Using Forms

Forms are probably the most sought-after feature in Acrobat. Use Acrobat to create interactive PDF forms that you can access on a website. Forms are created with data fields to be filled out. Form fields can range from buttons, check boxes, combo boxes, list boxes, radio buttons, and signature fields to text fields. Acrobat includes a Forms palette and Form tools. Forms are so popular because you can save form data within Acrobat Standard or Reader. Your only limitation is that you cannot edit in Standard or Reader. Forms are the best way to get information on your client or from your website.

Creating Forms

When you first decide to create a form, you'll need to figure out the type of data you'll need. After you determine the data, the form fields will be easy to add. Use a design program to create your actual form. When choosing a size, keep in mind the computer screen and how it will be seen. In the design program, create the text, labels, and any graphic elements.

Typically, you start creating a form in another application, such as Adobe Illustrator or Microsoft Word. When you've created a PDF for the form you started in the other program, use the Form tools to create form fields to complete your PDF form.

Did you Know?

To create a text field, use the Text Field tool from the Forms toolbar. Drag out a box to the size that you want the text field to be. This launches the Text Field Properties dialog box (see Figure 10.17). Set the General, Appearance, Options, Actions, Format, Validate, and Calculate tabs to your liking, and then click the Close button to set the text field.

Figure 10.17. As you set the various properties of the Text Field tool, the field automatically updates on your form.

After you create the form's graphic appearance, save the file as a PDF and open it in Acrobat to add the actual form fields. First you have to understand about the Text Fields and their properties.

Text Field Properties

These are the tabs in the Text Field Properties dialog box:

• General Under the General properties, set the name of the field and the ToolTips. ToolTips are the little notes that come up when you rest your cursor on an item such as the Text field. The Form Field properties you set are whether the box is visible, hidden, visible but not printable, or hidden but printable. Set the orientation to 0°, 90°, 180°, or 270°. Also choose whether to check the Read Only and Required check boxes.

• Appearance In the Appearance tab, set the Border Color, Fill Color, Line Thickness, and Line Style. Under Text, choose the Font, Font Size, and Text Color.

• Options Choose the alignment for the text field in the Options tab. Enter a default value. Check or uncheck the following boxes: Multiline, Scroll Long Text, Allow Rich Text Formatting, Limit of __ Characters, Password, Field Is Used for File Selection, Check Spelling, and Comb of __ Characters.

• Actions Set an action for the text field just as you would in a link. Choose your action and the settings.

• Format Choose from a format category pop-up: None, Number, Percentage, Date, Time, Special, or Custom.

• Validate Check the radio button to specify whether the field value is validated, to indicate whether a field value is within a certain range, or to run a custom validation script.

• Calculate Under the Calculate tab, choose whether the field is calculated and, if it is, whether it is the sum, product, average, minimum, or maximum of a group of fields that you pick. You can also choose a simplified field notation or a custom calculation script.

Form Fields

The Form fields come in various appearances and functions. Each function is used for specific effects. Buttons are used to create an action. You press a button and something happens, such as going to another page or seeing different fields appear. Check boxes are used to narrow selections. A combo box is used like a pop-up menu; you see a list of choices and pick one from the box. The list box is similar to the combo box; you choose one option from the menu. Radio buttons are used to choose an option. You pick one option by clicking the radio button. In the Signature field, you enter a digital signature or, in a printed form, sign your name. The text fields are used to enter such things as names, addresses, items, costs, and totals.

Open a PDF that has the form base already created in another graphic program. Using the Text Field tool, drag out the size for your text fields. In the Text Field Properties, enter the properties for the text field, such as border or background color. After adding the text fields, you can add buttons, check boxes, and more (see Figure 10.18).

Figure 10.18. A form originally created in Adobe Illustrator and finished in Acrobat.

Buttons

Probably one of the most fun things to do with Acrobat is to create interactive buttons. Acrobat has a Button tool in the Forms menu on the Advanced Editing toolbar. Use the Button tool to drag out the size of the button. Enter the properties that you want for the button. Be sure to make an action for the button, or the point of having a button is lost. If you want a more exciting look for your button, use Adobe Illustrator to create a fantastic button and then use Acrobat to activate it (see Figure 10.19).

Figure 10.19. A button created in Adobe Illustrator and then activated in Acrobat.

Add options to your buttons by altering their look and how they act. Choose the Icon and Label states: Label Only, Icon Only, Icon Top Label Bottom, Label Top Icon Bottom, Icon Left Label Right, Label Left Icon Right, and Label Over Icon.

List Boxes and Combo Boxes

Use the combo box to list various choices for the form field. A list box is very similar, in that it offers choices in menu pull-down form. The big difference between the two is that you use the combo box for adding text, whereas a list box can't add text. The combo box also is great for fewer choices. The options you'll find in the list and combo boxes are Item, Export Value, Add, Delete, Up/Down, Sort Items, Multiple Selection (List Box Only), Check Spelling, Item List, and Commit Selected Value Immediately.

Radio Buttons and Check Boxes

Radio buttons and check boxes are used for selecting or deselecting certain variables. The options you'll find under radio buttons and check boxes are Button/Check Box Style, Export Value, Button/Check Box Is Checked by Default, and Buttons with the Same Name and Value Are Selected in Unison.

Calculations

Calculations are great for figuring out a total of items, determining total cost, adding in taxes, and so on. As with spreadsheet programs, you can set up a range of calculations in the Field Properties dialog box. The calculations you can set are adding, multiplying, averaging, and figuring out the minimum and maximum.

Did you Know?

To set a calculation field, first pick the type of calculation and then select which fields you want to calculate. To set the field for calculation, use the Text Field tool to create the box for the calculation. In the Text Field Properties dialog box, click on the Calculate tab. In the Calculate tab, choose from Sum (+), Product (x), Average, Minimum, or Maximum. After you set your value, click the Pick button. This launches the Field Selection dialog box (see Figure 10.20). This dialog box lists all the fields used in your PDF file. Here you can choose which fields will be calculated.

Figure 10.20. Choose the fields for calculation in the Field Selection dialog box.

Importing/Exporting Form Data

Now that you are getting the hang of forms, you'll need to know how you can import and export the data from the forms. The key to getting your data is having your fields match word for word. To export your FDF data, choose Export Forms Data from the Forms submenu of the Advanced menu. Enter a name for your form data file and click Save.

Import your form data by choosing Import Forms Data from the Forms submenu of the Advanced menu. Locate your file and click Select. Make sure you have the correct and matching file open so that the data will be brought in to the file.