Fillable form field properties disappear after I open the PDF outside of Acrobat

[sharon_1613]

I am using Acrobat to create a fillable form, similar to an order form. There's a series of rows with a numeric quantity which needs to be totalled. I have made the quantity fields numeric with two decimal places and added the calculation for the total. It works fine in Acrobat preview. After I save the form, exit Acrobat, and open the form in my browser  it does not work properly. When I open the PDF in Acrobat again, I can see that all the field properties have reverted to the default format and the calculation has been removed.

I am working on a standalone Mac with an up to date OS (Sequoia 15.4.1). 

I am using Acrobat on a free trial. 

I have opened the PDF using Safari and the Mac's built in preview. 

I am being very careful about making sure that I am using the right file, created a folder that contains only that PDF and am consistently using only that file. 

Here's what I'm seeing, using a simplified form for the example:

1. Empty Form in Acrobat Preview

2. Completed Form in Acrobat Preview - Everything working as expected, quantities display 2 decimal places and calculated total is accurate.

3. Exit Preview, Clear Form, Save Form, Open outside of Acrobat - The quantity fields do not display decimal places and the total is not calculated. 

4. Open Form in Acrobat / Edit / Prepare Form - The total field, which was previously defined as a calculation, has gone back to non calculated and the quantity fields have lost their numeric format.

 

 

 

 

 

[Nesa Nurani]

The macOS Preview app can corrupt PDFs that contain scripts, embedded fonts, or interactive elements like forms or digital signatures. Try not to save file when using 'Preview'.

[sharon_1613]

I created the file from scratch, never entered preview, and got the same results. The format properties and calculation were removed from the file after I opened it outside of Acrobat. 

[try67 · Accepted solution]

The fault is with whatever other PDF application/plugin you used. There's nothing we (or you) can do about that. Complain to the makers of that viewer and instruct your users to stick with Adobe Reader.

[JR Boulay]

Safari and Preview are the worst software to use with interactive PDFs.
Preview is also known as "the PDF killer", and it's not new: https://khkonsulting.com/2013/06/preview-app-killer-of-pdf-files/

[Dave Creamer of IDEAS]

Try using Chrome and the Adobe Acrobat extension (NOT the built-in Chrome PDF viewer). See if that makes a difference.

[sharon_1613]

Thanks everyone for all your help. It's starting to feel like this might not be the right technical solution for this problem space. The form will be distributed to a wide audience made up of members of the general public. We have no control over the platform where it will be used. A high rate of of adoption is a critical success factor so any technical recommendations about readers or browser plug ins are likely to create a  a perception that the form is hard to use and undermine that goal. 

Back to the drawing board!

[Dave Creamer of IDEAS]

You are looking for a solution that does exist (other than a website form). The best you can do, which is what 90% of sites do that offer PDF forms, is recommend the free Acrobat Reader and a download link. A quick explanation of problems with other readers is common too.

I just tested one of my forms in Preview and it was totally messed up. 

[JR Boulay]

You can warn browsers users by placing this JavaScript as a Document level script, but it will not run with Safari or Preview:

if(this.external)
 app.alert("If possible, open this form with Acrobat to take full advantage of all its features.");

[try67]

Because of that reason I prefer to do it the other way around, ie. create a warning in static text, place a (hidden) white-filled field over it, and then use a script to make that field visible when the file is opened, thereby hiding the underlying text. If a non-compliant viewer is used (or if JS is disabled), the script won't execute and the text will remain visible.

[JR Boulay]

Yes, I do this sometimes but the OP wrote "We have no control over the platform where it will be used. A high rate of of adoption is a critical success factor so any technical recommendations about readers or browser plug ins are likely to create a a perception that the form is hard to use and undermine that goal. "
Some of my clients also have this requirement, and if some users have to do the calculations (or anything else) themselves because it doesn't work in the software they're using, it's better than nothing, and that's just too bad for them.

Also, keep in mind that some of (old) users still prefer to print out the form and return it by snail-mail.

[try67]

Regarding the printing issue, you can solve it by setting the field as "Hidden, but printable".

[JR Boulay]

I don't think anyone, even an elderly person, will print a blank document on the screen in the hope that there will be something different on paper.