Prepare Form not Recognizing table cells

[default8y8a0cs708w3]

I have a table created in word that I converted to PDF. When I run Prepare form, it isn't recognizing the cells properly.  How can I adjust them so that it does? I don't want to manually create the whole form and it's large and I don't want to have to name them and give them tool tips and fiddle with sizing so they fit precisely in the boxes.

Thanks!

[default8y8a0cs708w3]

It's also placing fields across multiple table cells for some reason?

[PDF Automation Station]

" How can I adjust them so that it does?"  You can't.  Unfortunately.  There are a lot of tricks you can use to quickly create fields, size and align them:

• Create the first field.  Right-click > Create multiple copies.
• For sizing:  Select multiple fields, right-click one field, select Set fields to same size > (height, width, or both)
• For alignment:  Select multiple fields, right-click one field, select Alignment > (many options).

Note:  for the last 2 bullet points, the size or alignment will use the one you right-click for reference.

[default8y8a0cs708w3]

The issue is I do not want to manually name and tooltip each one. Won't that method have a whole bunch of cells with the same names? so when someone enters a value into the first all the rest are updated?

[PDF Automation Station]

No.  It will add a period and a number to the names.  For example, a field named Text will be Text.0, Text.1, Text.2 etc.

[default8y8a0cs708w3]

That's perfect for the field names, but not the tooltips. The tooltip needs to remain the same as the original field name.   Something like:

Employee Name --------- Employee Name

Employee Name.2 ------- Employee Name

Employee Name.3 ------- Employee Name

Im also wondering how to get the fields to snap to the places they would be if the prepare form worked properly, rather than dragging them around 1x1

In the past the prepare form has worked perfectly fine, this is the first situation I've come accross where it's haivng a melt down. I was hoping just making the lines a higher weight or something would help. I haven't been able to figure out why it can 'see' some fields and not others

[PDF Automation Station]

Prepare Form automation adds the tooltip that is the same as the field name.  You end up with field names/tooltips like "undefined" and others that are an entire sentence long.  One of the many reasons I have never used the automation to create a form.  There are other shortcuts to renaming fields, like using the fields panel.  You can run a simple script in the console set all tooltips to the names of the fields:

for(var i = 0; i < this.numFields; i++)
{
var fieldName = this.getNthFieldName(i);
var oFld=this.getField(fieldName);
if(oFld==null){continue}
oFld.userName=oFld.name;
}

The bottom line is that the prepare form automation is far from perfect.  If you are the creator of the source documents you are using to create the forms, I believe @try67 sells a tool for improving the performance to the automation by using specific methods to create the source document.

[default8y8a0cs708w3]

Is there a way to auto-name the manually created fields?

[try67]

No, unless you copy and paste a field multiple times.

To rename existing fields you would need to use a script, but even then some information will be lost (basically all actions associated with it). I've developed some (paid-for) tools that can do it for you, if you're interested:

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

[PDF Automation Station]

Do you need specific names?  Or just different names (see my previous answer).