The following elements can be present in PDF forms:
Check Box
Presents one or more choices that can be selected or de-selected freely.
Radio Buttons
Presents a group of choices from which a respondent can select only one item and one must always be selected. When adding radio buttons, all buttons in a group must be given the same control name. Right-click for Radio Button Properties to define control and group properties.
Text Field
Lets a respondent fill in text such as name, address, date, time, numbers, currency, zip codes. A form that is received may have a preset format, and all responses must conform to the rules for that format. When creating a form, you can set the formats and properties: see Creating and Editing Form Fields. A special type of Text Field is the Comb box, where there are marked spaces for each individual character. Set comb parameters under Text Field Options.
Digital Signature Field
Lets you add a digital signature to the PDF form to certify it has not been changed since the signature was applied. Whenever you add a signature to a document it is placed into this type of form field. When you open such a document you are warned that it contains a signature.
Button
This has an action linked to it, such as Back to Top or Submit.
List Box
This lets the respondent choose from a list of given text choices.
Combo Box
This lets the respondent choose from a list of given text choices or type in any response.
This table shows you which form controls are available for different procedures.
|
Icon |
Control |
Import an active PDF form |
Activate a PDF form with Form Typer |
Manual form design |
|
|
Check Box |
YES |
YES |
YES |
|
|
Radio Button |
YES |
YES |
YES |
|
|
Text Field |
YES |
YES |
YES |
|
|
Signature Field |
YES |
-- |
YES |
|
|
Button |
YES |
-- |
YES |
|
|
List Box |
YES |
-- |
YES |
|
|
Combo Box |
YES |
-- |
YES |
|
– |
Comb Box (a sub-category of Text Field) |
YES |
YES |
YES |
See Creating and Editing Form Fields on how to manually place form controls onto a page, define their properties, resize, move and align controls and how to set their tabbing order.
Note
Do not edit form controls or run Form Typer on a form with active XFA controls.
See also: Form Preferences and the Form Controls Panel.
To see how form controls are affected when a document is flattened, see Flattening Documents. You can use Document Inspection to remove form fields and actions.
