Multiple Radio Button Groups

[Dave285804377fwv]

I'm afraid to ask based on what I have read about radio button groups. All I want is the most basic functionality that anyone would expect to see happen. I have 3 questions that require a Yes or No answer. I added a set of 2 radio buttons to question 1 and set them to Yes or No, making Yes selected by default. Of course they were automatically created in Group 1.

Now, I need the same thing for question 2 and question 3. But when I create new buttons they get added to Group 1 which does not work. When you go in the Properties you can see the Group 1 with a dropdown but there is no other group in there to select and I cannot for the life of me figure out how to make another group for the buttons for question 2 and then another group for the buttons for question 3. 

People are talking about custom scripts creating fields and all this, I just need some functioning radio buttons. Does anyone have a solution? I saw one article that talked about right clicking and selecting wrap in new group but I don't see that option anywhere. 

[Dave285804377fwv · Accepted solution]

Okie dokie.... I'm answering my own question for anyone else that might need it. I figured it out. 

I had created 2 radio buttons for question 1.

I created 2 new buttons for question 2 which got grouped into Group 1 along with the first 2 buttons.

I selected the 2 new buttons for question 2 and went into Properties and literally changed the name of the group from Group 1 to Group 2 by backing out the "1" and typing in a "2" and hit Enter.

Doing that created a new Group (Group 2) and put my new buttons in that new group. Now they function as they should in their own group.

Repeated that process for 2 more button for Group 3.

Man.... I can't believe there is nothing I have found on the internet that says how to do this. I just did it out of desperation. 

[Thom Parker]

Here:

https://www.pdfscripting.com/public/Checkboxes-and-Radio-Buttons.cfm

However, it's not like this information is hidden. In fact Acrobat pops up a little window asking you for the group and choice name. All you need to do is enter the new group name. It's right there in front of you. 

Also being burdened with having to go to the properties window and press back space is not horrible. It's pretty standard. 

[Dave285804377fwv]

Well, as I said, I already figured it out, so really no need for your comments at all. Furthermore, the little pop up does show you those fields but it doesn't say anythig about editing them, if provides a dropdown to change it. But when there is nothing in there but the one you don't want, it isn't obvious that you edit the name in order to create a new name. And no it isn't horrible if you know what to do, I'm perfectly fine with doing it that way. It just was not obvious that was what was needed. So yeah, it was horrible and burdensome...... until I figured it out.

[default28357722hhzk2a]

This was incredibly helpful, and I faced the same burdens as you. 

Thom, it's a better use of time to provide feedback to the development team instead of chastizing community members seeking help with challenges using the software.

[Asim123]

When you place button, it's right in front:

You can also rename it in field properties, General tab or just right click on field and select 'Rename'.

[Abuse removed by Moderator]

[Melissa33666358hs4m]

In fact, it's not right in front of us/me. This pop-up doesn't appear in the most current version of Adobe Pro (I'm using). Your comment was unkind. I'm grateful for the prior post with this information because it used be much more straightforward and it's been quite frustrating that the "updates" made by Adobe have in fact made using Adobe more painful.

[default2jjo5h03nkag]

100% agree. I used to use this feature all the time and found the old one with the yellow box so easy. Now it doen't come up at all, and when you only have 2 answers in each group, you do have to manually change the group name individually. It only allows the dropdown group change option now if opening preferences for 2 or more buttons together, and you need to open the first one as a solo first in order to create the new group name in the first place. Terrible choice by Adobe and I came here looking for a solution.

[default2jjo5h03nkag]

Is there a solution for this from the latest Adobe update November 2023? This box no longer comes up, I am extremely frustrated with the new system. I used to use the radio choice box you've shown above all the time, it literraly no longer comes up since the latest software update. To change it, I do have to add all buttons to the same inital 'group' then manually click each one individually and change the name from there. Adding a new radio button automatically adds it to the last group used, can not select a different one

[Simon33833733gz7i]

In the latest version (2023-11) of Acrobat Pro, the popup does NOT appear (tried on 2 computers, with separate licences), and having to right-click buttons in an existing group to change their group to a new one, instead of providing users with a "Create new Radio Button Group" button is really bad UX on Adobe's part. 

Not sure why you'd feel the need to include the 5-year-old part in your forum answer. People taking the time to post a question here are genuinely looking for help, not passive-aggressive replies. 

[mch58997416]

I just clicked a few items which should belong in one radio button group, and they were grouped automatically. No questions, no popup. Radio buttons for the next questions were just added to the first group. Again, no popup or anything. Just another example of the very user unfriendly interface of Acrobat....

Love the workaround @Dave285804377fwv , thank you!

[shaneh45209700]

It's not standard when you look at Adobe's other programs. Acrobat is such a pain to use. You can't select a form box and delete it by pressing delete? Like you do in every other Adobe program? You have to click Delete from a drop down menu? That's just so antiquated.

[Thom Parker]

No, the delete key works for deleting a form field. It also works for all of the annotations. 

[R2S Marketing]

This was extremely helpful. Thank you!

[Will29295139svbp]

Thank you for your solution, that worked perfectly. I can think of a half a dozen other UI methods they could implement to make this easier.

[kates50004666]

This did not work for me. It changed the name of the original group as well and kept all the radio buttons in the same group. 

[Thom Parker]

Please explain what you've done and how it did not work. Be explicit. Make not assumptions.

[Jason301956555rmi]

Make sure you're selecting the individual radio buttons and then right-click to choose properties. When you do that, you'll be able to manually rename the group they are in, and it will only change the group with the buttons you've selected.

If you click on the properties of the group (instead of the individual buttons), and rename it,  it will change every group in the document 

very annoying...

[Jenn358859399hzj]

That was helpful! Thank you!

[Elizabeth36650115qmd1]

Dave, THANK YOU for your very clear instructions. The company should hire you. 😉

[RES Art Department]

Just wanted to join on the bandwagon thanking Dave for leaving the helpful information. I have to look this up over and over again.

[Kevin27087978ugb3]

THANK YOU!  There should be a much easier way for this to work (even just a "Add new group" option in the dropdown).  Ridiculous that this is the only way to make a new group of radio buttons.  

[Joana22333803pbx2]

Thank you so much!

[rbuergel]

Thanks for sharing this Dave!  It saved me a lot of wasted time trying to figure this out too!