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Navigating & editing form fields properties in Acrobat 7 Pro

YossiD
Registered: May 25 2008
Posts: 4
Answered

I am creating a test report form in Acrobat 7 Pro with lots of checkboxes. Each test on the report form has three checkboxes marked Pass, Fail, and N/A respectively. I have set each triplet of checkboxes so they all have the same name but different export values. That way only one of the triplet can be checked at any given time.
 
Since all of the tests have the same three checkboxes, I create the triplet once and then copy it as many times as I need. Once copied, I need to edit each checkbox so that each triplet has a different name. To do this relatively quickly I'd like to be able to navigate from one checkbox to the next using the keyboard. In Acrobat 5, the tab key did that, but in Acrobat 7 I have not found a way, having to resort to the mouse each time. Isn't there a keystroke in Acrobat 7 to go from editing properties of one checkbox to the next? Also, is there a way to close the properties dialog without tabbing through all the fields to get to the "Close" button. I seem to remember using the key for this in Acrobat 5.
 
While I'm at it, perhaps someone knows how I can rename all three checkboxes in each triplet at once. When I select the tree checkboxes and open the properties dialog, the name field is grayed and unavailable.
 
I could save a lot of time if there are solutions available since there are many checkboxes on this form.
 
TIA

My Product Information:
Acrobat Pro 7.1.4, Windows
thomp
Expert
Registered: Feb 15 2006
Posts: 4411
Accepted Answer
Use the "Fields" Navigation tab. It's on the "View > Navigation Tabs> Fields" menu item. You don't have to close the properties dialog. You can select fields on the Fields Tab or on the form using the Object select tool and then edit in the properties dialog. The field name can be changed directly in the Fields Tab by pressing F2.

This should help, although the process is still awkward. And you can't rename a group of fields at once, at least in Acrobat 7.

Thom Parker
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YossiD
Registered: May 25 2008
Posts: 4
Still awkward, yes, but much better than one by one.

Too bad the Fields navigation tab doesn't organize fields by page. Also too bad Acrobat help doesn't make this feature easy to find.

Thanks very much indeed.