Is there a way to ungroup the text boxes in pdf forms?

Report · Mar 19, 2019

Hi

I am facing the following issue while editing a pdf form.

When adding separate text boxes in a pdf form and saving it, the text boxes are getting grouped into a single text box when the form is reopened. Is there any way to avoid this grouping?

Screenshot 1: Separate text box (blue highlight)

Screenshot 2: text boxes grouped (blue highlight)

Post moved from Commenting & Collaboration to PDF Forms [Mod]

Report · Mar 19, 2019

Not possible.

Report · Mar 20, 2019

Hi Bernd

We tried the same with another PDF form but the text boxes are not getting grouped. Not sure why. Do you have any insight on this?

Screen 1 - Separate text box (blue highlight)

Screen 2 - Text box is ungrouped even after saving and reopening the form

Report · Mar 20, 2019

In this case the distance between the text parts is greater.

Report · Mar 21, 2019

Thanks Bernd.

Alternately, we tried to include the form fields instead of text boxes. Alignment issues were resolved but the size of the pdf has increase to 4 MB. Is there an option to reduce the file size to 1 MB?

Report · Mar 21, 2019

You can try the optimizer in Adobe Acrobat Pro.

Report · Mar 25, 2019

Thanks Bernd. Was able to reduce the pdf size to 1.5 MB using the pdf optimizer. But, it shows that the size of the pdf size is high due to the Font that is used. Can you suggest any font, which consumes less size so that the pdf size can be reduced to 30 to 40 kB?

Report · Mar 25, 2019

Use the built-in fonts Helvetica, Times, or Courier.

Report · Apr 02, 2019

I'm done with Acrobat--going to look for an alternative. Adobe should be ashamed to put out a product as clunky as this.

Report · Apr 03, 2019

Your issue, is that you are trying to use Acrobat improperly. Acrobat is not a content creation tool. The edit feature is only provided for simple fixes. You create the document in a content creation application, then convert it to PDF for finishing and distribution. If you need to edit a previously designed form, then you need to go back to the original form and the tool in which it was created. I've been doing this for many years not and haven't had any problems.

So this is not weird at all. Acrobat is doing exactly what it is supposed to

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

Report · Apr 02, 2019

Does anyone besides me think that automatically and irreversibly merging text boxes that are near each other into one large text box is an assinine programming decision? I am continually baffled at how difficult Adobe has made it to edit previously designed forms and how Adobe has made Acrobat work counter-intuitively to almost every common convention in graphic design applications (even their own). I don't want separate text boxes merged for me--you can give me the option, but it should not be the default! We need a select objects tool that can select across layers and move all text, graphic, and field objects at the same time. Control + drag (or option + drag on a Mac) should copy the object as you drag it. I could keep going, but such conventions are almost universal across applications (at least in the Mac world). What gives Adobe?!

Report · Apr 02, 2019

It's a weird thing to do, but pretty much inevitable. It comes from the design of PDF, not a programming decision.

PDF files DO NOT CONTAIN TEXT BOXES for the ordinary text. It's just text. To make editing "easier" Acrobat analyses the page, and guesses what text boxes would be convenient. When you finish editing, there are no more boxes any more, only the text. So next time, it will analyse and see only one box where two were joined.

To add text box descriptions to PDF would change the rules of PDF, and Adobe don't make those rules any more.

The problem here is expectation. People see an editor in PDF and assume that editing PDF is a normal, simple process, rather than a desperate last resort. Who creates this expectation? Adobe marketing, unfortunately.

Report · Jul 31, 2020

I can understand that then need to join text boxes is a convention of the final output, but there should be a "Finish and export" option that leaves you with a editable master file and a shareable (a la .PSD file and flattened .JPG). Also the inability to group together a text box and it's associated text field, for positioning around the screen.

Report · Mar 31, 2022

YES!!! I can't understand what the what??? why? Why are you working against me?

Report · Mar 31, 2022

I did explain in some detail. The problem is expectation: this is a very basic feature, not designed for editing complex documents or editing over and over. Keep the original,use the original, remake the PDF.

Report · Apr 03, 2022

Your response is rude.
Reread your “explanation” it is closer to opinion and you speak as if you can see what everyone is doing while using Create Forms. You don’t know that I am attempting a document you consider “over designed” I’d like my name text box to stop being added to the file header. I’d like automatic text groupings to not cut words in half. Automatic anything shouldn’t ever cut words apart randomly.
I like when my forms have checkboxes and addition subtotals and section totals boxed to be aligned across the page. I fiddle around to get those boxes nice and neat. Wouldn’t you?

Sent from my iPhone

Report · Apr 03, 2022

This isn't the first time I've been accused of rudeness for just giving a correct and truthful answer that people don't like. Acrobat doesn't work that way. Adobe's marketing have overhyped it as an editor. Don't use it that way, or you will face a world of pain.

Make the background FIRST AND SEPARATELY in another app, make it complete and final. Then add the form fields.

On the other hand, maybe you have new and entirely different problems, since you've now added "automatic text groupings to not cut words in half". You seem to have decided, though, that your problem is the same without giving anyone the chance to offer an opinion. Sorry, is that rude too? I'll try not to waste your time by annoying you with answers in future.

Report · Apr 03, 2022

that's up to you Thom

sounds to me like this might be a good forum for you to learn about rudeness and politeness

Report · May 05, 2023

I get the advice to "Make the background FIRST AND SEPARATELY in another app, make it complete and final. Then add the form fields." It is not as easy as it sounds. I now see why there is dedicated software for creating forms.

Report · Apr 09, 2022

Just move the form feilds around to clear around the clubbed text and it and it will ungroup to independant text blocks again. pdf forms need proper spacing. you can tweak the layout and space clearance in the settings.

Report · Nov 23, 2022

Thanks, that's a nice tip. I've been getting better at using the program. The grouping or clubbing (I don't know what it's called) can still be a problem. I've noticed that the fields seem to be a bit "attracted" to each other - kinda like magnets or a "snap to guides" click. It's a great tool