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Auto detected text boxes should be radio buttons or check boxes

kwest_thunder
Registered: Jan 14 2011
Posts: 3

I have a Word document that I have printed as a PDF and I am trying to get it to auto detect certain fields as radio buttons and check boxes. However, although it does detect these fields it always creates text boxes. Ideally I would like Acrobat to detect them correctly, but although I've followed the recommended guidelines, i.e wingding symbols of circle for radio buttons and squares for check boxes it inists on inserting text boxes. Alternatively is there a way to change them to radio buttons or check boxes, without deleting and re-adding them manually?

My Product Information:
Acrobat Pro 9.2, Windows
gkaiseril
Expert
Registered: Feb 23 2006
Posts: 4307
Auto detect form fields is has a hard time detecting check boxes and radio buttons. Making the size of the check box or radio button larger and more outline might help.

You still have to manually edit the fields for name choice, grouping check boxes and radio buttons, filling in combo boxes and drop down list.

An alternative is OpenOffice.org. Open Office.org can create a form and when the 'Save as PDF' option is used, the PDF form is created and the contents of the drop downs are populated.

OpenOffice as an Acrobat Form Design Tool by Carl Young
More On Open Office As A PDF Form Design Tool by Carl Young
OpenSource.org PDF Forms by Ted Padova

George Kaiser

kwest_thunder
Registered: Jan 14 2011
Posts: 3
Thanks George.

Unfortunately Using OpenOffice is not an option for me as I create my documents in Author-it then publish to PDF (via Word) which allows me to have many slightly different versions of 1 document. In this case, I have 12 different versions of the form, so I obviously want to get it right once in Author-it rather than have to edit 12 different PDFs.
gkaiseril
Expert
Registered: Feb 23 2006
Posts: 4307
Then you will need to either get the auto detect forms for identify the check and radio boxes or add them by hand. In either case,you will still have to edit the PDF's since auto detect form fields does not create the exclusionary groups for check boxes and radio buttons, and add the drop down list items and the combo list items

If the fields are the same among the forms, once you get one form working, you can replace pages for the PDF content and retain the working form fields.

George Kaiser

try67
Expert
Registered: Oct 30 2008
Posts: 2398
I created a tool to convert one form field type to another. It might come in handy...
http://try67.blogspot.com/2010/10/acrobat-convert-form-fields-type.php

- AcrobatUsers Community Expert - Contact me personally at try6767 [at] gmail [dot] com
Check out my custom-made scripts website: http://try67.blogspot.com

kwest_thunder
Registered: Jan 14 2011
Posts: 3
Thanks, is there a trial version? I don't want to pay $40 only to find it's not suitable for my needs.
try67
Expert
Registered: Oct 30 2008
Posts: 2398
Send me an email. I'm sure we can work something out.

- AcrobatUsers Community Expert - Contact me personally at try6767 [at] gmail [dot] com
Check out my custom-made scripts website: http://try67.blogspot.com