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importing data & check boxes

mike d
Registered: Nov 9 2010
Posts: 5

FIrst, let me just say that when I get comfortable with an app, I like to stay with it until near death. With that said...
 
I am importing data into a pdf from another app via text file. I added the text and check box fields needed to complete the form and verified the field names matched.
 
When importing the data into the pdf, how do I get the appropriate check box be selected?
 
-- note -- I can only guess that the pdf was converted from MSWord, as I was merely provided with the pdf, asked to make it 'dynamic' and added the fields in 7 Pro.
 
Thanks.

My Product Information:
Acrobat Pro 7.0, Windows
George_Johnson
Expert
Registered: Jul 6 2008
Posts: 1876
Use whatever you specified as the export value of the check box. To uncheck a check box, use "Off", but not "off" or anything else.
mike d
Registered: Nov 9 2010
Posts: 5
George,

A little new to this, so I'm literally groping around in the dark here.

I've got 5 checkboxes. When exporting the data, 1 of the checkbox fields is marked with an 'x'. How do I use the 'x' as the export value of the checkbox I want selected?
gkaiseril
Online
Expert
Registered: Feb 23 2006
Posts: 4307
Within your PDF form you either accepted Acrobat's default "Export Value" for the check box of "Yes" or you changed the value for the check box to a value of your choice. You need to use the "Export Value" for the check box.

If you have multiple check boxes, refereed to as an exclusionary group, than you should have assigned an unique export value for each individual field (widget) within the group of like named check boxes and then provided a unique export value for each check box. If you set the common field name to the export value of one of the member check boxes, then that check box will appear checked or selected.

George Kaiser

mike d
Registered: Nov 9 2010
Posts: 5
George,

Thanks. While I'm an aerodynamically challenged programmer, I think I pretty much understood what you're saying. Let's see...

I've got the 5 check boxes and the field names in the app I'm exporting from are 1505, 1506, 1507, 1508 and 1509 ( even I found the naming convention a bit odd, but there are nearly some 9,000 fields in this app ).

With the pdf open, I went into the cb properties window - specifically the general tab, name field and options tab, export value, each have the same respective name / value of 1505, 1506, 1507, 1508 and 1509.

If I got it right, then I must still be doing something wrong, as the exported check box didn't show up on the pdf.

If I didn't get it right, then I must still be doing something wrong...
George_Johnson
Expert
Registered: Jul 6 2008
Posts: 1876
If you're saying that you have a check box field named 1505 and that its export value is 1505, you should be able to use a name/value pair of 1505/1505 in the text file to check the check box. If it doesn't get checked when the data file is imported into the form, there is probably something wrong with the data file. With 9000 fields, it would be easy to get something wrong. Do all of the text fields get populated correctly?
mike d
Registered: Nov 9 2010
Posts: 5
As to the 9,000 fields, I was just busting on the naming convention, numerically progressive, as they went from page to page for the new fields.

I'm only exporting 26 fields, 5 of which are check boxes.

Yes, the other 21 fields get populated correctly.

As previously mentioned, when I look at the text file created on export, I only see the check box field id and an x under it. As the other check boxes aren't selected, they don't appear in the text file... simple enough, yes?
George_Johnson
Expert
Registered: Jul 6 2008
Posts: 1876
You have two choices:

1. Change the export routine so that instead of an "x" appearing in the data file, have it output "1505".

2. Change the check box field in the PDF form so that the export value is "x" instead of "1505".

Option #2 is probably easier.
mike d
Registered: Nov 9 2010
Posts: 5
The 2nd option did appear to be the easiest, but alas... it too didn't work.

Can't change how the app exports the data, and if I have to manually change the outputted text file, it would be just as easy to select the check box in the pdf ( bummer ).

Thanks to all for providing the guidance you did, as they all seemed to make perfect sense in an imperfectly senseless world.
George_Johnson
Expert
Registered: Jul 6 2008
Posts: 1876
Don' give up just yet. There's a reason it's not working, you just have to find it. Confirm exactly which character is being used in the data file to indicate a checked check box. If "x" didn't work, might it be "X", "x ", or something else? Find out exactly what it is and set the export value of the check box to the same thing.