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When using the keyboard to move an object in Acrobat Pro DC, is there a way to change the increment used or specify a location using X-Y coordinates?

Explorer ,
Aug 17, 2017 Aug 17, 2017

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I have added a horizontal line to a pdf form as an underline to some text fields that span the page. The traditional underline text function will not do what I need.

The weight of the line is too thick, and when I try dragging the selection handles, it becomes either thicker or too thin. Is there a way to specify numerically how thick the line should be, as there is in InDesign?

A secondary but equally important question is, can an object (text box, line, etc.) be moved by increments instead of just Up-Arrow, Down-Arrow, Shift-Up-Arrow, etc.? In the example of the line above (or the text boxes directly above it), a single up-arrow increment moves them too close together, and leaving them where they are is too far apart. I have tried moving them with the mouse instead of the keyboard, but even with "snap-to-grid" off, the objects seem to be locked into a grid spacing, anyway; i.e., there is no "in-between" place so I can get the spacing between the text boxes and the line how I want it.

In InDesign, you can hold Shift-Command (on a Mac) to move by one-tenth of a single up-arrow increment, and that's the functionality I need in Acrobat Pro DC. The only modifier I have found is the Shift key, which multiplies the increment (seemingly by a factor of 10), but I haven't found a key-combination that allows smaller increments of movement instead of larger.

Alternatively (and even better, I think), in InDesign, you can numerically specify with X and Y coordinates where you want an object placed. THAT would be IDEAL!

Thank you very much for any help you can give!

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correct answers 1 Correct answer

Community Expert , Aug 21, 2017 Aug 21, 2017

I didn't mention the script because I had understood from your earlier posts that you're aware of it already... Anyway, if someone else is interested it can be found here: Custom-made Adobe Scripts: Acrobat -- Move Field Precisely (FREE)

I'm glad to hear you found it useful!

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Community Expert ,
Aug 18, 2017 Aug 18, 2017

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It's not clear exactly what kind of "objects" you're referring to, but unless they are annotations or form fields, the answer is no, you can't move them by exact amounts. Static PDF contents were never really meant to be edited in such a precise way (or at all, for that matter), so doing so is always a bit tricky.

I agree it will be nice to be able to set the offset, though... You can submit a feature request here: Feature Request/Bug Report Form

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Explorer ,
Aug 20, 2017 Aug 20, 2017

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Thanks very much, try67,

Your explanation at least helps me to understand the problem.

I'm surprised you didn't mention your MoveFieldPrecisely javascript that I found linked to on another post. I thank you very much for that, because it has been the best solution I have found. I know you admit it isn't perfect (only one object at a time, etc.), but it got me over the hurdle for a project I was under the gun on.

If you would like to reply and link to it here, I will mark that as the correct answer to this post, for what that's worth.

Otherwise, thanks for the link to the feature request!

Ken

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Community Expert ,
Aug 21, 2017 Aug 21, 2017

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I didn't mention the script because I had understood from your earlier posts that you're aware of it already... Anyway, if someone else is interested it can be found here: Custom-made Adobe Scripts: Acrobat -- Move Field Precisely (FREE)

I'm glad to hear you found it useful!

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Explorer ,
Aug 21, 2017 Aug 21, 2017

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Thanks again, try67,

Yes, I DID find your script useful, and until the feature request I have submitted (see below) is (hopefully) incorporated into Acrobat Pro, I'm sure it will come in handy many more times.

I am going to mark your answer as correct, but thought I would let everyone know to check out my feature request here:

Precise placement of objects in Prepare Form and Edit Form – Share your feedback on Acrobat DC..

If you're one of the many who have sought an answer here on these forums to this very issue, and if you agree that this feature should be added to Acrobat Pro, please vote for this request! Adobe's developers take these requests seriously if they are popular among the users of their products. Your vote is an easy (less than 5-second) way to let them know we WANT it!

Thanks to all who have tried to help, and to all who will vote for this request.

Sincerely,

Ken

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Community Expert ,
Aug 21, 2017 Aug 21, 2017

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I wasn't aware of this site... Thanks for the link!

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Explorer ,
Aug 21, 2017 Aug 21, 2017

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Hi, try67,

Well, YOU gave me the link to the feature request site (Feature Request/Bug Report Form), so I guess you're referring to my actual feature request (Precise placement of objects in Prepare Form and Edit Form – Share your feedback on Acrobat DC).

I haven't tried to find it on Adobe.com, but I assume you can search the feature requests in some fashion.

Anyway, thank YOU for the original link, and you're welcome for the link to the request.

Let me urge all of you again to vote for this feature, please!

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Community Beginner ,
Nov 06, 2017 Nov 06, 2017

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Hi Everyone,

I am a fairly new user of Adobe Acrobat Pro DC and have had similar issues with micro-nudging

fields into place. 1st I find that I can be more precise with the trackball/marble type of mouse.

2nd, if you zoom in , lets say 800% it is much easier to nudge those fields, boxes, etc. into place

and is more forgiving to mouse movements.

Hope this helps.

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Community Expert ,
Nov 07, 2017 Nov 07, 2017

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You can't change the amount by which the fields move when you use the arrow keys.

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Community Beginner ,
Nov 07, 2017 Nov 07, 2017

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Understood, but I made no mention of arrows keys, merely trying to offer an alternative.

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Community Expert ,
Nov 08, 2017 Nov 08, 2017

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Sorry, I think I replied to the original question, by mistake, instead of to your reply...

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Explorer ,
Jan 17, 2018 Jan 17, 2018

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You are correct about "zooming" in and making your adjustments, edtif but you still can't place an object exactly where you want it. The increment is apparently limited to 2 points, which is HUGE when trying to precision design or edit a form. Not only that, but if you have a whole column of radio buttons or checkboxes to place in precise locations (one set of forms I have created has ten pages and over 100 Radio Buttons in just ONE column spanning several pages, and there are four of those columns) it is a ROYAL pain-in-the-patuty to zoom in and out all the time!

If everyone who reads this post would vote for the feature request linked to above, it is looking more and more hopeful that Adobe may decide to invest in allowing precise placement of objects. I don't say "invest" lightly, either—it will require a lot of time, as referenced, above.

Thanks to all who take the 5-to-15 minutes necessary to read that page, vote, and comment if you like. All user experiences you can add to validate this request will surely help, so thanks!

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New Here ,
Aug 18, 2017 Aug 18, 2017

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If I am understanding you correctly, you can be very precise by using the POSITION tab in the field properties box.  It can be a little tricky for landscape forms because all the dimensions are based on portrait orientation, but after a few minutes of playing with it, you will get the hang of it.  I hope this helps.

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Explorer ,
Aug 20, 2017 Aug 20, 2017

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Thanks, HALinNY,

Unfortunately, the Position tab is nowhere near precise enough.

To see what I mean, try this: create two objects, and manually offset them by just a hair. Select either or both, and set an X or a Y coordinate—whichever way they are offset. If the objects were close to begin with, they will not move! From another post in this forum, I guess the resolution is evidently set to 2 pts., and there's no way to move by pixels, which is what I would need.

Thank you very much for spending your time trying to help!

Ken

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Explorer ,
Jan 11, 2018 Jan 11, 2018

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Hello again, all!

I am excited to inform you that we may be close to having an actual fix implemented in Acrobat!

If you haven't already, please vote for this idea at the following Feature Request page:

http://tinyurl.com/PrecisePlacementOfObjects.

The more votes, the more likely Adobe is to spend the time and money necessary on this.

Something I think a lot of users don't realize is that Acrobat is a *huge, complex* program, and making ANY change is a *mammoth* undertaking. It's not like you can just change a few lines of code and say "Voila!"

We, as users, must really make the case, through our votes and our comments—at this feature request page, in addition to all the other forum threads—for the need for these features, or they will NOT be implemented.

So please, cast your vote, and direct all interested parties to this page via this link:

http://tinyurl.com/PrecisePlacementOfObjects

Thanks so much!

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Explorer ,
Sep 07, 2018 Sep 07, 2018

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Daniel, this has been marked as Solved but I discovered the the nudging of the form elements is tied to the document grid. By editing the grid increments down in the Preferences of Acrobat (Units and Guides) I was able to control more precisely where the fields snapped to. Hope this helps someone!

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New Here ,
Feb 12, 2021 Feb 12, 2021

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The last reply is the best! works great! zoom in to 800% for precision and in units and grid, change width and height to .028

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