Avoiding overlapping of text fields (Reusing one form in the same PDF file)

[Bjorn_Bech@adobeforums.com]

I'm not sure whether this can be done or not. BUT I sure hope it can.

Well, the feature I'm longing for is a feature that can turn the variables off when you make text fields in Adobe Acrobat Pro. 6.0. You see, when you e.g. make a text field - the text field wants a name. The default name is Text1, then Text2, and so on. But I want this feature turned off so that I can make multiple files from one and the same form and then be able to collect all the forms that look the same just with different fill-ins but without having "Text1" in the first PDF form overlap "Text1" in the other PDF form!!! Hmmm... did you get that??? It's kinda hard to explain...

All I want is to be able to reuse one form as many times as I want in the same PDF file but without having the text fields overlap because they use the same text field name. I was thinking that if you can't change the variables to a constant then can't you somehow make each page independent so that the input text in the text fields won't affect other pages with the same text field name/variable.

An example: Imagine for example that you make a form called "Person". In this form you fill in different info about a person (name, age, address...etc.). When you're done entering info about the first person you'd want to continue entering info about other people. This way you'll end up with an address book (if that's what you want to make). But this isn't possible (for me)!!! Well, yes, you can save the forms e.g.: person_01.PDF, person_02.PDF, person_03.PDF, etc. But when you take these files and collect them into one file it won't work. The person_01.PDF will look like the person_02.PDF, and person_03.PDF, and etc. because the variables are called the same - the info in the other text fields will be lost. If the text field variables weren't a necessity then you'd be able to make text fields with a constant - and thereby avoid that the PDF forms would overlab each other's text field input because you have reused a form and then collected the files.... Hmmmm... I hope you understand. This is a VERY important feature and I do not understand why it's not there or why I can't make it work. In real life if you were to fill in a form more than once and collect these in a pile of papers you'd never have this problem.

Please heeeeelp....

Kind regards,
Bjorn Bech

[W_T_Allen@adobeforums.com]

If you don't need the completed forms to be "live" (i.e. the it's for archiving and you won't need to change the information on the compiled PDF) then you can fill out the source/template PDF, and then "flatten" it by printing the completed form to Distiller (aka "Adobe PDF") and then putting that PDF file into your compilation. It won't have any fields at all, just the text.

[George_Johnson@adobeforums.com]

Also, look into using the "Templates" feature of Acrobat forms. You can spawn a new page from a template, complete with renamed fields.

George

[Bjorn_Bech@adobeforums.com]

Thanks WT Allen, but I don't need to "flatten" my project. I would like to be able to edit my files/forms.

And to George: I did look into the Template feature - but I haven't figured out how to use it or how it works...

I only know how to make a form into a template (Advanced > Forms > Page Templates...)... I have no idea how to "spawn" new pages from the template with new renamed fields... Ohhh, it sounds just what I need... :) George, could you please tell me more about how it works??? In the mean time I will see if I can figure it out...

Thanks a lot, :)
Bjorn Bech

[George_Johnson@adobeforums.com]

You need to get the Acrobat JavaScript reference and read up on templates: <http://partners.adobe.com/asn/acrobat/docs.jsp#javascript>

George

[Bjorn_Bech@adobeforums.com]

Oohhh, So the only way to make it work is to somehow use java-script. Isn't there an easier way? I have never used JAVA in Adobe Acrobat Pro!!!

[Bjorn_Bech@adobeforums.com]

Hey George,

I tried the JAVA... I've only used 5-10 min. reading and then trying this code out in order to make 31 new copies of a form:

var t = this.getNthTemplate(0)
var XO = this.spawnPageFromTemplate(t, this.numPages, false, false);
for (var i=0; i < 30; i++) this.spawnPageFromTemplate(t,this.numPages, false, false, XO);

It worked but not the way I had hoped. I got 31 new copies but the field names are still the same... Perhaps I should read more in the manual but right now I have to get to work, so it'll have to wait a few hours. But if you know by now what to change in the code so the field names won't appear the same, then I would be very pleased if you told me.

Thanks,
Bjorn

[Aandi_Inston@adobeforums.com]

A tip: JavaScript and Java are completely different things: it's best
never to mix them up, especially if you are trying to look for books
or training on the subject!

Aandi Inston

[Bjorn_Bech@adobeforums.com]

Hey dudes,

You've been awesome. Thanks a lot... Now, I figured it out. :)

Take care,
Bjorn

[George_Johnson@adobeforums.com]

Isn't there an easier way?






Now, I figured it out.






Now that wasn't so hard, was it? :^)

George

[Bjorn_Bech@adobeforums.com]

It wasn't hard to do - but I don't understand why Acrobat Pro didn't come with a button that could do the same thing.

Well, maybe that will change in the future.

Bye for now,
Bjorn