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May 9, 2022
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Interactive PDF

  • May 9, 2022
  • 3 replies
  • 711 views

I'm creating an Interactive PDF, which have a series of checkboxes (120 rows, each row contains 5 checkboxes). Each Check box has a differenet value of 0-5. I would like to have a total figure for each row. Can I add a javascript functon for this, in Indesign. I know this can be created in the PDF, but I don't what to recreate this each time the client has an edit. Is there a way to do this in Indesign?

 

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Correct answer m1b

Hi @StaceyH., I'm not expert on this topic but I'm working on a project similar to what you describe and after some research I discovered:

1. @grefel is correct, the JavaScript cannot be done in Indesign and must be done in Acrobat Pro. 😞

2. Rather than "recreate this each time the client has an edit" what you can do is

(a) set up the interactive form in Acrobat, including JavaScript, and

(b) when you've made an edit to the Indesign document, export your newly edited pdf, and

(c) open the original pdf (the one from step (a) that has working form) and use Replace pages, replacing with the pages from the new pdf from step (b).

 

This way you don't have to redo forms each time, but there is that extra step of replacing pages. Someone may know a better way but that's what I've discovered so far. 

-Mark

3 replies

m1b
Community Expert
m1bCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
Community Expert
May 9, 2022

Hi @StaceyH., I'm not expert on this topic but I'm working on a project similar to what you describe and after some research I discovered:

1. @grefel is correct, the JavaScript cannot be done in Indesign and must be done in Acrobat Pro. 😞

2. Rather than "recreate this each time the client has an edit" what you can do is

(a) set up the interactive form in Acrobat, including JavaScript, and

(b) when you've made an edit to the Indesign document, export your newly edited pdf, and

(c) open the original pdf (the one from step (a) that has working form) and use Replace pages, replacing with the pages from the new pdf from step (b).

 

This way you don't have to redo forms each time, but there is that extra step of replacing pages. Someone may know a better way but that's what I've discovered so far. 

-Mark

StaceyH.Author
Participating Frequently
May 9, 2022

Thanks foe the tip Mark.

 

grefel
Community Expert
Community Expert
May 9, 2022

As far as I know you cannot add the pdf javascript in InDesign.