Forms Wizard

[tamsham6763]

Why does it recognize some fields and not others?

[Thom Parker · Accepted solution]

How do you know what's a form field and what isn't?  This is extremely difficult stuff for a program. It is in fact an AI task, not a programming task.

[kjklimkowski]

Thom, to follow on this topic, do you know if Adobe has hard coded form identification rules or if such rules are a "hidden" feature that you have explored.  I would like to add "Suggestions" in the form of certain labels generate certain types of form fields, i.e. YES ==> Radio button.

This process is for 75+ reports, so I am learning javascript as a means of exporting auto generated forms fields, tweaking via text editor scripts, then using javascript to create a new improved form.  

My motivation is a job task to automate data collection for 75+ reports that include a variety of form fields including signatures, initial and dates, and data validation models. The goal is to automate the field conversion from 80% to 95% (i.e. reduce the number of fields that need customization). 

[jane-e]

Hi 

To get auto field detection to create a radio button, you need to create a group label. See my link in this thread.

~ Jane

[try67]

If you use special characters to mark the locations of the fields it's possible to then use a script to add them with 100% accuracy. For example, see this (paid-for) tool I've developed that converts Wingdings characters to check-boxes and radio-buttons: http://try67.blogspot.com/2015/09/acrobatreader-convert-wingdings-to.html

[jane-e]

Hi TamSham,

Over the years I’ve always relied on this information from Acrobat Users. It was written for Acrobat 9, but still applies. Form field auto detection depends on how you format the source document. 

https://acrobatusers.com/assets/collections/tutorials/legacy/id_2263/acro9_designforms.pdf

For fun, try creating a document in Word or InDesign and format it with the do list and the don’t list and create a form. Keep making changes in the source document and repeating until you understand how it works.

It’s easy once you learn the concepts.

~ Jane