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Question

Interactive fields don't show up on some pages when fillable PDF Files are being combined

Forum|Forum|3 years ago
November 3, 2022
4 replies
1099 views

Hi, I have a problem and I hope there is someone who can help.

I had a standard PDF with over 100 pages and because I needed fillable PDF, I had to use Adobe Acrobat Pro DC, always uploading only maximum of 30 pages (as I read that this is necessary), and saving then each segment as individual fillable PDFs. Then I combined the fillable files into one big fillable PDF and saved it.

And when I open the file with "Preview" I can see that all text on all pages are fillable just like the individual segments and I can enter text in it.

However, when this file is opened with Adobe Acrobat Pro DC or with Adobe Acrobat Reader, some pages are missing the fillable fields.

I wonder why this is the case and how to fix it. Does someone know how I can solve this?

Please help!!!I need the whole PDF with fillable fields and it seems like Adobe is changing some fillable fields into unfillable.

(Note: I noticed that when I open the file with Adobe, the message appears "Fixing up form fields." I wonder if this is the culprit and explains why this happens with Adobe, and what to do about that).

This topic has been closed for replies.

JR Boulay

Community Expert

I don't have any other choice. It's the only way to see ALL fillable fields and to enter text.

Do you have any other suggestions?

Use Acrobat Reader or Acrobat Pro

Acrobate du PDF, InDesigner et Photoshopographe

Thom Parker

Community Expert

When PDF forms are combined, fields with the same name are merged into the same field. So, do the separate forms you combine have fields with the same names? If so, then change the names.

Thom Parker - Software Developer at PDFScriptingUse the Acrobat JavaScript Reference early and often

S

season26783385x8gtAuthor

Participant

@Thom Parker I'm not sure what you mean fields with the same name. The PDF files before they were combined/merged into one PDF did not have the same title names. They were simply marked as (Title...) A, (Title...) B, (Title...) C.....

But if you are talking about the names in the fields (within the prepare form tool that makes them fillable), then I don't know. I copied some fields on some pages but I don't think this the reason why the problem occurs.

The reason is that when I open Part D and Part E individually with Adobe the problem doesn't appear. The fields in Part D and E are all fillable.

Only when combined in one PDF, that's when the problem starts.

Furthermore, the weird thing is that when I upload the one merged PDF to Smallpdf to compress it, all the fields show up as fillable, the same as with Preview.

Only when opening with Adobe, it seems Adobe does something to my fields. So I wonder what "Fixing up form fields" mean, if I can switch it off, in case it's the reason why some fields become unfillable at a certain page number/size.

@JR Boulay @Bernd Alheit I don't have any other choice. It's the only way to see ALL fillable fields and to enter text.

Do you have any other suggestions?

Thom Parker

Community Expert

The reason is that when I open Part D and Part E individually with Adobe the problem doesn't appear. The fields in Part D and E are all fillable.

Only when combined in one PDF, that's when the problem starts.

This behavior and the "Fixing up form fields" message are clear indications that you have fields on the individual forms that share the same field name. Again, the fix for maintaining form field integrity when the forms are merged is to rename the fields. You will find the form field names on the right side info window when Acrobat is in "Prepare Form" mode. Fields in each separate form must have unique names, or the fields will merge when the forms are merged.

Thom Parker - Software Developer at PDFScriptingUse the Acrobat JavaScript Reference early and often

JR Boulay

Community Expert

Preview, aka "the PDF killer".

Acrobate du PDF, InDesigner et Photoshopographe

Bernd Alheit

Community Expert

What does you mean with "Preview"?

S

season26783385x8gtAuthor

Participant

With it, I mean, when you right click on the file and it says "open with" and then you choose "Preview".

And in Preview you can see the whole fillable PDF with its pages and you can also type in it.

And there is no problem in it. All fields are fillable.

But when I right click on the file, and then "Open with" and choose "Adobe" I get a small message that says "Fixing up form fields." And some fields in the fillable PDF becomes unfillable.

Bernd Alheit

Community Expert

Don't use Apple Preview. It damages PDF forms.

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