When referencing objects in LiveCycle Designer ES2, you need to ensure that you are providing a sufficiently complete reference to the objects. If you do – the script will work; whereas if you don’t – the script may fail silently.

A sample form is available here.

Tip 1: name objects as you go!

First off you should name objects as you develop your form. This applies to pages, subforms and other objects like textFields and numericFields. When objects are named it makes it so much easier to reference them in script.  For example if we take an object (“myTextField”) which is inside a subform (“mySubform”), then referencing this object from outside the subform is straightforward:

this.rawValue = mySubform.myTextField.rawValue;

On the other hand if the subform is not named, it has to be resolved in the script first:

this.rawValue = xfa.resolveNode(“#subform[1].myTextField”).rawValue;

Both of the above scripts will work; however the second takes additional resources (xfa.resolveNode) and makes the script logic difficult to follow.

Tip 2: use Control+Click to insert references

LC Designer ES2 has a very handy tool, where you can insert the right amount of the object’s reference that is needed in the script. When you are in the script editor, hover your mouse over the object that you want to reference in your script. When you press and hold the Control key, you will notice that the mouse changes to a ‘V’. Now when you click the object, LC Designer ES2 will insert the correct reference into the script.

This feature is extremely useful and you should get into the habit of using it. Two big benefits:

• Your object references will be correct.
• You will be quicker scripting events.

A demonstration

The sample provides examples of how different objects are referenced, depending on the relative path in-between the objects.

On each pages there are three ‘lights’ that are controlled by their respective on/off button. In addition each page has a toggle state button, that controls each of the on/off buttons.

The main difference between the four pages is the manner in which objects are wrapped in subforms.

Notice that on page 4, the subforms have the same name, which allows the forms developer to use a loop script.

The form is available here.

“Achieving compliance in a cost efficient manner” – elearning can help your organisation to communicate a key message or requirement in an efficient way. Given the increases in computer literacy and broadband speeds, delivery of content using online services can outweigh more traditional methods.

We have posted an extract from our construction safety modules, which deals with the duties of the client.

The eLearning solution can be viewed here.

Note: the module may take a minute or two to load if opened over a slow network.

Useful tools are available behind the eLearning (click to enlarge)

In addition to delivering a clear description of the client role, the system also provides all of the tools that a client would need to fully discharge the role.

The module includes guidelines to the Construction Regulations, flowcharts and forms. These can be used by the client to assess the competency of the people they are going to appoint as project supervisor design process, designers, project supervisor construction stage and contractors.

Click to enlarge

In addition to providing the legislation, the module provides shortened legal text that focuses specifically on the duties of the client. This helps the learner cut through the volume of information to explicitly what they are required to do.

All of this information is contained within the module. The learner does not need to search online for the tools or download other documents. All of the tools are easily accessible and clearly laid out.

Because the content is hosted online, amendments to legislation can be easily updated and made instantly available.

This version is an extract of the main module dealing with the duties of the client. We have additional modules dealing with the other main duty-holders, including:

• Project supervisor design process.
• Designers.
• Project supervisor construction stage.
• Contractor.

Please contact us if you would like to discuss eLearning approaches for risk management or if you would like to arrange access to other modules.

You may view the client module here.

We have updated and verified the data in our accident statistics dashboard, following the Health and Safety Authority publishing their annual report for 2009.

You can access the dashboard here.

The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) published the 2009 annual report last week. The report is available here and the accompanying statistical report is available here.

2009 saw the lowest number of fatalities in the Irish workplaces since 1989. However there were a total of 43 work-related deaths, which could have been avoided. Once potential reason for the reduction in fatalities could be the reduction work activities throughout 2009, in particular for construction.

While the reduction in fatalities is to be commended, the challenge will be to maintain the initiatives going forward.

The interactive dashboard displays fatalities from 2002 to 2009. The statistics are distributed across NACE rev2 categories. Clicking these categories on the left of the dashboard allow you to drill down through the statistics and look at sectors in greater detail.

Figure: a closer look at construction

The dashboard is available here. Please contact if you have any queries in relation to this or other tools that we have developed.

Ros Seal from the Olympic Delivery Authority presented an excellent paper to the IOSH Ireland annual conference, on the holistic approach taken in relation to health and safety for the London 2012 olympic games.

Ros Seal has been with the Olympic Delivery Authority for over three years. In her role as Health and Safety Advisor, she oversees the safety responsibilities for nearly 20 principal contractors and a workforce of over 6,000.

The commitment of the Authority and all stakeholders in the project is clearly having a positive effect. For the most part the accident frequency rate (AFR) for reportable accidents has been lower than 0.18. Especially when you consider than in Ireland the construction sector has an illness rate of around 2.5 per 1,000 workers and an injury rate of around 18 per 1,000 workers.

Since October 2005, the London2012 development has recorded 64 reportable accidents over 37,500,000 hours worked. In fact there have been 13 periods of 1m hours worked without a reportable accident and 2 periods of 2m hours worked without a reportable accident. These are very significant achievements given the volume of work undertaken over a short time period.

Ros indicated that in the near future detailed key performance indicators will be made publicly available on the ODA’s website. We will keep an eye out for this data and will post a summary here.

Ros outlined the Health, Safety and Environmental Standard (4th edition – March 2010) which has been adopted by the Olympic Delivery Authority. This standard covers issues such as:

• Roles and responsibilities.
• Pre-qualification and tendering guidance.
• Design risk management.
• Construction risk management.
• Construction site management.
• Transport.

The standard also includes a number of useful tools.

While the standard has been developed for this large infrastructural project, there are elements that can be applied to smaller projects. The standard is available here and from the ODA website.

Please contact us if you would like to discuss your project and how we can help you manage safety successfully.

The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) have issued revised guidance on the requirements for safety signs in the workplace. While the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (General Application) Regulations 2007, Chapter 1 of Part 7 have not been updated, the revised guidance provides updated information in relation to existing signs.

This is important for you, if you are responsible for safety in the workplace or advise employers on compliance issues.

The main aspect of the revised guidelines is that supplementary text can now be located in the same carrier as the graphical symbol or pictogram.

The general advice is that text should not be incorporated into a signboard, however:

“Where doubt could exist as to the meaning of a graphical symbol used on a safety signboard, a supplementary signboard containing appropriate text should supplement the safety signboard. However if the meaning is clear by use of a pictogram or symbol alone, then a supplementary signboard should not be used.”

Must convey a single message

While it is permissible to combined supplementary text with a safety sign, they must convey the same message. For example a ‘hard hat‘ safety sign cannot be combined with a supplementary text for ‘Wear respirator‘.

The guidelines also clarify that where there are multiple safety signs (with supplementary text if necessary), then these can be combined on one carrier. This means that it is permissible to have a large signboard combining the appropriate safety signs.

If you have existing signs that contain text as part of the safety sign (eg text that is not set out as a supplementary signboard), then you can keep this in place until the 1 January 2011. However after than date all safety signs in the workplace must either consist of:

• a safety signboard (graphic/pictogram); OR
• a safety signboard and a supplementary signboard (eg supplementary text).

We would recommend that you download and read the revised guidelines. The amendments are clearly marked in the document.

You can download the revised guidelines here.

If you have any queries in relation to the revised guidelines, please contact us using the comments form below or click here. We are here to help you.

As a forms developer, there are many options available to you when laying out your form. This post is not intended as a detailed explanation of forms design, merely a technical description of the specific options in LiveCycle Designer ES2 when using objects.

To keep users happy, you should consider the layout of your form. It is easy to pull objects into the form; however the manner in which you layout these objects and set the captions can affect the quality of the information that the user sends back to you.

Here is a sample form.

You can view the form in Acrobat/Reader. If you want to examine the script you will need to open the sample in LiveCycle Designer.

This sample demonstrate several options that are available to you. When you view the sample in Acrobat, the various options will appear to be quite similar. However the implementation in LiveCycle Designer is different for each one. The sample is a collection of objects, each one attempting to gather information about the user.

The usability of your form can be affected by a number of factors, including:

• font type and size.
• font weight and colour.
• paragraph alignment for the caption and value.
• spacing of objects and relative alignment.

Designing a form with a clear and crisp layout, will help the user complete the form.

Most objects in LiveCycle Designer come with a caption by default. The best solution is to use this caption, as it simplifies the layout process and form will render quicker.

When it comes to designing the form, we would recommend Forms that Work – Designing web forms for usability, by Caroline Jarrett and Gerry Gaffney. This is an excellent book that balances the technical aspects of LC Designer. You can get further information here.

On Tuesday (1 June 2010), the Minster for Labour Affairs, Mr Dara Calleary TD officially launched the new Safety Management Pack for Contractors with 20 or Less Employees. The new management system was developed by the Construction Safety Partnership (CSP) with the aim of assisting small contractors in establishing and maintaining an effective safety management system.

The Minister highlighted that SMP20 made the regulations reachable and would reduce paperwork and costs for smaller contractors.

Rober Butler (CIF) said that a pilot group had started to work with SMP20 and that there had been very good feedback from the group.

Talking to delegates at the launch, it was evident that while the sector is working through challenging times, people were encouraged by the introduction of the new pack.

Details of the new system are available on the Construction Safety Partnership website.

CSP will be running a series of half-day workshops on the practical application of SMP20 over the coming months. The workshops will be an invaluable source of information and guidance for anyone involved in the construction sector who has 20 or less employees.

The workshops will be held, according to demand, in a range of locations, including:

• Athlone
• Castlebar
• Cork
• Donegal
• Dublin
• Dundalk
• Galway
• Kilkenny
• Limerick
• Meath
• Tipperary
• Waterford

Anyone looking for more details on the workshops should email smp20@csponline.ie. In the email you should indicate your name and company, stating your preferred venue and am or pm workshop.

We recommend small contractors to purchase the Safety Management Pack, which costs only €40. The half-day workshops cost €80, but this includes a copy of the pack, so is excellent value.

Forms can de used to ask users questions. Sometimes the question is a simple yes or no. Other times you may have questions with more than two choices or with complicated scoring requirements. This sample will show you two options for keeping scores.

The first sample considers a series of yes/no questions. Each question is bound to a radio group where yes scores 1 and no scores 0 (zero). This is relatively easy to keep track of, because a simple sum function or addition of the rawValues will keep the overall score.

On the other hand, once you introduce more than two options, with differing marking schemes things can become a little heated.

The main thing is to plan out the approach first, as this can affect how you are going to name objects. For example in the second sample we have used a loop to look at each of the questions in turn. Using loops help keep your script lean and maintainable. But to get the most out a loop, it is easier if the objects have the same name. The loop then just looks at each instance of the specified objects.

Have a look at the sample which is available here:

The sample for is available here.

The main scripts are shown within the page layout. If you open the form in LC Designer you can dive right into the scripts. Please feel free to make changes and to adapt these examples to suit your requirements.

Good luck!

The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) has recently published the code of practice for the design and installation of anchors.

This is an important development in the use of anchors in construction. The aim of this code of practice is to provide practical guidance to designers, specifiers and installers of metal anchors on the requirements and prohibitions set out in the relevant statutory provisions.

The code of practice cam into effect on the 17 May 2010 and is available to download free of charge here.

Some events fire more often than others. Depending on what the designer is trying to achieve, this can be inefficient and may not have the desired effect at runtime. Another issue is the sequence in which events fire. A designer may have a requirement for several scripts to fire in a certain sequence. Having an understanding of how LC Designer and Acrobat fire events can help at design time.

I original had the idea of having a form that set out the pros and cons of each event and giving examples of script that could be used in each event. In the end, it has focused on the number of times that different events fire and the sequence. To view this form you will need Acrobat/Reader version 9 or above. This is because it contains script against the preOpen and postOpen events. Also it used setItems to populate the listbox.

The attached form has a lead-in page to introduce the different types of events and how to use the form.

The second page contains the “test area”, which is where you can decide which objects you are going to look at, via the dropdown list. There are textfields, numericfields, buttons, subforms, dropdown lists, etc. Some of the objects are standalone, while others are bound together. For example a textfield will have the following in the calculate event:

this.rawValue = textField2.rawValue;

Below the test area are counters for the three types of events (Process; Interactive; and Application). These show how often each event fires.

You can show and hide the different types of events, for example if you want to focus on a particular group.

Even though there are other objects in the form, only those in the test area are counted, as events fire.

All of the objects in the test area have scripts in each event. Generally these script are triggering the counters; however a couple are also binding objects together. This is useful in demonstrating the firing of calculate and validate events for objects that are bound.

There is a log showing the sequence in which the events have fired. When you go into the test area the log with automatically hide. Clicking the show button will make it visible again. Note that clicking the hide button will also clear the log.

There were quite a few challenges in developing this:

• The calculate; validate; and layout:ready events were bound by the counters. So it took several attempts to separate out the calculate and validate events from the counters, so that they did not run away with themselves.  In the end we broadcast the counter value out and the objects are not linked;
• Getting the log to record the events as they fired and have the most recent events visible at the bottom of the log. We used the new setItems script to populate the listbox with a global variable.

The form has some “interesting” script, but not much that has purpose in a real world form.

It is more of a point of interest to look at the interaction of events and how often some events like layout:ready fire.

The sample form is available here.