These forums are now Read Only. If you have an Acrobat question, ask questions and get help from one of our experts.

Copying a text field??

Forum Index > Forms: Acrobat > Copying a text field??
2008-03-05 16:32:47
E-B
Registered: Mar 5 2008
Posts: 4

I'm designing a fillable set of forms. I've made a bunch of text fields to fill in information, and I've copied them to where they need to be repeated - so the user can enter let's say the a first name and it will automatically appear in the copied fields on other pages where the same name needs to go - thus preventing a lot of duplicate entry.

I'd like the copied fields to be locked in such a way that data can't be entered there. I want it to be a non-entry field that just fills in with the same data from the field they do enter it in. I have tried every which way to format the text fields (locking, read-only etc) and nothing is working.

Does anyone know how to do this????

My Product Information:
Acrobat Standard 7.0.3, Windows
Top
2008-03-09 08:56:51
#1
dbaker
Expert
Registered: Feb 10 2006
Posts: 413
Hi --

You can do two things:

First, make sure the copied fields use the same name as the one the user actually enters data into.

Then, for the copies, set them as read-only.

donna.

A prolific author and writer of many Acrobat books, as well as books on graphic and Web design software.
Donna lives on a lakeshore in central Canada, where all manner of wildlife from muskrats to coyotes come to call.

Top
2008-03-09 09:53:25
#2
E-B
Registered: Mar 5 2008
Posts: 4
That doesn't work - since it's a copied field it copies the same properties as the original field with the same name. One you set the copied field as Read-only the original field becomes read-only as well.
Top
2010-06-15 11:53:41
#3
CW5JDNEAL
Registered: Jan 23 2010
Posts: 2
Global Binding
Top
2010-06-16 10:47:50
#4
smit462
Registered: May 20 2006
Posts: 20
You could accomplish this with s simple javascript.

Example:

1. Create a unique text field called 'name'

2. Create a 'read only' text field called 'fixed name'

3. Add a custom calculation script in the Calculation tab of the 'fixed name' Text Field Properties:

var n = this.getField("name").value;
this.getField("fixed name").value = n;

4. Copy the 'fixed name' field as many times as you need.

STEVE MITTEL
Senior Forms Designer
Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts

Top
2010-06-16 10:59:06
#5
gkaiseril
Expert
Registered: Feb 23 2006
Posts: 4308
First, are you using AcroForms (Acrobat forms created with the Forms Tool Bar) or LiveCycle Designer. If Acrobat then if the fields have the same name they share a majority of the same properties, so if you want the other fields to be read only, you will need to do some additional work. You will need to make a second field for the name with a different field name with a R/O property and you can copy this field as many times as needed for the additional pages. In the original name field you will add an "On Blur" action to set the value of the second field to the value of the first field name. Using this method will result in the second field only being updated when the first field is passed through and not with change in a calculated field.

If you are using LiveCycle Designer then you can name the fields with the same name and make the binding global.

George Kaiser

Top