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Known Participant
March 5, 2020
Question

Adobe form keeps changing fields to read-only

  • March 5, 2020
  • 6 replies
  • 5455 views

Hi all,

I have an adobe form with dozens of fillable form fields. The fields somehow keep getting set to read-only so no on can enter data. I change them all back to be editable, save the document and at some point they're getting set back to read-only. What am I doing wrong? 

 

If I do a test, I will remove read-only from one field, save the document, close it, open it back up and it's still editable. However, something is happening at some point to change ALL the fields back to read-only. I have custom scripts in the document, but none that I know of that tell it to change fields to read-only upon an action. 

    6 replies

    Participant
    August 25, 2023

    Yes I have the same thing.  Also there are no signatures on the form, it's just a blank form that switches to read only for all the fields.

    Bernd Alheit
    Community Expert
    Community Expert
    August 25, 2023

    Can you share the form?

    Participant
    November 8, 2024

    I need a fix to this please, it's really irritating that for some reason when saving the file, even AFTER manually setting everything off Read Only that it sets them back to Read Only. Attached below is my PDF which has the form fields in when entering the "Prepare a form" function.

    Participant
    August 14, 2023

    Same problem. When I save a form after editing it for the first time, it switches all the fields to Read Only. I can go into each field properties through the "prepare form" tool and switch them back one at a time, but I want to be able to prevent this from happening in the first place. No one else is accessing the documents. It is happening upon save. And it only happens intermittently. I cannot isolate the conditions that create this problem.

    Participant
    June 10, 2021

    Did anyone figure this out. I have 18 pages of form fields and I select them, set them to read only or not as appropriate. When I save the form and open it again, everything is changed.

     

    Ren

    Participant
    May 4, 2022

    No Answer to this?  It makes no sense...I am doing this for older clients who are not that tech saavy...sending them a form they can enter data in defeats the entire purpose

    Legend
    May 4, 2022

    Tony, are your users signing the form? This does lock everything by design.

    IndicaSoul
    Participant
    February 4, 2021

    I'm experiencing the same issue. Everytime I save the form, all fields become read-only. I have to uncheck the read-only box in the properties of each fields.

    Bernd Alheit
    Community Expert
    Community Expert
    February 4, 2021

    Share the form.

    Participant
    September 2, 2020

    I have the same problem! Also here looking for help

    Legend
    March 5, 2020

    First thing - is anyone else taking the file away and filling it before you get it back?

    Second thing - how do you fill the form - what app and version?

    Third thing - is there any signing of the form?

    PSURAMAuthor
    Known Participant
    March 6, 2020

    Hi, thanks for your reply. First, the file is stored on a shared network drive. People do open the form and use it, then save a copy. The master file is not saved (only by me). Second, the form is in Adobe Acrobat Pro DC version 2020.006.20034. Third, there is no signing of the form. However, we do have electronic signatures on the form, but they're permanent. 

     

    So it appears every time I make a change to the document and save it, all the fields go back to read-only.