Copying text from an auto-populated PDF form

[CREATIVDesignStudio]

Hi all! I am banging my head against a wall! I have a form that autopopulates into an "health record note" at the end of the document. I want to be able to just copy and paste it straight out of the pdf but it won't copy any of the data from the autopopulated boxes. Is there a work around for this? Thanks in advance! Here is the link...I am trying to copy the information box at the top of page 5 to paste into a patients file - here is the link: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5fa0773e0154ad57199cc4ab/t/6074bfa091592022ec673410/161826396...

[Thom Parker]

Can you copy data from any of the fields on the form? 

Have had problems with this on any other PDF form?

Are you opening this PDF in Adobe Acrobat Professional or Reader?

I tested the file and didn't have any issues copying and pasting. However, Acrobat deletes copied text from the clipboard when it is closed. Are you closing Acrobat before pasting?

[CREATIVDesignStudio]

Hi! So the problem is they do not want to have to download the pdf - they want to use it straight from the website page and then close the page. It copies everything fine except the populated boxes. I can copy the data individually from the boxes, but I need the clinicians to be able to just copy the entire paragraph and paste it into a patient record without having t0 format or indivually copy and paste - it negates the purpose of the form. Were you able to populate the boxes before copying and pasting? Thanks for the response! 

[try67]

You can't copy the value of more than one field at a time, or copy a field's value alongside static text.

[CREATIVDesignStudio]

Is there a way to have the values autopopulate as static text just in that one section? Or is that a unicorn situation? Thanks! 

[try67]

No, form fields and static text are two completely different things. You can convert fields to static text by flattening the page they're on, but it's a one-way road, and once you do it they won't update any longer. If you just want to copy all the text you can flatten the page, copy it, and then close the file without saving it, I guess.

[Thom Parker]

It doesn't matter how the form was designed, only that it contains form fields and is used in a PDF viewer capable of filling out form fields.  

If they are viewing the PDF, then it has been downloaded. 

So they want to open the PDF in the web browser PDF viewer, select and copy the field text, and paste it? 

So this is not an Acrobat issue. This is an issue with the particular viewer used in the browser. Acrobat has literally nothing to do with how those viewers work. But in general. The browser PDF viewers are pretty poor. 

[CREATIVDesignStudio]

Also - the form was created in Indesign - not sure if that is relevant here. Thanks!