How to set up tab order in a PDF form using Acrobat X

Hi Abdul Imran,

Try making sure you have this preference unchecked under Edit > Preferences > Forms “Automatically adjust tab order when modifying fields”.

Thanks,
Lori

Hi,

Is there a Javascript code for sorting form fields by name ? Because at times i sort them alphabetically by name and i want to manually replace certain fields and the entire order gets scrambled.

Hi Jane Johnson,

Thanks for the tip. I’ve also experienced issues specifically with radio buttons and tab order.

Lori

Hi, all!

We were having the same problem of trying to rearrange how users would tab through the form.  We had the Tab Order set to Manual and were dragging-and-dropping fields in the list which would sometimes change the Tab Numbers and sometimes wouldn’t.  We discovered that the fields which were radio buttons that we tried to drag DOWN further in the list would not change but everything else would, including dragging radio buttons UP toward the top of the list.  Also, each field has to be moved individually rather than selecting a group of fields all at once in order to maintain the correct tab order within the group of fields.  We have to drag about 70 fields one at a time above the one radio button that’s in the wrong place, rather than just moving the radio button down to the correct place, but at least we can get them in the correct order.  I would be interested to know whether this works for anyone else.

Jane

Huzzah! I found a solution:

1) The preferences setting for “Automatically adjust tab order when modifying fields” should be unchecked.
2) Open the PDF and turn on the tab numbers. Go to Forms > Edit > Tab Order > Show Tab Numbers.
3) You move a field in the right-hand tab order column, but the tab order doesn’t change on the page (this is the problem).
4) Right click on that field within the page and choose Cut.
5) Then paste that field back on the page.
6) You should be able to set the correct tab order for that field in the right-hand tab order column now.

For some reason, cutting and pasting the problematic fields seems to “reset” the status quo, allowing you to change those item’s tab order.

Hi Felicia and Nathan,

If you’re using Acrobat XI, try unchecking this under Edit > Preferences > Forms “Automatically adjust tab order when modifying fields”.

Thanks,
Lori

I am getting very frustrated. I have a document with many fields per page, and I have my tab order set just how I want it. The problem I am having is that any time I try to move the fields up or down to fine tune the spacing of the fields and alignment, it then throws the tab order completely out of wack. Someone please help! I’m coming up on a deadline for this document!

Hi. Gee, this all makes perfect sense, only it doesn’t work. Like Malcolm, I have a huge doc with tons of fields. I have painstakingly gone through the steps to manually order the tabs, yet they seem to have a mind of their own and go out of sequence each time I save the doc. I have a client waiting on this, so I’m beyond frustrated.

I have the tab order set to manual. When I turn on the numbers, they show them out of sequence, so I don’t see the point. I could not find a way to renumber the fields; that would make sense. How do I stop this madness?

Felicia

Hi David -

Yes. Open the Order panel and look at your page. The comment area will be boxed, and have a number. Delete its box, the order is readjusted, and now the tab order should skip over that section of the page.

donna.

Hi, I have a question that probably has a simple answer, but I’m not sure…

I have created a form that people can fill in and I have refined the tab order just like I want it, except for that after the last fillable box is tabbed over, it goes to all of the comments on the page.  Is there any way to make the Tab-Order skip over the comments on the page and only go over the fillable boxes that are part of the interactive form?

Thank,
David

Hi Malcolm -

There’s no logical reason for your fields not to tab properly. Maybe it would help if you repaired the installation. Often illogical issues that occur are corrected following the repair. Choose Help > Repair Acrobat Installation and let the program check through and repair its code.

donna.

Donna,

I’m having the same problem Vincent describes above. In my case, the fields are numbered in the correct sequence. When I select the corresponding filed in the Filed pane and use my down arrow to scroll through the fields, they “tab” in the correct order. Everything looks to be perfect. But then when I exit edit mode and actually try the forms the fields do not tab in the right order.

I have a very complex layout with tons of fields, but I would expect Acrobat to honor the field numbers no matter what. It does not. I’m out of ideas, by all appearances this should work correct, yet doesn’t. Any ideas?

Thanks,

M.

Hi Vincent -

There’s likely a field that is improperly numbered. In the Fields pane, click Tab Order and select Show Tab Number. Read through the tabbed fields’ numbers to see where they are out of order.

donna.

Donna,
I am using Acrobat XI Standard.  I am attempting to set tab order manually.  In the navigation panel on the right-hand side of the screen it shows the correct order.  However, the tab order is not correct on the actual form.  Can you please let me know how to fix this?

Thanks in advance.

Hi Bryan -

By default, Acrobat tab order works on a single page. What you could do (although I haven’t tried it) is add an action to the last field on Page 1 to go to Page 2. Hopefully, when that field loses focus (TAB pressed again) it’ll access the first field on page 2. You’d want the action to use focus actions, rather than click actions.

donna.

When tabbing thru our multi-page form, tabbing on the last field in page 1 takes the user to last page in page 4. Would anyone know if this is a tab order issue or something else and how to rectify it. Any insight is appreciated.

Hi Donna,
Quick question…I have my tab order set the way I want it, but if a user adds an instance of a subform, it isn’t included in the tab order. Is there a way around this? Thanks!

Hi Theresa -

No, there’s no way around tab order in a subform. That would be like making the reading order branch, and that’s not something that it can do.

donna.