................................................................................................................................................195
Forms with Repeated Fields or Subforms .......................................................................................................................202
7 Template Features for Designing Dynamic Forms ...............................................................217
Basic Composition.....................................................................................................................................................................220
Content Types............................................................................................................................................................................224
Formatting Text in Dynamic Forms....................................................................................................................................226
Repeating Elements using Occurrence Limits................................................................................................................226
Basic Layout in Dynamic Forms...........................................................................................................................................227
Appearance Order (Z-Order).................................................................................................................................................234
Grammar Excluded from XFAF.............................................................................................................................................235
8 Layout for Growable Objects..................................................................................................237
Text Placement in Growable Containers..........................................................................................................................240
Flowing Layout for Containers ............................................................................................................................................241
Tables.............................................................................................................................................................................................281
9 Dynamic Forms........................................................................................................................286
Static Forms Versus Dynamic Forms..................................................................................................................................286
Data Binding for Dynamic Forms........................................................................................................................................287
Layout for Dynamic Forms.....................................................................................................................................................310
10 Automation Objects................................................................................................................322
How Script Elements Are Used Within Automation Objects ....................................................................................322
Document Variables.................................................................................................................................................................325
Calculations.................................................................................................................................................................................328
Validations...................................................................................................................................................................................329
Events............................................................................................................................................................................................335
Order of Precedence for Automation Objects Activated by the Same Trigger .................................................348
11 Scripting...................................................................................................................................353
Purpose of Scripting.................................................................................................................................................................353
Specifying Where to Execute a Script................................................................................................................................354
Selecting a Script Language..................................................................................................................................................354
Setting Up a Scripting Environment...................................................................................................................................356
The Relationship Between Scripts and Form Objects..................................................................................................357
Exception Handling .................................................................................................................................................................358
Picture Clauses and Localization.........................................................................................................................................358
Unicode Support.......................................................................................................................................................................359
12 Using Barcodes........................................................................................................................360
13 Forms That Initiate Interactions with Servers.......................................................................375
Submitting Data and Other Form Content to a Server................................................................................................375
Using Web Services..................................................................................................................................................................382
Invoking ADO APIs Through the Source Set DOM .......................................................................................................397
Submitting Data and Other Form Content via E-mail..................................................................................................403
XFA Specification
Contents v
Null handling..............................................................................................................................................................................405
14 User Experience.......................................................................................................................406
Widgets ........................................................................................................................................................................................406
User Experience with Digital Signatures ..........................................................................................................................415
Accessibility and Field Navigation......................................................................................................................................416
15 Dealing with Data in Different XML Formats........................................................................423
Extended Mapping Rules.......................................................................................................................................................423
XSLT Transformations..............................................................................................................................................................458
16 Security and Reliability...........................................................................................................460
Tracking and Controlling Templates Through Unique Identifiers...........................................................................460
Protecting an XFA Server from Attack...............................................................................................................................462
Signed Forms and Signed Submissions............................................................................................................................464
Structuring Forms for Portability and Archivability......................................................................................................480
Part 2: XFA Grammar Specifications
17 Template Specification ...........................................................................................................482
Guide to the Template Specification..................................................................................................................................482
Template Reference.................................................................................................................................................................488
18 Config Specification................................................................................................................761
Background.................................................................................................................................................................................761
The Configuration Data Object Model..............................................................................................................................762
Config Element Reference.....................................................................................................................................................764
19 Locale Set Specification..........................................................................................................794
20 Connection Set Specification..................................................................................................820
About the Connection Set Grammar.................................................................................................................................820
Connection Set Element Reference....................................................................................................................................822
21 Data Description Specification...............................................................................................834
About the Data Description Grammar...............................................................................................................................834
Data Description Grammar....................................................................................................................................................834
Data Description Element Reference.................................................................................................................................837
22 Source Set Specification .........................................................................................................843
The Source Set Data Object Model.....................................................................................................................................843
Source Set Element Reference..............................................................................................................................................845
23 XDP Specification ....................................................................................................................873
About the XDP Grammar........................................................................................................................................................873
XDP Element Language Syntax............................................................................................................................................876
XDP Reference............................................................................................................................................................................880
Part 3: Other XFA-Related References
24 Canonical Format Reference...................................................................................................887
Date................................................................................................................................................................................................887
Time................................................................................................................................................................................................888
XFA Specification
Chapter , vi
Date-Time.....................................................................................................................................................................................889
Number.........................................................................................................................................................................................889
Text.................................................................................................................................................................................................890
25 FormCalc Specification............................................................................................................891
Grammar and Syntax...............................................................................................................................................................891
FormCalc Support for Locale.................................................................................................................................................918
Arithmetic Built-in Functions................................................................................................................................................922
Date And Time Built-in Functions.......................................................................................................................................932
Financial Built-in Functions...................................................................................................................................................946
Logical Built-in Functions.......................................................................................................................................................956
String Built-in Functions.........................................................................................................................................................961
URL Built-in Functions.............................................................................................................................................................984
Miscellaneous Built-in Functions.........................................................................................................................................988
26 Picture Clause Specification ...................................................................................................991
About.............................................................................................................................................................................................991
Picture-Clause Building Blocks.............................................................................................................................................992
Complex Picture-Clause Expressions.................................................................................................................................996
Calendars and Locale.............................................................................................................................................................1001
Asian Date, Time and Number Considerations............................................................................................................1001
Picture Clause Reference......................................................................................................................................................1006
27 Rich Text Reference...............................................................................................................1027
Summary of Supported XHTML and CSS Attributes...................................................................................................1027
Supported Container Elements..........................................................................................................................................1028
Supported Paragraph Formatting.....................................................................................................................................1029
Supported Character Formatting......................................................................................................................................1034
Retaining Consecutive Spaces (xfa-spacerun:yes)......................................................................................................1042
Embedded Object Specifications .....................................................................................................................................1044
Version Specification..............................................................................................................................................................1044
Part 4: Appendices, Bibliography, Glossary and Index
A Algorithms for Determining Coordinates Relative to the Page.........................................1047
B Layout Objects.......................................................................................................................1048
C AXTE Line Positioning...........................................................................................................1058
Introduction..............................................................................................................................................................................1058
Discussion..................................................................................................................................................................................1063
Detailed Algorithms...............................................................................................................................................................1067
D History of Changes in This Specification .............................................................................1070
New Object Models................................................................................................................................................................1070
New XFA Template Features...............................................................................................................................................1071
Modified XFA Template Features......................................................................................................................................1084
Deprecated XFA Template Features.................................................................................................................................1084
E Schemas..................................................................................................................................1085
About the Schemas................................................................................................................................................................1085
XFA Specification
Chapter , vii
Bibliography ..........................................................................................................................1088
General References.................................................................................................................................................................1088
Fonts and Character Encoding References....................................................................................................................1092
Barcode References................................................................................................................................................................1093
Glossary..................................................................................................................................1096
Preface
This specification is a reference for XML Forms Architecture (XFA). It is intended for use in developing
applications that create XFA templates (which represent forms awaiting fill-in) and applications that
process XFA forms. Such XFA processing applications may be simple stand-alone form-fill in applications,
or they may be a set of client-server applications that work together to fill-in and process a form.
Intellectual Property
The general idea of using templates and processing rules to build interactive forms is in the public domain.
Anyone is free to devise templates using unique structures and apply customized processing rules to
them. However, Adobe Systems Incorporated owns the copyright for the particular template-based
grammar and processing rules constituting the XFA Specification, the written specification for the Adobe
XML Architecture. Thus, these elements of the XFA Specification and Adobe XML Architecture may not be
copied without Adobe's permission.
Adobe will enforce its copyrights Adobe’s intention is to maintain the integrity of the Adobe XML
Architecture standard. This enables the public to distinguish between the Adobe XML Architecture and
other interchange formats for electronic documents, transactions and information. However, Adobe
desires to promote the use of the Adobe XML Architecture for form-related interactions among diverse
products and applications. Accordingly, Adobe gives anyone copyright permission to use the Adobe XML
Architecture, subject to the conditions stated below, to:
● Prepare files whose content conforms to the Adobe XML Architecture
● Write drivers and applications that produce output represented in the Adobe XML Architecture
● Write software that accepts input in the form of the Adobe XML Architecture specifications and
displays, prints, or otherwise interprets the contents
● Copy Adobe’s copyrighted grammar, as well as the example code to the extent necessary to use the
Adobe XML Architecture for the purposes above
The condition of such intellectual property usage is:
● Anyone who uses the copyrighted grammar, as stated above, must include the appropriate copyright
notice.
This limited right to use the example code in this document does not include the right to use other
intellectual property from Adobe, or the software in any of Adobe’s products that use the Adobe XML
Architecture, in whole or in part, nor does it include the right to use any Adobe patents, except as may be
permitted by an official Adobe Patent Clarification Notice (see [Adobe-Patent-Notice] in the Bibliography).
Adobe, the Adobe logo, and Acrobat are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Adobe Systems
Incorporated in the United States and/or other countries. Nothing in this document is intended to grant
you any right to use these trademarks for any purpose.
viii
XFA Specification
Preface Document Contents ix
Document Contents
This reference is a complete guide to XFA. It describes the various XML grammars that comprise XFA and it
explains the rules for processing those grammars in conjunction with data supplied from sources outside
the XFA form.
This reference is presented in the following major parts:
● Part 1: XFA Processing Guidelines. This part contains narrative chapters that introduce XFA and provide
rules for processing XFA in conjunction with data received from an outside source. These rules provide
a standard interpretation of XFA expressions and data, which helps to ensure that XFA-related behavior
in XFA processing applications is equivalent. More importantly it helps to ensure that XFA processing
applications that contribute to sequential processing of XFA documents do not have mis-matched
expectations.
● Part 2: XFA Grammar Specifications. This part provides a set of references that describe the elements
and attributes of each of the grammars that comprise XFA. Each chapter describes one of these
grammars.
● Part 3: Other XFA-Related References. Each chapter in this part contains reference material for non-XML
expressions used with XFA. Although the standards described in these chapters are an important part
of XFA processing, they are not considered XFA grammars.
● Part 4: Appendices, Bibliography, Glossary and Index. This part contains appendices that provide
adjunct information referenced by the narrative chapters in Part 1. It also contains a bibliography, a
glossary and an index.
Intended Audience
You should read this specification if you are developing a template designing application or if you are
developing an XFA processing application. This is especially true if either type of application is intended to
work with the Adobe® XFA-compatible products, such as Acrobat® and LiveCycle® Designer.
Non-technical readers may benefit from reading the chapter, “Introduction to XML Forms Architecture
(XFA)” on page15.
Perspective Used in Describing Processing Guidelines
This document is written from the perspective of an XFA processing application. That is, this document
describes the steps an XFA processing application must perform to properly interpret XFA, especially in the
context of accepting outside data into an XFA form.
The narrative in this document describes the XFA processing rules as through the processing application
were using XML Document Object Models (DOMs) as its internal representation of XFA constructs and of
data. It also assumes all property references are in terms of objects. While such representations are not
required, they are the most common way of implementing code that processes XML data.
Notwithstanding this document’s focus on DOMs and objects, nothing in this specification demands that
the same internal data structures be employed by any particular implementation. Similarly,
notwithstanding the use of terms such as "object" associated with object-oriented languages, nothing in
this specification constrains what programming language(s) may be used by any particular
implementation. However conforming implementations must provide the same external functionality and
must employ the same external data structures.
XFA Specification
Preface Associated Schemas x
Associated Schemas
Many of the XFA grammars described in this specification are contained in an attachment carried within
this PDF file. See “Schemas” on page1085 for instructions concerning how to extract and use those
schemas.
Although these schemas can be used to validate the XML syntax of XFA documents, such validation is not
normally part of XFA form processing. Most people filling out a form cannot resolve errors detected during
such validation. It is expected that XFA documents will be generated by software and will be correct by
design. Hence, these schemas are more likely to be used in development.
XML validation differs from XFA form validation, which validates the content entered into the form. XFA
form validation is described in “Validations” on page329.
XFA also supports the use of XML data documents which are or may be separate from the form itself. A
simple schema language based on annotated sample data is defined for this purpose in “Data Description
Specification” on page834. This facility is not used for validation as such; data which does not conform to
the data description is simply ignored. However the data description does control the merging of data into
the form and the subsequent generation of a new XML data document. See “Exchanging Data Between an
External Application and a Basic XFA Form” on page108.
Related Documentation
This document replaces the previous version of this specification. This version and previous versions back
to 2.0 are available at http://adobe.com/go/xfa_specifications.
What’s New
A complete list of enhancements in XFA versions 2.0 through 2.5, labelled by version, is given in the
appendix “History of Changes in This Specification” on page1070.
Caution: In XFA 2.5 some previously endorsed syntax is still legal, but deprecated. It will be removed in a
future version of the specification. See “Deprecated XFA Template Features” on page1084.
Conventions
This document uses notational and graphical conventions as a shorthand for conveying more complex
information.
Notational Conventions
This document uses typefaces and character sequences to indicate the roles and connotations of
expressions.
Typefaces
The following table describes typeface usage in this document:
