How to Limit Word Count in InDesign Interactive Text Fields?

[alexp28119221]

I am making an interactive document with Indesign, and I wanted to know if you could limit the words in the text field? – As for now the user can just keep writing in the textfield, which is not that slick.

Anyone who have a hack for this issue?

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[Derek Cross]

After you export the PDF form from InDesign you can open it in Acrobat Pro and fine tune the fields in terms of choice of font, alignment, colour, number of characters and more.

[alexp28119221]

But the file is not going to be exported as a pdf per se – but it will be exported in another program which will use the Indesign file spec given as it is. So is there anyway to determine the amount of characters from within Indesign?

[Derek Cross]

No.

Which programme are you going to export it to?

[alexp28119221]

IN5

[Derek Cross]

Ask Justin.

[Justin Putney]

Yes, in5 > Interactive Widgets > Form Element Data. That panel lets you set a maximum number of characters.

See the video below.

[JoeIntrospect]

This "Answer" is advertising a 3rd party indesign add-on (in5) which you have to pay to license from between $30 - $80 per month. Therefore this is not a valid answer to their question.

[Abhishek Rao]

Hi @joep94083698, 

Thank you for bringing this to our attention, and I’m sorry for any confusion this may have caused. I understand your concern about third-party solutions being suggested when you’re looking for a built-in option within InDesign.  

To better assist you, could you please provide more details about the specific limitations you’re encountering with text fields in InDesign? 

For further reference, you might find some helpful information in this community post: How to limit interactive text field and have it au... - Adobe Community - 13099134

We’re here to help, so please let us know more about the issue, and we’ll do our best to find a suitable solution for you.

Thank you,  
Abhishek Rao  

[JoeIntrospect]

Hello Abhishek, 

I think the main problem here is that we don't have the same tools to customize forms in indesign that we do in acrobat.  Things such as limiting the number of characters in text fields and specifying formats such as Numbers only, email formatting, date formatting, number formatting, auto advancing to the next field etc. 

This type of functionality is only available if we export a PDF and use the "Prepare a form" tool in Acrobat PRO. 

From a production standpoint this just adds a bunch of extra steps we have to take to author forms within documents.  We should have the same form tools within indesign so we're not having to resort to all of those additional steps.

[Abhishek Rao]

Hello @JoeIntrospect, 

I understand that this functionality is important to you, and I apologize for its unavailability at this time. Would you mind creating a UserVoice for this feature request: Adobe InDesign: Feature Requests: Top (5009 ideas) – Adobe InDesign (https://adobe.ly/3WN7too)and adding your comments there? Doing this will help us prioritize this request, and you will be notified of any updates.

Feel free to reach out if you have more questions or need assistance. We'd be happy to help.

Thanks,

Abhishek Rao

[TᴀW]

Not sure I agree there. Here's an analogy: I want to transport a bike in my small car. The anwer? Buy a bike rack. Third-party products have an important role to play in a major product's ecosystem.

[BobLevine]

This post is FIVE YEARS OLD! Whether you agree or not, InDesign is programmed to be extensible so that capabilities that are not built in can be added by third party developers.

[JoeIntrospect]

The difference being that
1) no where in the answer was it indicated that it was a paid 3rd party solution, so it's a bit misleading. This made it feel like it was a paid Advertisement vs an answer.
2) the pricing of the 3rd party plugin is just exploitive in nature.  $30 - $80  PER MONTH is just ridiculous for a mere plugin.  My entire adobe creative suite license is $55 a month.    To reference your analogy, that's like paying as much or more for the bike rack then for the bike.

Most people are looking for solutions within the parameters of the base software.  External 3rd party solutions are welcome but it should be indicated in the answer as such so there is no confusion and that it's a PAID 3rd party plugin.  The "Answer" felt more like an advertisement and it just rubbed me the wrong way that the "BEST" answer is an exploitively priced 3rd party solution when the most accurate answer given by Mr. Cross wasn't really aknowledged. 

I understand if you don't agree.  We'll just agree to disagree.   

Have a good rest of your day. 

[rob day]

the pricing of the 3rd party plugin is just exploitive in nature. $30 - $80 PER MONTH is just ridiculous for a mere plugin

Hi @JoeIntrospect , Just to add some context, interactive text fields are designed to work with Adobe PDF (Interactive) Exports.

@alexp28119221’s 2nd post clarified that they want to construct HTML documents with interactive forms, which is why Derek mentioned In5.

While InDesign does have a bare bones HTML Export, there is little it can do with styling and formatting HTML exports—ID’s main function is print layout, and has never been positioned as a web editor. If @alexp28119221 was looking for help with interactive PDFs, I don’t think In5 would have been brought up.