Is there a way to make Submit buttons work on other PDF readers?

Forum|Forum|5 years ago
December 1, 2020
3 replies
660 views

My fillable form has a submit button, but it will only work in Acrobat, and Acrobat mobile won't even work if the submit action contains javascript. My clients will not be using Adobe Acrobat, and I want them to be able to fill out and submit this form from their PDF reader.

I see that other buttons, such as Print and other menu items, work fine on a few of the default PDF reader applications. Is there a way to make my submit button work?

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Thom Parker

Community Expert

There is a way to ensure the form is only used in a compliant viewer.

https://www.pdfscripting.com/public/Lite-Document-Security-Description.cfm

Thom Parker - Software Developer at PDFScriptingUse the Acrobat JavaScript Reference early and often

jctremblay

Community Expert

Thom, is this technique similar to using a button that cover the pages, with a javascript that hide them on open? If the PDF app don’t support javascript it will be visiable, else not.

Thom Parker

Community Expert

It is very similar, but with some significant differences. The script for hiding a field is actually more likely to work on a good mobile viewer. I haven't tried it, but if it does then it opens up mobile for this use in a limited way. The down side is that many of the really bad viewers don't show form fields or annotations at all.

OCG marked page content is considered regular content, so it will always be drawn, making it fail safe in all applications. The downside is that very few viewers are good enough recognize OCGs, and even fewer (no mobile) implement the scripting necessary to hid it. So this technique basically ensures the user is viewing the PDF on desktop Reader or Acrobat, i.e., it guarentees the PDF can be viewed on only the most compliant PDF viewer environments.

Thom Parker - Software Developer at PDFScriptingUse the Acrobat JavaScript Reference early and often

gary_sc

Community Expert

Bernd is correct. Unfortunatley Adobe is not in a position to tell other companies how to make their programs work with ISO standards (the PDF format is controlled by ISO, not Adobe). If an application doesn't work properly, do not use it and use one that does (and it's free).

Bernd Alheit

Community Expert

The clients can use the free Acrobat Reader.

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