You’ve all probably opened and viewed a PDF file. And the program that made that possible was most likely Adobe Acrobat Reader or Acrobat Pro DC . For many computer users, Reader has become the industry standard simply because it is a freeware program that anyone can download for Mac or PC platforms.
When you are reviewing the file with your client, Acrobat DC allows you to view and add comments to a PDF document .
Acrobat also allows you to create barcodes and QR codes with the Prepare Form tool . However, the information generated in the barcode and QR code only applies to the surrounding form fields and not to specific text elsewhere in the document (see Figure 3-1). Currently, with the Comment tool you cannot generate a custom QR code, so this chapter shows you a way to get around this situation.
Figure 3-1. The Barcode Field Properties dialog box with an example of a created QR code
Note
If you want to work along in this lesson or review the final result, download the Chapter 3 files from www.apress.com/9781484228920 . You will find the original Adobe InDesign, QR image, and PDF files if you would like to edit them.
To view the properties of a field, you must select the Prepare Form tool. Only then can you right-click or double-click on a field to review its properties.
Customizing Your QR Code Stamp
It’s become popular to place a QR code on business cards , resumes, and newsletters; these codes can be read by smartphones . However, Acrobat only allows you to create a QR code that applies to forms. For your resume or letterhead, you might want a QR code to only contain the URL of your company website or just some text. The solution is to build your own custom QR code stamp that you can place in your online PDFs for clients to view. The following exercise will show you how.
Note
If you plan to use the QR code for professional print material , always place it into the original document (MS Word or Adobe InDesign CC 2014 or later) rather than using the Acrobat Stamp tool. While the stamp image will print out fine on your home computer, it may not print out when sent to some professional printers depending on if the layout requires altering. See details on how to do this in the “Final Thoughts” section at the end of the chapter.
QR Code Creation
Either create a QR code using InDesign CC 2014 or later, software that allows you to generate a QR code, or ask a graphic designer in your company to create one for you. Copy the image into a program like Adobe Photoshop and save the file as a greyscale JPEG 200px by 200px with a 72ppi being an appropriate size. Test it with your smartphone app to make sure it works correctly. See Figure 3-2.
Figure 3-2. A generated QR code
Open the PDF file in which you plan to add the QR code in Acrobat Reader or Pro DC via File ➤ Open. Refer to Figure 3-3.
Figure 3-3. The File menu
Select the PDF file you want to open.
Select the Stamp button in the Tools menu. Refer to Figure 3-4.
Figure 3-4. The Stamp tool
Select the Custom Stamps option. Choose Create. Refer to Figure 3-5.
Figure 3-5. The Stamp Tool menu
Create the custom stamp. When you choose this option, you will be presented with the Select Image for Custom Stamp dialog box. Click the Browse button to locate your file. Refer to Figure 3-6.
Figure 3-6. The Select Image for Custom Stamp dialog box
In Acrobat Pro DC, you can browse and use several different file formats including JPEG, TIFF, GIF, and PNG. Refer to Figure 3-7.
Figure 3-7. Browse for the QR code
In this case, choose a JPEG graphic of the QR code that you or your graphic designer have already created.
Click the Open button and you will be returned to the previous dialog box. Refer here to Figure 3-8.
Figure 3-8. The Select Image for Custom Stamp dialog box with a QR code visible
If you like how the image looks, click OK. Otherwise, browse for another image. You may need to make minor adjustments in a program like Photoshop for spacing needs to reduce or increase the size. If you do, make sure to keep the shape square and don’t distort the QR code. Click OK to proceed to the next dialog box.
Before you can use the custom stamp, Acrobat wants you to choose a folder category for your stamp and give it a name. You can either create a new folder by typing a name in or choose from current folders that are available in the Category dropdown menu . Refer here to Figure 3-9.
Figure 3-9. The Create Custom Stamp dialog box
You have the option to down-sample the stamp to reduce the file size. In the case of the QR, I might uncheck this to preserve quality. In this case, the file is only 45KB, which is not large. When you are done, click OK.
Using the Stamp Tool
The stamp is created. You can go to your file folder in the Stamp dropdown menu and choose your new custom stamp. Refer to Figure 3-10.
Figure 3-10. Created QR code stamp in the Stamp menu
At this point, a dialog box may appear that will request an initial identity setup. This is so the client will know who made this approval stamp for security reason. You do not have to fill in all the boxes. When you’re done, click the Complete button. You should only do this identity setup once for your new stamp. If you do not see this box, it may mean that you or someone else already set this area up. Refer to Figure 3-11. You can check this under Edit ➤ Preferences ➤ Categories: Identity and adjust your information there.
Figure 3-11. Identity setup for new stamps
The mouse cursor will now turn into the stamp. You can move it around on the page until you find where you want to place the stamp. Click the mouse button and the stamp will be set. If you don’t like where it is set, you can move it around. The mouse turns into four arrows. If you hold down the mouse icon on the stamp, you can move the stamp around, twist, or scale it.
If for some reason you need to delete the stamp later, you can go to the Custom Stamps ➤ Manage box and remove it from your custom list. Refer here to Figure 3-12.
Figure 3-12. The Stamp Tool menu and the Manage Custom Stamps dialog box
Custom QR stamps as in Figure 3-13 can also have comments attached. You can attach a comment in the Comment tool section.
Figure 3-13. The Comment tool
Now your comments list has a stamp comment. In here you can add further information about the stamp by double-clicking it to add to a comment. If you need to delete the QR code stamp, just select it and press the Delete button on the keyboard or right-click and select Delete.
You can add this QR code stamp to as many places in the document as required. When you’re done, save the file and email to a client or post it on your website.
If you need to print the document, choose the “Document and Stamps” option in the Print dialog box. Refer here to Figure 3-14. If you just choose the Document option only, the QR code stamp will not print.
Figure 3-14. Print settings for stamps. Choosing “Document and Stamps” will insure that the QR code stamp prints .
Final Thoughts: QR Code for Professional Printing
If you plan to send your resume or a newsletter to a company and you want to ensure that the QR code will print out regardless of the print document settings, I recommend typing your resume/newsletter in a program like MS Word, and then choosing the location where you want to place your QR code. Then in the above menu, choose Insert ➤ Picture. Refer here to Figure 3-15.
Figure 3-15. Insert an image in MS Word
Locate your JPEG image and then click the Insert button. The image will be inserted. Finally, click Save as or print your file as a PDF. This will ensure that the QR code is embedded in the document and will print with the rest of your resume.
Summary
In this chapter, you learned how you can turn a QR code into a custom stamp that you can use in a form or any PDF document. The stamp can also be modified and scaled.
Creating the QR code in this manner, rather than just as a form field, allows for a wider range of possibilities.
For more information about how to create a QR code in Adobe InDesign CC 2014 or later visit, https://helpx.adobe.com/indesign/using/generate-qr-code.html .