Big bug or feature?

[JR Boulay]

JavaScript scripts run even when fields are locked (read-only).
Have I missed something, or is Acrobat becoming unusable?

In the attachment, both fields are read-only, try it...

[PDF Automation Station]

I can't get any interaction with these read-only fields, as it should be.  When you hover, does the hand turn into a pointing finger?

[Thom Parker]

You mean UI related scripts. Obviously value related scripts, such as calculations need to run when a field is readonly. 

If a field is readonly it should not receive UI events. If it does then that is a bug.   

I'm not seeing any issue with your file. No scripts are being run.  

I'm running 2024.005.20320 64 bit.

[JR Boulay]

See this screen record.

[PDF Automation Station]

Something's definitely wrong at your end.  I have no interaction with the fields.  My cursor remains as the hand when I hover on the fields.  When fields are not read-only it turns into a pointing finger for the check box and a horizontal line for the text field, like in your video.  My version is 24.00420272

[try67]

I'm getting partially similar results. The first field is not triggering anything, as it should, but the second one does. I can click into it and the caret appears, although I can't type anything into it. And when I click out of it the border turns red. I have version 2024.005.20320 (32 bits) on Windows 10.

PS. Why isn't the version number copiable from the About dialog? So annoying!

[PDF Automation Station]

You can copy it in the console by running app.formsVersion.

[try67]

Did you add the fields in Acrobat, or using some other tool?

I see the Producer is "abracadabraTools DC - www.abracadabraPDF.net"...

[try67]

I just confirmed that both the On Focus and On Blur events are triggered on Read Only fields, even if created in Acrobat. I don't know if that was also happening in the past, but it seems like a bug to me.

[JR Boulay]

Did you add the fields in Acrobat, or using some other tool?

I see the Producer is "abracadabraTools DC - www.abracadabraPDF.net"...

This is because this test file was created using my abracadabraTools (Acrobat plugin).

But the same issue applies to all PDFs, whether created from Word, InDesign, Acrobat or other sources.

[JR Boulay]

Did you add the fields in Acrobat, or using some other tool?

I see the Producer is "abracadabraTools DC - www.abracadabraPDF.net"...

This is because this test file was created using my abracadabraTools (Acrobat plugin).

But the same issue applies to all PDFs, whether created from Word, InDesign, Acrobat or other sources.

[JR Boulay]

I've just got my iMac back (which I had upgraded at Apple) and Acrobat is working as expected.
That's reassuring for my client, but I don't understand why it doesn't work properly on my PC, especially as I reinstalled Windows 11 and all the Adobe applications just last week following a crash.

If anyone has any ideas, I'd be grateful.

[AnandSri]

Hi @Zesty_protector0195

I hope you're doing well, and we apologize for the delayed response and the trouble. 

This has been reported to the product team, and they are currently investigating the root cause. We will share an update with you soon.

Thanks,

Anand Sri.

[JR Boulay]

Thank you

[AnandSri]

Hi JR,

Could you please check with the latest version of Acrobat and see if the script is running or not?

Thanks,

Anand Sri.

[JR Boulay]

Hi AnandSri

The issue remains the same after updating.

[JR Boulay]

Hi AnandSri

Is there any hope that this bug will be fixed one day soon?
After several updates, I'm at version 2025.001.20474 and nothing has changed.

[AnandSri]

Hi @JR Boulay

I am sorry for the delayed response. The product team is able to reproduce the issue and is working on a fix. It will be available in the coming future release.

Thanks,

Anand Sri.

[JR Boulay]

Two months later, this bug still hasn't been fixed!

[JR Boulay]

Great!

[JR Boulay]

Hi @AnandSri 

Still not fixed in version 25.001.2084x

😞

[JR Boulay]

Hello @AnandSri

When will this very annoying bug be fixed?

[try67]

It's very difficult to solve. You have to add an entire IF-condition to the On Focus and On Blur events...

if (FIELD.readonly==false) {

// execute associated code

}

No wonder it's taken nearly a year to implement it. </s>

[AnandSri]

Hello @JR Boulay

The update received from the product team is: " Javascript is still allowed to run even if the field is read-only. Setting a field to read-only prevents the user from modifying the value, but does not block events from firing. Read-only fields can still receive these events because they are still interactive elements. Do you see a change in field value as well in case of readonly fields?" 

Regards,

Anand Sri.

[Thom Parker]

@AnandSri ,  It is a standard, and I think pretty obvious operating behavior that "disabled" fields do not trigger mouse events on any platform. In the PDF context, Read Only is the same as disabled.  So, for example, would you expect to be able to type into a disabled text field? or be able to push a disabled button?  No, of course not. To suggest that such a thing is an insult to our intelligence. 

JR is correct that in previous version, no mouse events were triggered for ReadOnly fields.  I've never seen this, and am not experiencing it now. So whatever is happening on JR's computer is an anomaly.  

[PDF Automation Station]

I have never experience this issue myself.  Just tested again and it is the same as my response on Jan 23 (above) of this year.  There should definitely be no possible interaction with read only fields (That is, in fact, the very definition of read only).  @JR Boulay , when you tab through your fields, does it stop on the read only fields?  They should be skipped.