Comments on: Automated Forms with Acrobat 8 and InDesign

By: Rose

Rose — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 02:32:21 +0000

Custom PDF forms at http://www.pleht.com

By: Dan

Dan — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 15:28:46 +0000

Say I created a PDF from my InDesign layout and add the Form Fields in Acrobat and save. Now I need to make a design or copy edit with InDesign. Do I have to recreate the Form again or can I update the existing PDF form?

By: cathy

cathy — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 20:26:30 +0000

Thank you for this. It did take some additional trial and error but you got me started in the right direction and that has saved me a boatload of time.

Creating the extra layer in indesign is key. If you have forms that aren’t the standard simple boxes, create the simple boxes on on the extra layer and do some trial and error. Align field heads top, or bottom, or center, make it smaller, whatever and see how acrobat reads it.

Again, Thanks so much.

By: David Blatner

David Blatner — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 15:12:57 +0000

Cindy, I have to say that I have mostly given up on the auto form field recognition feature in Acrobat Pro 8, and I just make form fields by hand now. It looks like it will be better in Acrobat 9, but I haven't tested it yet. In general, it's just pretty easy to open the PDF in Acrobat Pro, create the form fields (using the Form toolbar tools), and then save the document. You can enable Reader users to fill in form fields with the "Enable Usage Rights" feature.

By: Cindy Vojnovic

Cindy Vojnovic — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 12:13:20 +0000

I’ve got the whole CS3, so I’m doing what you recommend in this post, making my layout in InDesign and then exporting as a pdf to make a form. My problems, however, are not addressed in this post. When I use automatic form recognition, I get extraneous form fields-it’s seeing some graphic elements as form fields, which they are not, and I can’t figure out how to delete these extraneous form fields. Also, I’m getting text entry fields where I need check boxes, and I don’t know how to convert these from one to the other. I resorted to just making all the fields by hand. But then, the biggest and worst problem-no one without a full version of Acrobat can fill in the form!!! THATS THE WHOLE POINT OF THE FORM. My boss doesn’t need the data in a spreadsheet, it doesn’t need to be posted on the web, this is a VERY SIMPLE task-all he wants is for people to be able to key in information or check boxes, save the forms, and email them to him or print them out.

By: Jane

Jane — Fri, 30 May 2008 18:08:05 +0000

When I go to flatten the layers that option is grayed out in the Layers>options pull down menu. Any thoughts or options?

By: Stacy

Stacy — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 21:11:37 +0000

If you submit a form with Adobe 8 professional what do other users need installed on their computers to fill the form in and submit it by email? I did this with Adobe 7.0 Professional but some users have upgraded and now can’t submit my form by email I don’t want the same issue with Adobe 8.

By: Aaron

Aaron — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 20:23:51 +0000

Great article, Steve.

But is there any way to put form fields on more than 1 layer? For example if you want both a 1-line and 2-line option for a field?

By: papi

papi — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 08:40:13 +0000

Please help, i need a form that, when submitting it should generate a unique number

By: SarahMac

SarahMac — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 06:01:06 +0000

yay! thanks for the tip. Interactive everything is all the rave these days and as a graphic designer I’m having to pick up these interactive skills anywhere I can – post college.