Set Tab Order with JavaScript?

[Alliosaaa]

I have written a custom action script to add checkbox fields to my form headers. Everything is working fine, but the checkbox fields are added to the end of the tab order. I could avoid this by performing the action prior to adding other fields, but I really like to use this action as a last step.

I've looked at the Acrobat DC SDK Documentation and found the method setPageTabOrder, but that seems to apply changes to the entire page. I'm really just looking for a way to stick the added fields at the top of the order, rather than the bottom. Is this possible?

Thank you!

[try67 · Accepted solution]

Not possible with JS.

[Joel_Geraci]

You can't actually set the tab order but you can script the equivalent. You can add a script to the "onBlur" event of a field that  calls the Field.setFocus() method for the next field you want the user to go to.

What I've been asked to do this for my customers, I start with an array of field names and then write a script that injects the appropriate script into each field automatically.

[Alliosaaa]

Thank you! I hadn't thought of doing that!

[Piotr Smolen]

This method works, but there is a small problem. When pressing the TAB key, i.e. 'go to next' everything is fine, but pressing Shift + TAB i.e. 'go to previous' is already a problem. By adding many fields using scripts, we disturb the order, and if your way we go to the field that was before the scripts, then pressing Shift + TAB will cause a jump to the previous field, but the previous one from the document version BEFORE the scripts were run, which will be 99% different than we want.
This could be solved by recognizing what key triggered the OnBlur action, or maybe pressing TAB or Shift + TAB. If you solved this problem, I would be grateful for the hint because I don't know how to do it ...

[SiLi]

As mentioned by @try67 this is not possible in JS.

For anyone looking for a solution to get the tab order by row, you can use "Accessibility > Set Tab Order Property" in the "Action Wizard" and then "Use Row" in the "Specify Settings":

1.  Open Tools > Action Wizard
2.  Create a new Action
3.  Use "Set Tab Order Priority" as mentioned above