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Avoiding new duplicate form field names when hundreds already exist

Forum Index > Forms: Acrobat > Avoiding new duplicate form field names when hundreds already exist
2009-12-23 18:13:48
DavidBMe
Registered: Dec 23 2009
Posts: 12

I've got a prospective project where I'd inherit a huge form-filled book. Hundreds of form fields existing on this. I'll need to add new forms, and I'd like to know if there's an easy way to avoid creating duplicate form field names on my new form additions.

Any tips? I've looked through Acrobat Help and I don't see anything on this.

Thanks!

My Product Information:
Acrobat Pro 8.1.7, Macintosh
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2009-12-24 02:13:37
#1
try67
Expert
Registered: Oct 30 2008
Posts: 2398
Depending on your definition of "easy"...
It's possible to create a script that scans the file and alerts you if there are form fields with the same name. It's also possible to create a script that exports a list of all the current form fields' names, so you know what not to use, for example.

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

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2009-12-24 06:31:37
#2
DavidBMe
Registered: Dec 23 2009
Posts: 12
A script. I'm sure that could be done. Is this something that would generate a separate report? Do you have scripts like that at your site, try67?

I did more digging and tried a couple things since I posted. I note that a new field automatically picks an unused field name like "text114" which apparently used to exist but was renamed with a logical name.

I guess I really don't need to worry too much about creating unique names with true names since there's no report being made from this book. What matters is that there are no duplications at all in the book. I might be able to just use default names and use the duplicate multiple fields settings to automatically generate the grids of fields with unique names. I've done forms before, but never of this magnitude. I see Acrobat has some pretty powerful features I never knew about before last night.
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