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Adding Form Fields in Adobe InDesign CC

  • May 15, 2013
In this excerpt, learn how to add text fields, add radio buttons, add a combo box, add a description to a form field, set the tab order of the fields, and add a button to submit the form.

Note: This excerpt does not include the lesson files. The lesson files are available with purchase of the book.

From the book

From the book

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From the book

From the book

Adobe InDesign CC Classroom in a BookAdobe InDesign CC Classroom in a Book

Learn More Buy

Some work on the form fields has already been done. You’ll complete the form by adding some more fields, and then modifying some of them.

Adding text fields

In a PDF form, a text field is a container into which the person who fills out the form can enter text. All but two of the text frames have already been converted into text fields. You’ll convert these two text frames into text fields.

TIP

If you want, zoom in on the area in the top half of the page that contains the form objects. That’s where all of your work in this lesson will be done.

  1. Choose Window > Workspace Interactive For PDF. This optimizes the panel arrangement for the work you’ll be doing in this lesson and provides quick access to many of the controls you’ll use.
  2. Select the Selection tool (), and then move the pointer over the text field below “First Name.” Notice that a blue dotted line is displayed around the object and a small graphic of a text field is displayed on the right side. The dotted line indicates that the object is a PDF form element; the icon of the text frame indicates that the element is a text field. Select the object.

    3. Figure 4.1

    NOTE

    When adjusting the appearance of a combo box, list box, text field, or signature field, keep in mind that only a solid stroke and fill are retained when you export as Adobe PDF. These attributes are visible in an exported PDF file when Highlight Existing Fields is not selected in Adobe Reader or Adobe Acrobat when the form is opened.

  3. Choose Window > Interactive > Buttons And Forms, or click the Buttons And Forms panel icon to display the Buttons And Forms panel. Notice the settings for the text field. Text Field is selected in the Type menu, and the name of the element is First Name.

    4. TIP

    Depending on the type of field you’re creating, you can specify whether the field is printable, required, password-protected, read-only, multiline, or scrollable. You can even specify the font size of the response text. For example, you might want to deselect the Printable option for a Print button. The button will be visible on the form when it’s opened in Adobe Reader or Adobe Acrobat, but it won’t appear when the form is printed.

  4. Select the text frame below “Last Name.” In the Buttons And Forms panel, choose Text Field from the Type menu, and then assign a name to the button by entering Last Name in the Name field. Press Enter or Return to apply the name change, and then deselect Scrollable.
  5. Select the text frame under “E-mail Address.” In the Buttons And Forms panel, configure it the same as you did the Last Name field and assign it the name E-mail Address.
  6. Choose File > Save.

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