Text Form Fields not displaying in Interactive PDF

[MichelleK72]

I am working on an interactive document in InDesign which includes both button and fillable text field elements - often on the same page or even in the same location. (ie. a fillable text answer field with the answer itself as a hideable/showable button element on top of it)

For some reason, I am finding that fillable text fields in this document do not appear in either the EPUB Preview or the exported interactive PDF. I can make a brand new doc, create a text field and export to interactive using the same steps, and it works. But in this doc, fillable text fields just don't show up.

Is there anything that could be preventing my fillable text fields from being exported as such? Layers, maybe? Or other competing form elements? I'm stumped.

[Derek Cross]

Buttons can be problematical in PDF forms, depending on the PDF reader used and issues on mobile devices like tablets and smart phones.

Stick to simple hyperlinks (a word(s) or image, do not use multi-state buttons),

You might be better using something like Google forms instead of a PDF.

[MichelleK72]

This is what I feared. 

This project is part of a training program, and they hope to have students use these interactive assignments to test their knowledge, complete with being able to reveal answers and roll over items for more detail.

Is there another workflow that would work in this situation?

As the other interactive items (buttons and rollovers) seem to be working, we may end up having to just add the fillable text fields in Acrobat at the end of the design process.

[BobLevine]

This is not what PDF is for. You need a dedicated app or even an eLearning website.

[MichelleK72]

Thanks for this. Great to confirm that my banging my head against the wall isn't just a failure on my part to use the tool properly - this is just the wrong tool.

[BobLevine]

Stop stacking interactive elements and forget about the buttons.

I agree with Derek; for the most part PDF forms are not needed and in most cases, either a Google Form or a well-constructed form on a website is far more reliable and much easier to build, maintain and revise.

[Derek Cross]

Have a look at Adobe Captivate: https://www.adobe.com/uk/products/captivate.html