Help: Text duplicates in all form fields

[Guest]

When filling in the PDF form fields (of the PDF fillable form that I created), the text duplicates into every other field in the PDF, regardless of which box you type into. Help?

[Lisa5ECF]

Well, I went back in to edit/prepare the form, and now I see what is meant by the "titles" and they were all the same. I'm trying to prepare a set of lab tables for my high school students, but there are 2 tables with 25 cells each, along with many other cells for longer answers. It's sounding like I either rename all the cells individually (even with just a number, which they won't see or I don't care if they see), or have them use a different program. 

[try67]

If you find a PDF viewer that allows you to enter different values into fields with the same name you should stay away from it, as it's very buggy and should not be trusted.

[defaultbd6pmll90h9n]

What if you have 200-300 boxes on the form?  Is there an easier way to change all of the names rather than one at a time?  

[George_Johnson]

No, not really.

[try67 · Accepted solution]

This can be done with a script or a stand-alone tool, but it has some limitations.

I've developed a set of (paid-for) tools that allow you to do it.

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

If you don't care what the new field names are, and just want them to be unique, you can use this other (paid-for) tool I've created, which will automatically rename all duplicate fields so that they have unique names:

https://www.try67.com/tool/acrobat-rename-duplicate-fields-to-unique-fields

[Test Screen Name]

It may be worth a few words about WHY the expectation is that we have unique field names. Forms were designed to be filled and submitted. When a form is submitted, each field sends its name and value. So, if fields have the same name it is impossible to know how the form is filled in. 

Similarly, forms can be filled automatically. This is done using a similar file listing field name + value. When loading the form, Acrobat MUST fill in all the fields with the same name at the same time, as it has no way to know which one you mean. This also is a useful way to repeat info, such as the client's name on each part of a form.

Sometimes today forms are made to only print, or to be sent (complete) for printing. (This was not even possible in older versions of the software). There is no special rule for this case, you still need to make each field name unique, even if there are thousands of them.

[Lottie5FA3]

This makes sense, however why does Adobe create duplicate form boxes? Mine are all labelled differently - they show as Topics and Notes#0, Topics and Notes#1 etc in the field list. However, they are all duplicates - I have to go into the properties of the form field and change the names there. It would save a ton of problems to automatically create unique form field name properties (especially since I didn't catch this problem before creating 15 documents with dozens of form fields in each document). If, for some reason, someone wanted a duplicate form field that could be set up as a separate option.  

[Bernd Alheit]

How have you created the form fields?

[Lottie5FA3]

I can see what caused the issue - I am duplicating forms (save as new) and then copying and pasting pages from those (under organize pages) to add more.

The problem is, why tie the text fields to one another since that would be a very rare circumstance where you need someone to enter the same information in a form (most form fields are unique). Since I am now aware of the problem I will be sure my original that I copy doesn't have the linked boxes. 

Adobe shows them as named differently in the field list using a #0, #1 ending - misleading since I assumed that was the unique name.  Going into the properties shows this not to be the case. 

[jozette annet86151961]

Just spent hours manually renaming form fields across 30 pages. Thanks for nothing, Adobe.

[try67]

You could have done it in under 10 seconds with my tool, linked to above...

[Jerrod33366045og0f]

Nobody wants to pay extra for the absolute most basic feature that should already be in the program to begin with. Shill.

[Bernd Alheit]

Use the features of Acrobat when you create the form fields.

[Jade331166474nvq]

This worked for me, thank you!