Participating Frequently

Answered

Acrobat Pro 2017 Combining fillable forms problem with fields disappearing

Forum|Forum|8 years ago
April 18, 2018
2 replies
7815 views

Acrobat Pro 2017: When I combine a fillable form with another PDF, fields disappear after saving the combined PDF. I don't want to create a PDF Portfolio, because I don't think anyone can digitally sign. There was no problem with the earlier version.

This topic has been closed for replies.

Correct answer Thom Parker

So how are the fields auto-filled? Do they have the same name, or are you using a script?

Are you using the Combine Files feature in Acrobat? If so, then try a different method for combining the files to see if it makes a difference. Do this:

1. Open the first file in Acrobat

2. Open the "Pages Panel" on the far right side of the Acrobat Window.

3. Drag and drop the second file into the "Pages Panel" of the first file.

try67

Community Expert

- Fields with the same name (and the same type) in a single document will always have the same value. So if you merge two documents that each have a text field called "Name" the value of the field in the second file will be overwritten by the value of the field from the first file.

- Fields with the same name but different type can not exist in the same document. So if you merge two documents and one has a text field called "Name" and the other a drop-down called "Name" it will either report an error, or will remove the latter.

J

joans123Author

Participating Frequently

The first PDF is a fillable form, the second PDF is just a PDF file.

The fields that are disappearing are disappearing on all the pages that have the same value. None of the fields that have disappeared have a drop down box else where in the fillable form. The second PDF file that is combined is unaffected at all.

Thom Parker

Correct answer

Community Expert

So how are the fields auto-filled? Do they have the same name, or are you using a script?

Are you using the Combine Files feature in Acrobat? If so, then try a different method for combining the files to see if it makes a difference. Do this:

1. Open the first file in Acrobat

2. Open the "Pages Panel" on the far right side of the Acrobat Window.

3. Drag and drop the second file into the "Pages Panel" of the first file.

Thom Parker - Software Developer at PDFScriptingUse the Acrobat JavaScript Reference early and often

Thom Parker

Community Expert

This may be a bug in 2017. However, are there fields with the same names on both forms? And are these the problem fields? Do the problem fields share any characteristic? Do the field really disappear, or do the values disappear?

Thom Parker - Software Developer at PDFScriptingUse the Acrobat JavaScript Reference early and often

J

joans123Author

Participating Frequently

I didn't create the fillable form (downloaded from national website), but yes there are fields with the same names. Most of the fields that have disappeared are those that automatically fill in other places in the document, but I see at least one that hasn't disappeared. I don't think it matters whether I combine another fillable form or with a regular pdf. The fields only disappear on the fillable form. If I try to combine two fillable forms, fields seem to disappear on both fillable forms.

J

joans123Author

Participating Frequently

I think it really has to do with the fields that automatically fill with certain common names, except one (weird).

Sign up

To post, reply, or follow discussions, please sign in with your Adobe ID.

Sign in to Adobe Community

To post, reply, or follow discussions, please sign in with your Adobe ID.

Scanning file for viruses.

This file cannot be downloaded