Adding Prefix to Text Fields in Forms

Forum|Forum|3 years ago
July 12, 2022
2 replies
1183 views

I'm searching for a way to add a Prefix to every form field in a PDF document all at once. I'm not looking to replace the current Field name, just looking to add a prefix to it. The same prefix to all the Form Fields. For example if I have "Text1" and "CheckBox1", I would like to add a prefix for example "Application1_Text1" and "Application1_CheckBox1". Currently the way I'm painstakingly doing it is by adding the prefix to the first form field, copying the prefix, and pasting it to the rest of the fields. Some of my forms have 100s of fields and this method is not cool. Any help would be appreciated.

PDF forms

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JR Boulay

Community Expert

If the fields uses the "Form field naming convention" (with at least one dot in each name and with the same prefix before the dot) it will be easy.

Otherwise see try67 answer.

Acrobate du PDF, InDesigner et Photoshopographe

try67

Community Expert

A script in Acrobat can't rename a field. The workaround solution is to copy the field's properties, delete it, and then create a new field in its place with the same properties but under a new name. However, some things are lost in this process (basically any attached scripts, which include the Format selection, Validation, Calculation, etc.).

Another option is to do it using an external tool, which can maintain such settings, but has other limitations.

I've developed both types of tools and they are available as (paid-for) utilities on my website:

https://www.try67.com/tool/easily-rename-pdf-fields

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