Has the ability to have multiple fields with the same name been removed?

[bradleyw10107611]

Since the update yesterday, when I export an Interactive PDF from InDesign any fields with the same name are renamed. If I attempt to change the names back to being the same in Acrobat I receive an error "A field of different type already uses this name. Please choose a new name for the field, or change the field type to match the existing field with this name."

Simply put, I'm wondering if I can no longer have a field with the same name (e.g. 2 text fields wherein the user would type something into field #1 and field #2 would also display the text - useful for client forms).

Thank you for any and all help.

[try67]

The error message suggests that you're trying to rename two fields of different types with the same name. That is not possible.

Are you sure the fields you're renaming are from the same type?

Also, I would recommend creating the fields only in Acrobat, not in InDesign.

[bradleyw10107611]

It seems you are correct with the error message, but I may have come across a larger issue. I've been in contact with Adobe support and will provide an update in 24 - 48 hours when I receive word from them.

[andrev54295505]

Just encountered the same problem, all my old forms using multiple fields by the same name no longer can work as they should, do we have to resort to javascript now?

[try67]

What exactly is the issue? In what way are your fields acting differently now, compared to before?

[andrev54295505]

We use to be able to name a field the same name so as to repeat the same information across the form, now this is no longer true because when you now save the form as an interactive PDF along the way numbers are added to the fields with the same name (ie name1, name2, name3, etc.)  and trying to remove that number within acrobat returns an error

[try67]

This sounds quite different to the original issue raised here. Are you saying the application is automatically renaming your fields so that they have unique names? I've never heard of this issue before.

What exact version are you using? How are you creating your form fields?

[bradleyw10107611]

Not necessarily, and here is what I am experiencing on my end.

When you export fields via InDesign with the same value (e.g. "X") the fields are automatically renamed (e.g. "X1", "X2", "X3", etc.). These fields cannot be renamed (back to "X") and the following error is displayed:

"A field of a different type already uses this name. Please choose a new name for the field, or change the field type to match the existing field with this name."

However, within Acrobat you can rename the fields to an unused name (e.g. "Y") and they will work as before, automatically copying over the same information (i.e. all fields marked "Y" will display the same value). It's an extra step but I have not been able to find any other solution. As a side note, this error seems to not occur when using radio buttons but occurs for any other type of field.

Despite my contact with Adobe back on June 22, 2016, which I spent a couple hours with Adobe support, I have not received any follow up. At this point in time I'm assuming it will be this way for the foreseeable future.

I hope this helps out.

Edit: I am on the same version of InDesign (11.4.0.90)

[try67]

From my experience, InDesign does a pretty bad job when it comes to form fields in PDF files. They tend to cause all kinds of errors and corruptions, which is a disgrace, really, as it's a product developed by Adobe so one would assume they would get it right.

My advice is to use ID only for the layout of the document and add fields in Acrobat only.

[kw-123456]

Wow. What a terrible answer, coming from an MVP.

InDesign is an Adobe project. Acrobat is an Adobe product. They should work together.

This is a BIG problem for users,  having Acrobat just decide to rename form fields on them. And it makes NO SENSE AT ALL. Newbie users need to learn about fields (they'll learn not to duplicate when they don't want duplicates); advanced users need ADVANCED features.

I sure hope Adobe is listening!!

[andrev54295505]

I use indesign 11.4.0.90

Simply create a text field, name it whatever, make a copy of that field place it somewhere else in the form where you need that info to repeat (such as name of person) make sure it has the same name as the original so that the information carries over (this worked fine before)  and when you export, the field no longer has the same name, it was added a number, ie: (name1,name2) and if you try to correct it it give an error

[kw-123456]

I hope everyone reports this as a bug, and maybe it will get fixed. What a serious pain in the.... this is for anyone who creates forms out of InDesign--an Adobe product, for criminey's sakes!

Almost laughable that they've added the ability for us to spec language and doc name in InDesign finally (a very minor aggravation)--but have taken away control of the form fields (major, major problem).

Adobe Acrobat - Feature Request/Bug Report Form

[kw-123456]

I haven't found a true fix for this in InDesign, but what I've discovered is Acrobat is creating a record or "instance" for the oruginal field name in the field list that is not really associated with a field. And that leads to a workaround.

WORKAROUND: Using the "Prepare Form" tool, rename that "nonfield" record to something else, then locate the first actual field and rename it by deleting all the added information Acrobat put at the end. Do that for all the rest of the duplicate fields.

Acrobat still adds an ending to all those duplicates (so name might be, in my example "EHE SupervisorName", then , "EHE SupervisorName#1", etc. in the FIELD LIST), but those fields will now function as expected.

Looking at the form itself, the field goes from being blank/unnamed (at least that is what I was seeing) to the proper field name WITHOUT the extension you see in the Field List--so, again, is like normal duplicate field.

STEP-BY-STEP: (#1) It helps to sort the Field List alphabetically when you start. (#2) You can then see the "group" that has been created; open the "+" to see the "nonfield" (no "T" box by it), and (#3) do that renaming of the "nonfield" record. Once you do that, note that SOME of the other fields might MOVE to the bottom of the list and not sort alphabetically again (I had that happen). (#4) Don't panic--check the bottom of the list for the rest of them. Again, rename the first one back to what you had wanted by deleting both the change you made to the name and anything else Acrobat added ORIGINALLY (I've seen periods, generally) and don't worry if Acrobat adds an extension to the duplicates of the field. The duplicate fields will disappear from the bottom of the list and go back where they belong. (#5) You'll also notice that the "nonfield" has disappeared. (#6) You'll also see that the field name is CORRECT in the duplicate location (doesn't show any "extra" to the name; is a proper duplicate name).

There's still no reason why Acrobat should be making that "nonfield" record, and this workaround is still a bit of a pain in the butt; but if you've got duplicate fields that are in different places in a document or different sizes or type styles or colors or that you took the care to position precisely in InDesign, this workaround allows you to actually use the duplicate you intended to use.

[andrev54295505]

Thank you Kathryn , as a temporary fix this will do, but what a mess to deal with especially with multiple page forms, and you have to do this at every corrections that might come up.  Let's hope that they repair this so that we can go back to using this the proper way.

[ftrabbold]

This happened before, I installed an old version of indd again. But since I'm working with a global team, I updated my InDesign and the previous version was working just fine. NOW, with version 2018, they created the same problem, AGAIN.

[ftrabbold]

For instance, I installed version 2017, 12.1.0.56, which let's you export the file with same field names. Stop acting stupid, Adobe. Please.