Cannot see filled form fields in imported PDF

[dharding1]

FrameMaker v17.0.4.628 on Windows 11.

I have several PDFs with form text fields containing data, that I import via reference. While I can see the base PDF contents on the screen in Frame, none of the filled in form text is visible.

The only way to get around this (thus far) is to convert the PDF to a raster format (PNG, TIFF) and import that instead, but not only does that complicate the workflow, it bloats any resulting output formats created from Frame (RTF, etc.) because the raster files are so much larger than the native PDFs. Also, having the raster files hugely slows down page-to-page scrolling, since Frame is so horribly inefficient when it comes to rendering graphics onscreen.

Is this a Frame setting or Acrobat Pro setting I need to change, or just a bug/limitation of FrameMaker?

Thank you.

[Winfried Reng]

Hi,

I just checked this, and I cannot import the PDF form data either.

However, I think that this is a general issue. When I imported a form PDF into e.g. Corel Designer, then the form fields were also all empty.

You have several options:

Export the PDF form to Excel (in Acrobat click File | Export to | Spreadsheet | Microsoft Excel Workbook).

Or export the form data to a separate FDF file (described here: https://tdx.seminolestate.edu/TDClient/2433/Portal/KB/ArticleDet?ID=132926).

Best regards, Winfried

[FrameMaker-dk]

Acrobat has an option for flattening a pdf file under print production. That might help you prepare the pd for import.

Another option - not sure it works, though - print the pdf to Microsoft PDF. I suspect that process will flatten the pdf and keep the content of the form. Perhaps... 🙂

[FrameMaker-dk]

I made a test. I can print a pdf with filled form fields to the Microsoft PDF printer driver and have a pdf where the form fieldes are flattend. And that PDF can be imported into FrameMaker along with the form texts.

[frameexpert]

Try this if you have Acrobat Pro.

1. Make a copy of your PDF and open it with Acrobat Pro.
2. Press Control+J to open the JavaScript Debugger. Note that you may have to enable JavaScript in your Preferences.
3. Type this.flattenPages (); in the JavaScript Debugger and hit the Enter key.
4. Save the PDF.

[dharding1]

Are the PDF form fields still editable once this occurs, or is it a one-way-trip? The point is to be able to edit the field data as the publication goes through the editorial process, over several months, as in-text examples get changed. Having to re-export new files for placement every time fields are edited defeats the purpose of embedding the PDFs directly to begin with.

[frameexpert]

One way! that's why you need to make a copy.

[dharding1]

Since I cannot edit my original post:

I can't help but think that this is a FrameMaker problem. Why? The field data is actually there in the imported images, just not visible on screen. In other words, I can print pages from FrameMaker and the form data *IS* included in the resulting print, so it's not like the field data is being discarded. Frame's rendering engine just ignores/bypasses the information.

[frameexpert]

What happens if you make a PDF from the FrameMaker document? Do you see the form data in the overall PDF?

[dharding1]

Yes.

[frameexpert]

You are right, it sounds like it is a FrameMaker display problem. Note that the latest FrameMaker 2022 version is 17.0.5. You can try updating but it likely won't solve this problem.