Should I use radio buttons or check boxes?

[nicoleg072001]

I'm using Acrobat Standard 9 and have a list of 10 questions that need either a "yes" or "no" answer.  Right now, both boxes will check and stay checked - I would like only "yes" OR "no" to be checked.  If the client changes an answer, I want the first check to disappear.  They are set up as radio buttons at this time.  Do I need to change them over to check boxes or is there a setting that will work keeping them as radio buttons?

Thank you!

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[George_Johnson]

You can use either, just make sure that the field names of all of the radio buttons or check boxes in the group are the same and that each export value (aka button value for radio buttons) are different.

[nicoleg072001]

I've removed the radio buttons and turned each one into a check box.  They all have the same name and different export values.  I can check or uncheck both yes and no boxes, however, the issue now is that the entire row of answers are check marked when I mark one box and the entire row goes away when unchecked.  What am I missing in order for the client to answer each question independently, please?

Thank you very much!

[try67]

Each group needs to have a unique name.

[nicoleg072001]

Ok.  All of my Yes's have the same group(field) name and completely different export values.  All of my No's have a different group name than the Yes group, but are the same for all of the No's and each of those have different export values.  Now when I test it, when I click a Yes, all of the Yes's are checked.  When I check a No, I can only check one out of that group.  When I click on another No, the first one disappears.  Also, I can still check No when there is a Yes check on that row.

[try67]

No, that's not how you do it... Each set of Yes/No fields need to have the same name, but different export values.

So you have one field called "Check1" with an export value of "Yes" and one called "Yes1" with an export value of "No".

Then they will be the same "group" and you won't be able to tick both at the same time.

[nicoleg072001]

Sorry for the delay, I haven't been able to get back to this project.

Ok, I have them all switched over to check boxes.  The "Yes" column has a group name of "Yes" and export values of "Yes, Yes1, Yes2", etc.  The "No" column has the name of "No" and export values of "21 through 28".  So all export values on each check box are different and the group/field names are the same.  However, when I test, only one "Yes" check box will stayed checked and only one "No" will stay checked.  They also let me check both on the same question. 

[try67 · Accepted solution]

Read my reply again. Each set needs to have the same field name, but different ​export values​.

[nicoleg072001]

AH!  I just figured out that you mean each group as in for each question the yes and no is one group.  I was under the impression that a group was all of the yes's and the no's were the other group.  Ok, now that I've got that straightened out, things are working marvelously!

Thank you for your help!

[try67]

The main question is: Do you want the user to be able to unselect all items in the group, once they've made a selection?

If the answer is no then you can use radio-buttons. If the answer is yes go with check-boxes. I prefer check-boxes, generally speaking, as they don't "lock" the user into a selection they can't back out of, if they wanted to.

[nicoleg072001]

Thank you!  Is there an easy way to edit a radio button to change it into a check box?  Is there a way to change the entire group at once?  Also, I have made sure that the field names of all of the radio buttons in the group are the same and that each export value are different.  But this way, the answer can be checked as no and yes at the same time.  Is there a way to make the answer be only one choice? They can all be yes or all be no, that's not the issue. I just don't want both checked on any one question.  Thank you so much for your help!!

[George_Johnson]

If you can select both Yes and No simultaneously, then the field names of those two radio buttons are not the same.

[try67]

There's no easy way, currently, to convert form fields from one type to another. To do that you can use this script I've developed:

Custom-made Adobe Scripts: Acrobat -- Convert Form Fields Type