Boxes around interactive buttons not showing when exported

[jenniferj254831]

I feel like there is probably an easy fix to this, but I cannot seem to find it.

I am using buttons for an interactive pdf. I would like boxes to show on the print where they should make their selection, it's a list and they have to choose one. I have put a line weight and when I'm in preview mode the box around the button shows, but when I export the file, nothing shows up. You have to know where to hover over and then click to make the 'button' choice show up. I do not what to choose one of the button options that already puts a default check in a box, because there is no 'default' option. 

I hope this makes sense. Thanks in advance!! 

[Derek Cross]

Hi Jennifer 

Welcome to this friendly forum.

Now that Flash is obsolete some features in Interactive PDFs have changed – you can have a word or words or an image (such as a button shape) as a document hyperlink to say another page in the document, or to an external website. Some devices, for example, iPads, don't have rollover capability – only click – you should avoid multi-action buttons like On Click, On Roll Over, etc. Multi-state objects (MSO) don’t work at all in Interactive PDFs.

[jenniferj254831]

I'm trying to use a 'radio button' that is for a list (lunch options) where someone needs to select one, but I just want the empty box to show up on the pdf, which will show that they need to make a selection. 

[Bill Silbert]

Have you tried just making an actual box shape as part of the art and keeping the button as a separate element?

[jenniferj254831]

I was going to try that next, but I just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something first since it would be easier to keep it all one element. 

[Jeffrey_Smith]

I believe what you are seeing is similar to screen capture.

And if so, this is the default behavior and you will need to change the property of radio button by adding a Line Thickness in Acrobat.

[jenniferj254831]

Yes, I have added the line thickness, which shows up fine in Illustrator, but doesn't export to the pdf. Please see the pictures below. The ones under 'breakfast' have the line thickness activated for the box, the ones under 'lunch' do not, but they both show as blank on the pdf. 

[Jeffrey_Smith]

My suggestion is changing the property of radio button in Acrobat, not Illustrator or Indesign. Which neither of those apps will have a bearing on the outline of the button, as it will appear in Acrobat. Can you share the PDF?

[jenniferj254831]

I have attached it below. The section is the Catering section toward the bottom. I picked a 'check box' for the 'meeting package' section since that one is fine to have it as the default selection. 

[Jeffrey_Smith · Accepted solution]

Here's what is happening. You applied the border to the radio buttons in Indesign, and this can be viewed in Acrobat. But if you select a radio button, notice the appearance from Indesign is lost, with the Acrobat appearance taking precedence.

If you view the PDF in a browser/pdf viewer, not only is the Indesign applied appearance gone, the Acrobat property is seen, which in this case had no border applied.

I changed the border properties in Acrobat and attached the revised PDF. This will allow the borders to be viewed from browser/pdf viewers.

[jenniferj254831]

Thank you so much for your help!! I really appreciate it.