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MichelleK72
New Participant
March 31, 2023
Question

Text Form Fields not displaying in Interactive PDF

  • March 31, 2023
  • 3 replies
  • 2692 views

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.

This topic has been closed for replies.

3 replies

Derek Cross
Derek Cross
Community Expert
March 31, 2023

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

 

BobLevine
BobLevine
Community Expert
March 31, 2023

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
Derek Cross
Community Expert
March 31, 2023

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.

M
MichelleK72Author
New Participant
March 31, 2023

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
BobLevine
Community Expert
March 31, 2023

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

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