Re: [Phys-l] PDF Based Laboratories

[William Katzman <wkatzman@ligo-la.caltech.edu>]

Paul,

If you want to go the pdf way but avoid paper then I believe you can distribute the the PDF as a form through Adobe Acrobat Pro, and let Adobe collect the responses and send them to you (under forms and distribute forms option).  Then when people fill them out they come back to you (but it must be done all at once - a multiple day lab wouldn't be conducive for this).

-William

On Jul 19, 2011, at 2:23 PM, Karim Diff wrote:

> > > I am a grad student at UMBC <www.umbc.edu> working on revising the
> > > introductory algebra based physics labs.  One of our goals is to be able
> > > to
> > > distribute the labs as pdf files.  In the lab we are using Mac computers
> > > and
> > > Logger Pro software.
> > >
> > > I have been able to make some pdf forms using Adobe Acrobat X.  The
> > > problem
> > > is that with Adobe Reader you cannot save the form once it is filled out;
> > > you can only print a paper copy which defeats the purpose of doing things
> > > electronically.  So we have been searching for an application (preferably
> > > free) that can do 3 tasks with a pdf: insert text, paste images from
> > > Logger
> > > Pro, and do basic sketching (drawing vectors, etc).  So far our search
> > has
> > > found only software that does only part of the three features mentioned
> > > above.  The main problem appears to be inserting the graphics.  I have
> > > tried
> > > using Skim Reader <http://skim-app.sourceforge.net/> which is very nice
> > > except for the fact that the I have as yet not been paste in an image.
> > >
> > > If anyone has any suggestions as to either the software or a work around
> > I
> > > would like to hear from you.
> > >
> > > Thanks,
> > >
> > > Paul Corbitt
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William Katzman
Program Leader
LIGO Science Education Center
"Inspiring Science"
wkatzman@ligo-la.caltech.edu
(225) 686-3134