Acrobat radio buttons only return "Off" value

[mstegman]

I am assigning numeric values to groups of Acrobat Radio Button Choices as part of an extensive survey. After using Save As to rename a copy of the original survey, I opened the renamed version of the survey using Acrobat Reader, completed the form, saved it, and then, using Acrobat DC, I used Prepare Form's Merge Data Files to Spreasheet function to create a *.csv fle to read in Excel. There the numeric values failed to display. Instead, I see "Off" as the value for all radio button responses no matter what choice was made.

I have also opened the survey in Acrobat DC, changed some values, saved the result, and from Acrobat DC used the Tools' Prepare Form and Merge Data files to Spreadsheet options. If I change a value during the process, that correct numeric value is displayed. Any response that was always a default choice is still returning "Off."

Any ideas? Attached is the survey without the text for the survey questions and the csv file.

[Bernd Alheit]

What version of Acrobat Reader and Adobe Acrobat does you use?

[mstegman]

I am using version 20.009.20065 for both Adobe Reader DC and Adobe Acrobat DC.

Thanks.

[Bernd Alheit]

I have changed the entries in the form, saved it, and have created the csv file. All is correct.

[mstegman]

Thank you.

And so, there was nothing wrong with the pdf file I sent you?

But does the "Merge Data files into Spreadsheet" option for that file then produce a csv file with the proper values displayed there for each radio button group?

[Bernd Alheit]

When I export the values from your unchanged file I will get also wrong values.

[mstegman]

In general, I find that if you launch Adobe Acrobat DC and edit the responses within that program, you will have a better chance of success when you merge the results to a csv file. If you open the file using Acrobat Reader DC, make some changes, save the changes, and then use Adobe Acrobat DC to create the csv fle, you will always fail and the output csv file created will contain the "Off" responses.

Confession: When I created the form, to save time I copied and pasted a group of butons repeatedly, changed the group name each time, and set the default button again. Could this be an issue?

[Bernd Alheit]

I don't know.

[mstegman]

Am I right to think that we have reached an end to this? There does not seem to be an easy or successful resolution. I guess I'll figure another way to accomplish the data merge. I appreciate your effort.

[Bernd Alheit]

It works when you fill the form in Acrobat Reader DC or Adobe Acrobat DC.

[mstegman]

I am glad to read that you can get the form to work and also merge the data to a spreadsheet. I only wish I could to the same. I wonder what makes it fail on my machine.  Thanks for the interest and help.

[Brian5CEE]

Hi mstegman,

I think Adobe recently broke something.   I am seeing an issue very similiar to yours.   We use Java to open and process surveys our users fill out.  We only recently started having an issue with "Off" values coming across for radio buttons and check boxes.  You can see full details of my post here:

https://community.adobe.com/t5/acrobat-reader/adobe-pdf-forms-radio-button-check-boxes-suddenly-send...