(Legacy feature) Electronic signatures in the Brava viewer

IMPORTANT: This document describes an optional FileHold feature that is no longer available. It is no longer maintained, but retained for existing users only. See the FileHold Viewer for the latest viewing technology.

The Brava Viewer was discontinued by FileHold in 2017. This third party software component was released in 2013. FileHold no longer supports the Brava Viewer, but customers who were licensed in 2017 or earlier can continue to use it AS-IS. FileHold has no way to guarantee that it will work with any workstation environment released since 2017.

Easily add electronic signatures to documents and create a new, signed PDF of the original document using the Brava Office viewer. The Electronic Signature feature is designed to allow the placement of user-specific markup stamps (Signature items) on documents and drawings. An Add Signature markup tool is available from the Markup toolbar for item placement .

Signature items that can be placed on documents and drawings include Signature images, Initials images, Seal images, Name strings, Title strings, and current Date.

Signature image files (PNG) can be created through the Create buttons of the signature or initial item of the Set Signature Marks dialog. Optionally, users can scan their actual signatures, crop the images, and save the files as PNG, JPG, or BMP. Once created, these files can be set for use as signature items and placed on documents and drawings as any other markup entity.

Creating the Electronic Signature Items

In the Set Signature Marks dialog, three images and two strings must be defined to be able to apply the different signature type on documents. If an item is not set, attempting to apply it on a document will display the Set Signature Marks dialog where the item can be defined.

1. From the Add Stamp group , select the Signature tool .
2. Fill out the following information:

• Name - This is a string representation of the current user's (printed) name.
• Title - This is a string representation of the current user's (printed) title.
• Create a signature image - This is an image representation of the current user's signature.
• Create an initials image - This is an image representation of the current user's initials.
• Seal Image - This is an image representation of the current user's seal. Use the browse button to locate the desired PNG, JPG, or BMP file to use.
• Date - No manual setting required, this signature item is the month, day, and year (locale appropriate) at the time the item is created.
• The acceptance clause cannot be edited by end-users. Select the check box Accept as signature. This is required before OK becomes enabled, the item is set, and the signature can be used as a markup entity.

3. Click OK.

Placing Electronic Signature Items

Once created and set in the Set Signature Marks dialog, these images and strings (including the current date string) can be placed on documents as any other markup entity. Select an item type from the list and drag a rectangle on a document for placement.  Hyperlinks can be added to an Signature item, and items can be copied to designated pages in the current document.

Changing the value of the drop-down box changes the type of item that will be created by the mouse tool.  If a type is selected but its value has not yet been defined, the Set Signature Marks dialog displays.  If the Set Signature Marks dialog is dismissed without setting the required item data, the current signature type will be set to Date.

After adding the signature items, publish the document as a new PDF version in FileHold.

Image

Changing Electronic Signature Settings

All selected files and strings are persisted (in ViewerConfig.xml) from session to session. To change the currently set item data, click the settings button (on the markup properties toolbar) and either modify the values of the different signature items as needed, create a different image  file, or edit the Name or Title strings. Click OK to save your changes.

Usage Notes:

• Once a signature item is placed, its item type and data cannot be changed.
• The Signature item data is stored in the ViewerConfig.xml and is maintained once per user login. Only the most recently used item type will be persisted in ViewerConfig.xml.
• If the files used and persisted for Signature Image, Initials Image, or Seal Image are moved, deleted, or become otherwise unusable, the Set Signature Marks dialog will be displayed when next attempting to place the item.
• The hover-over tip for all signature items will indicate the Item type, Author, and Timestamp information.
• The system has no way to determine or enforce the actual content of the signature item data.  Any valid raster file will be accepted for items that require a file, and any single line of text will be accepted for items requiring a string.