how to identify a “malformed” field

Forum|Forum|3 years ago
April 22, 2023
2 replies
2651 views

I am receiving this error message when importing an fdf file through a script that exports data from docA, opens “docB” and imports the fdf file. This error message occurs only with one form. It does not occur with any other forms opened with the same script. When the error occurs the script opens the right form but aborts the data import to that form and the debugger opens with this error message:

“Some fields are malformed, and may not work as expected. Please contact the author for a fix”

And here's the odd thing about this: if instead of using the script I use Acrobat’s "More Form Options" menu to export the fdf file from docA and to import that data to docB, all of the fields in docB receive all of the data exported from docA with no "malformed" error message. My docB has dozens of fields. Can anyone tell me exactly what a "malformed" field is or how to identify a “malformed” field?

PDF forms

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T

Test Screen Name

Legend

I have no recollection of this message, and Google is unhelpful. You may be right that the cause is narrow and specific, but we have no way to know other than to follow my suggestion, so far as I can see.

T

Test Screen Name

Legend

It would take thousands of words to list all the ways a field might be malformed, and still probably wouldn't hit it. If you can share a (publicly safe) file, someone might be able to diagnose. It's also possible it's the FDf. Or a bug.

O

ODuinnAuthor

Inspiring

Considering these three factors ...

(1) that after 12 years of developing and using forms this is the first time I have encountered any error message employing the word "malformed;"

(2) that Adobe generated this is a message (as opposed to a generic application of the word "malformed"); and

(3) that when I import a data file to this form using the menu "More Form Options" (rather than using a scripted import) there is no error message and all of the data and fields behave as they should;

... my logical thinking leads me to believe that this error message pertains to a more narrow range of possible defects.

Using "Organize pages" and "Replace" I replaced all nine pages with blank pages, retaining all fields but on otherwise blank pages. Although the 9 page form still throws the error message when using the script that opens and imports the data file, none of the pages tested separately does. I extracted and tested each page, one at a time, using the script that opens and imports the data and very page works without throwing the error. However, when I combine the 9 pages that passed the test back into one form it throws the "malformed field" error message.

So I wonder whether you or anyone else has encountered this same error message in your extensive experience, and if so, do you know how you resolved it.

O

ODuinnAuthor

Inspiring

OK, I have identified the cause of the "malformed field" error message. It was a field naming convention that I used. On 7 of my form's pages there were four text fields, two for the sellers' initials and two for buyers' initials. I had named the fields Seller.Initials.1, Seller.Initials.2 and Buyer.Initials.1, Buyer.Initials.2. Therefore, the duplicates were named (for example) Seller.Initials.1#0, Seller.Initials.1#1, Seller.Initials.1#2, Seller.Initials.1#3 and so forth.

When I tested each page as a separate file, the text worked because there was only one set of the seller and buyer fields on that page, so the page widgets were not present (each page had only Seller.Initials.1, Seller.Initials.2, Buyer.Initials.1 and Buyer.Initials.2).

Bottom line, that naming convention should not be used with multiple instances of the same field.

Thanks for listening.

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