FORMS
About Adobe PDF forms
About Adobe PDF forms
An Adobe PDF form is an electronic-based document that can collect data from a user and then send that data via email or the web. A PDF form can contain static or interactive form fields; interactive form fields let the user fill in the form using their computer, while static form fields must be printed and filled in by hand. Users who fill in a PDF form that contains interactive form fields using Adobe Acrobat Professional or Adobe Acrobat
Standard can save their form data along with the PDF form; Adobe Reader users can save only a blank copy of the PDF form, unless the form author added special usage rights.
It's easy to create electronic PDF forms using Adobe Designer or Adobe Acrobat
Professional. You can design and create an entirely new form, or you can quickly convert your existing paper and electronic forms to PDF and then add PDF form fields.
There are three types of Adobe PDF forms:
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Fill-and-print PDF forms are typically digital presentations of paper forms. Fill-and-print forms may contain interactive form fields or static form fields; either way, the user must manually deliver the form, such as via postal mail or fax machine.
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Submit-by-email PDF forms contain a button that either extracts the form data from the
PDF form and attaches that data to an email message or attaches the complete PDF document.
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Submit on-line PDF forms contain a button that sends the form data to an on-line repository, such as a database.
Related Subtopics:
Elements of an Adobe Acrobat PDF form
Setting Forms preferences
Elements of an Adobe Acrobat PDF form
A PDF form created by Acrobat Professional can contain the following form elements:
Button
Can specify an action, such as opening a file, playing a sound, or submitting data to a web server.
Check boxes
Presents a group of choices from which you can typically select one or more items.
Combo box
Presents a list of items in a pop-up menu for you to choose from or lets you enter your own values.
Document Message Bar
Displays information about the PDF form and displays tools.
List box
Displays an entire list of options that you can scroll through and from which you may be able to select more than one item.
Radio buttons
Present a group of choices from which you can typically only select one item.
Text field
Lets you fill in text such as name, address, and phone number.
Digital signature field
Lets you electronically sign a PDF document with a digital signature.
Adobe Acrobat PDF form A. Combo box B. Digital Signature field C. Text boxes D. Forms
Document Message Bar E. Check boxes F. Radio buttons G. List box H. Buttons
Setting Forms preferences
To control various aspects of your interaction with form fields, use the Forms preferences.
To set Forms preferences:
1. Choose Edit > Preferences (Windows) or Adobe Reader > Preferences (Mac OS), and select Forms on the left.
2. To set the General forms preferences, select any of the following:
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To automatically perform all field calculations upon user entry, select Automatically
Calculate Field Values.
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To display which form field currently has the focus, select Show Focus Rectangle.
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To retain forms data in the Internet browser, select Keep Forms Data Temporarily
Available On Disk.
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To display a plus sign (+) indicating when text fields exceed the bounds specified when the fields were created, select Show Text Field Overflow Indicator.
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To hide the forms document message bar by default whenever a PDF form is opened in
Reader, select that option.
3. To set the Highlight Color forms preferences, do any of the following:
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To display a black outline around a form field when you place the pointer over that form field, select Show Border Hover Color For Fields.
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If you want to change the color that appears in the background of all form fields when you select Highlight Fields in a PDF form's Document Message Bar, click the Fields Highlight
Color button to select a color.
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To display a particular color border around form fields that the form creator has made required, click the button next to Required Fields Highlight Color, and select a color. The color appears in required form fields only after you attempt to submit the form.
For information on using the Auto-Complete preferences, see
Completing fields automatically
.
