Creating HTML pages of forms

[LeoC2]

I’ve been evaluating TapForms along with several other form creation apps. I produce car shows and my goal is to create a form for my judges to use to enter scores for each entrant in the show this eliminating the paper forms we use now along with the time needed to manually add and collate the results. The idea being the judge enters the vehicle registration number, then uses a photo field to take a picture of the vehicle owner’s handwritten registration form to include on the form. The judges enter a score in each of several categories (interior, engine, exterior, etc.) and TapForms adds the scores.

The Mac version, so far, seems to fit perfectly what I want. I’m about to download the iPhone and iPad versions and sync them all up for further testing.

I’ve been able to easily export the CSV files for analysis by another database program (Panorama) and it all works very well, media and all.

My one wish, however, is to be able to export each individual form record as an HTML page so all the records can be uploaded to Dropbox. Then each entrant can see their individual score sheets. One form creator app was able to do this but the app lacks in all other requirements.

So what do all you experienced users suggest I do to accomplish this? It would be great if TapForms had a simple option to export to HTML.

Leo
http://www.nyautofest.com

[LeoC2]

PS: Sorry, one more question. If I can’t create HTML then saving each individual record as a PDF would suffice. I tried saving as PDF but i get one long continuous image. Is there a way to save each record as an individual PDF image?

Leo

[Brendan]

Hi Leo,

It’s probably best to create a custom layout on the Mac version to do what you want. Tap Forms will generate a PDF file when you use the Print function and then click on the PDF button on the Print sheet. The Default Layout may span multiple pages if there’s too much content to fit, but a custom layout will keep it on each page. Just make sure that any Note field boxes are large enough to hold all the text or it will get truncated.

Thanks!

Brendan

[LeoC2]

Thanks Brendan but you’re missing one important point. Saving individual records/forms as individual PDF files. The other app I’m evaluating (FormConnect), and which holds a distant 2nd so far to TapForms has one feature which is quite handy. You can set the app to export PDFs in a ZIP file. Once set it will export a ZIP file that when it’s expanded reveals a folder with each individual record as a separate PDF file. It’s a great feature, you can check it out on the free version to see how it works.

Leo

[Leo]

Leo,

with automator you can separate each page to a file;

see screenshot:

Leo

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[LeoC2]

Ah, that could help. I’ll give it a try. And of course, it takes a namesake to answer my question! Happy Thanksgiving from Leo to Leo!

[Leo]

Hi Leo,

I’ve taken the liberty to create a command Split PDF for you.

I send a dropboxlink so others can use it too.

Just dubbelcclick on it and automater starts, save the file and right click on any PDF, look at the bottom of the menu then.

The split PDF saves on desktop, but you can change that before you save the file.

Here’s the link… wil stay active till…… and later on request

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/4sapedgzon2dzi4/AACA_11DbX_-hl0upFtdyXVya?dl=0

Leo

[LeoC2]

Thanks Leo, I was just testing the Automator function. This, unfortunately won’t work for me either and here’s why… Each record is filed and named by one of the fields within the form, in this case, vehicle ID number. So car #1 file is saved as 1, #3 as 3, etc. In order for the separate PDF files to be usable each would have to be named according to that vehicle’s number, i.e. 1.pdf, 2.pdf, 20.pdf, etc.

Page numbers as Automator files it are not usable since they don’t match the field data.

Download the free version of FormConnect on an iPad, it only works on iPad unfortunately. Create a few dummy records and be sure to turn on ZIP PDF files in the preferences. You’ll see that when you export the files as PDF they will all be named according to a specified field. This is a very handy feature but not enough to push this app over TapForms.

Leo

[Leo]

Too bad it will not work for you. Isn’t there a workaround with the vehicle nurse (dummy’s for instance).

[Leo]

maybe an extra field (to sort on, i.e. 1, 2, 3, linked to vehicle of owner) to resemble the split PDF output. In that case the vehicle numbers don’t matter.

[LeoC2]

No, the vehicle number is very important and sometimes a number doesn’t get used so it may be 1,2,3,5,6,7,9, 10 with no 4 or 8 for example. Also records are sorted by class, then by the number of points but each record is filed by vehicle number.

I’m going to try another approach to see if my database program (Panorama) once it imports the CSV TapForms data for analysis will export each record as a separate PDF or print each page individually as a PDF.

I don’t give up easily!

[Brendan]

Hi Leo C,

So how does FormConnect associate the field values with the file name? Is there a special setting in it for that?

Thanks,

Brendan

[LeoC2]

Well you tell it how to name each record just like TapForms but no other seting is needed other than to tell it to ZIP PDF files so it then creates a ZIPed folder with each record PDF file named based on what you orginally set the record names to be from the fields.

[Brendan]

Hi Leo,

Ok, I see how they do that now. That’s a nice feature.

Thanks,

Brendan

[LeoC2]

Yes it is, in fact, if that feature is incorporated into the Mac version TapForms would be the winner of my evaluation. Once you add the ability of IOS versions to display the custom forms created on Mac you’d have a well polished program ready for some big time.

One more thing, I’m worried about using the app out in the field if there is no internet access or cell service. How else can I get the data to the Mac version? If I create a network on the MacBook and have the IOS devices sign on can I transfer data to the Mac version?

[Author]

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