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Make updates to form in indesign without losing javascript assigned in acrobat?

New Here ,
Jun 17, 2022 Jun 17, 2022

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Many thanks in advance for reading.

 

I export forms made in indesign to pdf and write javascript (beginner) in acrobat.

 

Please tell me there is a way to update the form's design in indesign without having to redo all javascript in acrobat (rollovers, hide/display fields...).

 

Javascript, indesign, acrobat, forms, interactive pdfs.

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Community Expert , Jun 17, 2022 Jun 17, 2022

Simply 'replace page' in Acrobat with the newly exported InDesign pdf should do it.

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Community Expert ,
Jun 17, 2022 Jun 17, 2022

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Simply 'replace page' in Acrobat with the newly exported InDesign pdf should do it.

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New Here ,
Jun 17, 2022 Jun 17, 2022

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Thank you kindly for your response. 

 

I'm struggling to implement your advice. 

My process: 1. Add button and layer to master form in indesign and export; 2. Open old pdf in acrobat; 3. Select Organize Pages, then Replace, then select newly updated pdf; 4. Press OK.
The new layer has not been created, and the button i put in that layer doesn't exist. 

Any ideas?

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Community Expert ,
Jun 17, 2022 Jun 17, 2022

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I think it works the other way around. Think of it this way:

1. Make all the interactive elements work the way you want (including javascript) in Acrobat on the old pdf.

2. Replace pages (whichever pages you want to replace—can be all of them) of the old pdf, choosing the new pdf.

 

That way all your form stuff will be still there. Note this assumes that your form elements don't move around due to edits in Indesign—if that happens you need to move them manually in Acrobat. It's not ideal but that seems to be how it works.

- Mark

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Participant ,
Jun 21, 2022 Jun 21, 2022

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Here is exactly what is happening:
1. Indesign: edit text of a pre-existing button. Export new pdf, checking "Create Acrobat Layers". I've tried putting the button into a pre-existing layer as well as into a newly created layer (This button will never update in the new pdf. it will not appear in any layer in the layer panel, nor will the new layer itself appear. I also tested by creating multiple new buttons with different labels. None of these new buttons will appear after following the Replace recommendation above).

2. I open the old PDF < Organize Pages tool < Click Replace < select new PDF to replace with < Click OK to replace old PDF with new PDF. Close Organize Pages tool.

3. Result:

3.1 No visible difference to updated PDF. The pre-existing button is unchanged. The new layer I created as a test is also absent.

3.2 Layer panel to left shows a new group of layers that doesn't exist in the old or new pdfs. There are now two groups of layers. Both groups are labeled with the name of the old pdf. (!? Note: the new pdf had a significantly different name.)

3.3 The first group of layers has all the same layers, but half of the elements from the first layer (Group 1 Layer 1) have been removed from that layer. The second group of layers has one layer, labeled the same as the first layer in the first group. This layer contains the remaining elements that were missing from Group 1 Layer 1. 

3.4 Looking at the right hand panel in the Prepare Form tool, I can see a list of the fields and buttons included in the newly updated pdf. But the buttons I created are not listed. The original button remains but is not updated.

 

So I am still looking for a solution.

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Participant ,
Jun 21, 2022 Jun 21, 2022

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FWIW, the javascript from the old pdf was maintained in the new pdf.

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Community Expert ,
Jun 21, 2022 Jun 21, 2022

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Here is my understanding, and you are not going to like it—I don't either. I recently went down this road trying to do what you are trying to do and I discovered to my dismay that as soon as you do anything to interactive elements in Acrobat, they must stay in Acrobat and be edited in Acrobat from that point onwards, for ever. It is going to be quicker to make the changes to your "forms master" pdf and then replacing pages using pages from a newly exported pdf than to try to copy-paste your javascript or other form stuff between old and new pdf files.

 

So short answer—you can't edit interactive elements in Indesign anymore once you've edited them in Acrobat. Any experts reading this please correct me if I'm wrong!

- Mark

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Participant ,
Jul 05, 2022 Jul 05, 2022

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Many thanks, Mark. Learning about firm limitations, even when disappointing, is still a huge help.

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