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Interactive PDF thinks it's a form

Forum Index > Forms: Acrobat > Interactive PDF thinks it's a form
2007-08-30 06:27:51
jeremyschultz
Registered: Nov 29 2006
Posts: 5

I have a 50-page InDesign document being exported as an interactive PDF. It has buttons for previous page, next page, previous section, next section and top of current section. There is also a page with some other buttons that jump to various product pages. I've also set up a table of contents so the pages have bookmarks.

The problem is that the exported PDF thinks it's a form and gives the "Please fill out the following form" notice. I have tried over 150 tests and I can't make heads or tails of what might be a cause:

• Some buttons do not cause the bug, others do. Replacing the buttons does not help. Deleting and removing the InDesign layers they reside on does not help. Deleting the layers and consolidating the buttons does not help.
• The product buttons cause the bug, but only when certain pages are exported. If the page with the product buttons is exported alone or as part of a group, it's OK.
• Pages 1-18, 19-39 and 40-48 can be exported as groups with no problem. Pages 1-19, when exported together, think they are a form. Page 19 alone does not. I'm sure there are other combinations that think they are not a form. Trying to combine these groups causes the bug.
• I can export pages 1-18, then add page 19 alone, resave, then open the 1-19 file and add page 20, resave, etc., etc. But that is effective only up to page 26. Page 27 has the same buttons as every other page but causes the bug. Page 27 alone does not cause the bug.
• On some users' computers, the form notice shows up for an instance and then hides itself. On others, it is persistent.

At this point, the only solution I can think of is to make the full PDF start up in full screen mode, which hides the notice until the presentation is over. It's not a good solution, but I cannot figure out what causes this.

Jeremy

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2007-08-30 13:57:41
#1
jeremyschultz
Registered: Nov 29 2006
Posts: 5
Sorry: "instance" in the last bullet point should be "instant." :)

Jeremy
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2007-08-31 07:14:32
#2
gkaiseril
Expert
Registered: Feb 23 2006
Posts: 4307
"Buttons" are a form field and have to be created using one the form tools supplied by Adobe.

George Kaiser

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2007-08-31 08:48:54
#3
jeremyschultz
Registered: Nov 29 2006
Posts: 5
Yes, the buttons are created in InDesign and the PDF export recognizes them.

But if buttons are form fields by their nature, then it doesn't make sense that I can export PDFs with partial pages or buttons and have them not be forms. Moreover, I've worked with other interactive PDFs with buttons in the past, and I don't recall seeing the form notice.

Jeremy
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2011-11-22 07:08:27
#4
eHanja
Registered: Nov 22 2011
Posts: 3
Hi, the last post is very old... Did you solve the problem? I have the same complications with interactive brochures, that have just stupid Contents at the beginning and return-button to it on every page. I can't give it to my client with Acrobat notification about filling form when openning the document. What can I do??? :-//

Hanja

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2011-11-22 07:27:45
#5
George_Johnson
Expert
Registered: Jul 6 2008
Posts: 1875
Secure the document with standard password security and set the restrictions so that form filling is not allowed. The buttons will still work but the message won't be displayed. Note that you do not need to include a document open password.
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2011-11-22 08:04:42
#6
eHanja
Registered: Nov 22 2011
Posts: 3
Great, the message has disappeared! It's not really "user friendly" solution but it works. That's important. Thanks a lot.

Hanja

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2011-11-23 16:41:03
#7
Merlin
Acrobat 9ExpertTeam
Registered: Mar 1 2006
Posts: 766
Beginning with Reader and Acrobat 9 (or may be 8? I can't remember…) a PDF file containing buttons only is not assumed as a form to be filled.

==> Be sure that the PDF only embeds button form fields, and not any other kind of form fields (text fields, radio-buttons, etc.), in this case the purple bar of death should not be displayed.


PS: About InDesign layers converted to PDF layers, don't miss that free tool: http://www.uvsar.com/projects/acrobat/indesignfixups/

abracadabraPDF.net

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2011-11-23 20:29:46
#8
George_Johnson
Expert
Registered: Jul 6 2008
Posts: 1875
Merlin,

Whether the forms message bar appears in a document with only button fields depends on how many uniquely named buttons there are, as opposed to the version. The limit is 100, so if there are 100 or fewer buttons, the forms message bar will not be displayed, but if there are 101 or more, it will.
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2011-11-23 22:44:29
#9
eHanja
Registered: Nov 22 2011
Posts: 3
Yes, that's it... That's why by importing a part of my document there are no troubles (this problem is described by Jeremy at the beginning of this posts). I have 120 pages, active contents, clicking on pictures, return buttons on every page... totally about 500 buttons may be more. But security selection is good solution. But I'm afraid that no one could find this by himself...

Hanja

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2011-11-24 03:31:48
#10
Merlin
Acrobat 9ExpertTeam
Registered: Mar 1 2006
Posts: 766
George_Johnson wrote:
The limit is 100, so if there are 100 or fewer buttons, the forms message bar will not be displayed, but if there are 101 or more, it will.
Thanks George, I didn't knew that subtlety.

:-)

abracadabraPDF.net

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