CS6 How do you set form font

[Paul_Taylor]

We have a diary type form that needs to be in Helvetica

Just tried to set up in CS6 and can't see where to set the font - text boxes default to times

How do you set the font in Indesign's new PDF form creation tool text boxes?

tia

[liamgideon]

Figured out how to make this work, in a bit of a 2 program work around.

Create your form, with correct font sizes at least in InDesign\

Esport as interactive PDF of course

Open in acrobat pro and edit fields, under appearence in the field properties window you can change font and color.

Not sure if this was stated or if it cures your ills but sure did for me.

[Paul_Taylor]

Which is fine unless you have a large form  with lots of different fields and sizes. Then you might as well just go back to Acrobat full time. Honest - Indesign forms is a half baked implementation.

[Steve Werner]

InDesign forms is a version 1 implementation. It's just the way it is.

[BobLevine]

And as the old saying goes, “you can’t have version 2 without version 1.”

Bob

[Paul_Taylor]

And as the saying goes " If you are going to do a job, do it properly"

[Jongware]

Sooo ... any news on Footnotes v.2, yet?

[TᴀW]

Jongware, that's just what I was thinking when he said that!

But it could be our logic is faulty: The statement "For every version 2

there is a version 1, therefore for every version 1 there is a version

2" is clearly false. On the other hand, perhaps in reality it is also

false to say, "For every version 2 there is a version 1" because

sometimes version 2 is launched without a version 1. But "For every

second version there was a first version" is, I think, always true. So

what about, "For every first version there is a second version"? I think

that must be true too, otherwise it would be "Version 1", not "first

version." So the question is, Is the the current implementation of

footnotes in InDesign "Version 1", or is it "the first version"?

Ariel

[Joom_Design]

I've had non stop issues with the form function and not only purched the upgrade for the form functionality but promised it's efficacy to a client (based on the Adobe presentation). Until the functionality has been debugged to the point where it actually works as promoted, on multiple pdf viewers, versions etc. it is simply not living up to its promise, and embarrassing me in the process. FAIL.

[BobLevine]

Multiple PDF viewers? Not likely....EVER. Have you looked at what you are exporting to? It's not PDF, it's Adobe PDF.

For those of you wishing enhance features, discussing them here is fine, but you'd do far better to make your feelings known here: https://www.adobe.com/cfusion/mmform/index.cfm?name=wishform

When you do make sure to state your case clearly. Simply saying you want font choices in form fields isn't going to get much attention. You'll need to state why and how it will benefit the users.

Bob

[AnaïsN]

For me, the first answer here gave the most important element of information.

When Bob said "Does it occur to you that perhaps they just didn’t have time to get all of this in?"... Well yes, it sure did occur to me! And my reply to this would be: "What if they had taken a little more time and made sure they'd managed to have a function that is a little more complete before releasing the newer version?".

This has been my main issue with any company that releases products on an (almost) yearly basis: OBVIOUSLY they won't have time to complete everything!

Maybe, I'm only saying maybe, Adobe could have waited a liiiiitle bit longer and provided a finished product. Now of course, people will always have a new feature in mind, or a genius idea that they'd like to see happen in a program.

I also know that the high management would have been pushing for everything to be ready "on time", but then if you know you won't finish it, leave it out!

I was also very much looking forward to the new feature in InDesign as I have to make multiple copies of the same form translated into various languages.

And I had the very same problem as jahallaa, but with our French versions of these PDF forms.

So, yes, having the option to create the form in InDesign is a great for most of it. Fortunately, the font choice for our forms isn't all that important for me, in this specific case, so it wouldn't matter which font is used IF only it would understand accentuated letters properly.

Also, reading several times that "the Acrobat team didn't provide all the codes to the InDesign team" leaves me a little perplexed... If they are not going to get a complete code, then maybe, once more, they should wait until they get the complete thing. Now, of course, I don't know why the code would be provide incomplete, whether it's competition between the teams, security or plain weirdness but still... If you're going to implement a feature, make sure it fills in the major bullet points! If it doesn't, well give the marketing a rest and wait for the next release!

Now after saying all this... When our files are translated, they have to be converted into an IDML file to be compatible with our translation tool. I then have to reimport them into InDesign to finalise them, once translated.

Come to think of it, I'm pretty sure they will lose the forms function in the process, seen that this function didn't exist in CS 5 or 5.5 and that the IDML file loses any function that is not downcompatible.

Dammit!! I'll now have to fiddle around with 2 files and import layers and such...

Ah well... Sorry, rant's over!

Little Red Frog

[XCrash]

I've previously used Acrobat to create and edit forms, and I'm working with forms in InDesign CC for the first time.

All was going well until I realized there was no way to specify the default font for text boxes. In fact, I assumed this lack of functionality was actually a bug.

In my search for a way to do this in ID without having to revert back to using Acrobat for something this basic, I came across this thread. Since this is an old thread and pertains to CS6, I was really hoping that by the time they go to CC it would be there, but alas, it isn't.

So, based on @Bob's comment "You can’t have version two without version one," I think it's safe to say that we are officially on ver 1.5.

Does anyone happen to know when we can expect to see version 2?

-Marc

[Brad S.]

LoL @ you and your expectations.

ie. be happy with what you've got and don't question it. Adobe with spoon feed you half baked features when they damn well feel like it.

[Doug_Ridgway]

Let's get constructive!

While it's frustrating that Acrobat is required for changing the form field fonts — here's the workflow that I used in a relatively lengthy document.

Think about the naming of your form fields (name them in a way that lets you know what type styling they should have) this will help you once you're editing in Acrobat.

• Export as Interactive
• Open in Acrobat
• Click on Tools / Forms / Edit
  • <list of all the fields drops in below>
• You can now shift and cmd select the like fields that you want to change the properties on — just right-click on a selected field and choose 'properties' — you could select all if you only had form fields and wanted one type style.

This brought my editing time down SIGNIFICANTLY, althought it still has to be done for every 'final' export. Hope this helps with the workflow until there's a better solution.

[XCrash]

Thanks Doug, that actually is the same workflow we follow.

The problem I (and apparently many others) have, is that when working with a very simple form, being able to set  something as basic as the font directly InDesign would eliminate the need for that extra step.

We typically have 30+ documents that need to be updated at a time, so having to edit everything in Acrobat adds a considerable amount of time to the process.

Of course, it would also be helpful if the border color and size that you set on a text field in ID actually carried over to the exported PDF, but I digress.

-Marc

[Steve Werner]

Perhaps a little bit of history would be instructive.

Before InDesign CS6, you couldn't even create a PDF form in InDesign that would be directly useable in Acrobat. You could create the general look of the form and put squares and circles. You would open it in Acrobat Pro and hope that what you created might partially be translated into form fields.

In its first iteration of PDF forms, InDesign does perhaps 90% of the work. All of a sudden, we want it all. I'm sure, if we're all a little more patient, it will come. Just send feature requests here so the product manager knows your desire.

Adobe - Feature Request/Bug Report Form

[Brad S.]

Again and again the MVPs weigh in with their useless comments. Wave those Adobe pom poms in the air Steve! Wave them good!

Of course I want it all. This isn't the first interation of PDF forms in InDesign, it's the second FULL iteration, but we've been making interactive forms with InDesign since 2009, or CS5 I believe. That's 4 full versions, counting CS5.5 as a release cycle, and 5 years of development! And much like so many other things with Adobe, this is moving at a snail's pace. Patience doesn't really compute. I want to be able to apply my type styles to form elements and have them stick. It's not rocket science nor should it be some surprise to Adobe engineers.

But that's not even the end of it. Because my client wants to be able to add user inserted images in their form. So if my client wants major changes to their interactive form, I have to go back to Indesign, make those changes, then I have to make all my font and colour settings in Acrobat, on what is a 15 page form plus 20 or so pages set aside for images, then I have to take that form into Live Cycle to make the images interactive.

That's a destructive process. Once I've edited the form in Live Cycle it can no longer be edited in Acrobat. So if the client wishes to make additional changes I have to go right back to the beginning and start the whole process over again.

It's tiresome, I loathe it, it takes a long time, and it costs my client a lot of money. And it's something we've been asking for for years. This thread is 2 years old itself and it's not the first time the issue was raised. Like so many other issues with Adobe products, this could have been resolved in one of the umpteen patches Adobe puts out, but it hasn't been. Nor has anyone from Adobe even acknowledged the issue as far as I'm aware. It's just feels like we're being ignored.

Meanwhile I'm on to something like version 37 of this form and so many hours wasted.

[BobLevine]

Wow. Talk about a useless comment.

Frankly, and not that I think you care, but your attitude sucks.

[Brad S.]

So what version are we on now Bob? Another major release of ID by Adobe and nothing has changed when it comes to improving interactive forms. No setting the styles on form fields, still no image form fields, no way to easily set the tab order, etc. etc. NOTHING. Version 2 followed 1 without any improvements, and now version 3 has followed 2 without any improvements. The excuse they couldn't get it all in for version 1 no longer flies here my friend. This is straight up neglect. I'm growing old waiting for basic improvements and am still suffering through the same broken workflow that I was having to deal with in 2012. Every time I have to deal with an interactive form it gives me fits. It's like Groundhog Day.

And you say my attitude sucks? I wonder why that is.

PS. my comment above was far from useless. It illustrates clearly what the problems are with the interactive form workflow. It also illustrates that I'm sick and tired of Adobe MVPs making excuses for, and defending Adobe, and/or jumping down people's throats when they have anything negative to say about the company or their products.

[Digital-Engineer]

Bump! This conversation ranks #1 on Google for "indesign setting the type for forms" for a reson Adobe. I work for an insurer and they often have lots of little updates to their form. And of course they don't want to see Times. I have to manually set the bloody thing to Ubuntu in Acrobat for every form, every time. The trick with SHIFT and select multiple fields in Acrobat makes the font selection greyed out.

INDD CC14 now has a nice library of common interactive field objects, but I don't think it will ever have a 'select font' option… It's too difficult for one reason or another. So let's face it: Most of us will be better off building a online form. It also works on mobile.

Oh, about the Adobe Evangelists, I am regularly accused of being one (see comments on  10 Pre-Press Tips For Perfect Print Publishing | Smashing Magazine ).

[TᴀW]

We're developing a solution that solves these problems. It's called FormMagic, and is currently in beta.

FormMagic allows the user to export a form from InDesign, and retain the following attributes:

• font selection
• font size
• default text (in a text field)
• text color
• alignment

This means that you can pretty much design an entire form in InDesign, setting fonts*, font size, color, etc. In many cases this will mean that you can avoid laborious manual editing in Acrobat once the form has been exported.

If you are interested in trying out FormMagic, please send an email to admin [at] id-extras.com

Thanks!

Ariel

* Of course, if you use custom fonts, this requires that the person using the form must have them installed on their own computer.

[Steve Werner]

That's great, Ariel.

Because there are hundreds of needed features in InDesign, and it's impossible to expect they can all be added immediately, using Add-ons like that are a great solution! So are scripting solutions.

[PrairieGirl2]

Ariel,

Your FormMagic solution looks awesome, thanks for commenting about it here. I will certainly take a test drive. I, like so many others in this thread, am very tired of waiting on Adobe for a fix and yours looks like it certainly fits the bill. Only wish the price was less 😉

[TᴀW]

PrairieGirl2,

Cool -- I'd be interested to know how you get on with it.

Re. the price -- there is the Free Edition as well (Id-Extras: InDesign Scripts, Tips & Solutions – FormMagic) which can be useful for quick questionnaires, etc. -- and let's face it: nobody makes PDF forms "for fun". Also, if the price is less, it just doesn't justify the time and effort put in to develop these things.

So I hope we've found the right compromise between making available an affordable solution that can really save large amounts of time and frustration, yet also be worth our while so that we can continue to create useful add-ons for InDesign.

[PrairieGirl2]

Ariel,

Oh, I saw the trial version, I will try it. And I'm all for free enterprise, and glad to see companies like yours filling the gaps and coming to our rescue. I'm sure FormMagic is worth the price. Even though I only get PDF forms projects once in a while, it still pains me that Adobe touted their new forms feature for CS6 when it actually delivered so little.

I feel much better after finding this thread and see others who are so frustrated, I was beginning to think I was alone, but as you can tell from this thread the old adage is true: Misery certainly does love company!

[Laubender]

I want to add something, that is not mentioned in this thread:

Formfields will or can* lose some of their properties when exported to snippets (IDMS) and therefore should not be used in libraries (IDMS based). The same is true with IDMS's bigger brother IDML (even if you open the IDML files in the InDesign version you exported from).

*See a more technical discussion revolving about the problems with scripting form fields here:

Re: [ESTK] somehow is puzzling: Throwing strange errors on some properties

*A documented case with the problems of storing form fields in libraries here (in German):

in CS6 erstellte Formularfelder verlieren in der Bibliothek teilweise ihre Eigenschaften - Adobe InD...

The bottom line is:

If you fill out some or all properties in a form field, you will lose some or all properties when exporting to IDML or IDMS. This plus some real bugs that involve scripting form fields makes form fields in InDesign a half baked feature. Fixing these bugs (IMDL/IDMS export plus the full ability to script form fields) would be the first step in right direction.

Uwe