How can I disable the text overflow box?

[mattc34295532]

The boss says he does not want to be able to type beyond the boundary of a text box in an Adobe form. I'm not able to make the font smaller nor the field bigger. He wants to be unable to type beyond the edge of the printable area of the field. He often does this, sends off the document, gets it signed, approved, whatever, then when it's printed the overflow text just shows a little plus sign- indicating there is overflow text but without printing it.

I googled and found a list of options, but I don't know how to do them.

1. Limit the allowed number of characters in each field (preferred)

2. Convert the entire form to a LiveCycle form which allows dynamically expandable text fields. (I don't think he wants this but I would still like to learn how)

3. Set the font size to automatic (also not wanted but I want to know how. It may come in handy for future forms.)

4. Use a script to copy the text from the overflowed field to a large field on the last pages of the file on the printed copy. Doubt he would let me use a script.

So out of these I think I really need #1 to serve the boss

[try67]

To implement #1 go to the field's Properties, Options tab, and tick the box next to "Limit of (0) characters". Then change "0" to the actual amount to want to allow and click Close.

[mattc34295532]

Thank you, that was helpful but I'm running into a problem. Characters are not all the same length. If I stop the field at 20 characters sometimes they go over and other times they are too long (LLLLLMMMMM is longer than iiiiiooooo). Is there anyway I can get it to understand that aspect?

[try67]

Not unless you write your own function to calculate the actual length of each string.

[George_Johnson]

Is there a reason disabling the "Scroll long text" option isn't sufficient?

[mattc34295532]

HELP!!!  He's saying he doesn't like simply removing the "Scroll long text" option. When I removed it and tested the fields I was able to type "past" the boundary in a way. The font basically just gets smaller and smaller until it finally stops letting you type. If I impose a character limit I'm kinda screwed there too since letters/numbers are not all the same width and therefore it's impossible to know how many characters fit into a field. I am tearing my hair out!!!

[George_Johnson · Accepted solution]

The font size will auto-decrease if you set the font size to Auto and enter more text than will initially fit. But if you select a particular size, it won't.

[George_Johnson]

You can deselect the "Scroll long text" option on the Options tab of the Field Properties dialog.