Forms Ribbon

This ribbon contains the following groups and tools, from left to right:

 

Fillable Form group and tool

form typer icon

Form Typer: This application detects form-like objects in static PDF forms and overlays active form controls that you can post-edit.

 

Form Elements group

Choose a form control and define the page area where it should be placed. A multi-tabbed dialog box appears allowing the control to be formatted and its behavior set.

insert form button icon

Button: Insert a button control; provide a button label and/or icon and set an action to be performed when the button is clicked.

insert text field icon

Text field: Insert a text box where a respondent can enter text. This can be free text or it can be made to accept only defined information, e.g. numbers only, currencies, dates, zip codes, telephone numbers etc. Numeric field values entered by respondents can be validated or calculated. A comb box is a special type of text field, with spaced designed to accept only one letter per space.

 insert checkbox icon  isert radio button icon

Checkbox and Radio Button: These are two-state controls. When checkmarks appear in a group, they can be selected or de-selected independently one from another. When radio buttons are grouped and each control has the same Field Name, a respondent can select only one button in the group.

insert listbox icon  insert combo box icon

List Box and Combo Box: A List Box allows a respondent to choose one of a set of options from a drop-down list. You define the options and their order when the control is placed. A Combo Box is similar, but the respondent can either choose a supplied option or type in a different text.

insert signature filed icon

Digital signature: Place a form control where a respondent can provide a digital signature; define options to apply when a signature is placed.

 

Fields Group

filed calculation order icon

Set Field Calculation Order: Set the order in which numerical values should be calculated from text fields that have been specified for calculation. This tool becomes active only when at least one such control exists; practically it becomes useful only when at least three 'calculate' fields exist.

highlight form fileds icon

Highlight form fields: This makes form fields easier to notice, both when designing and when filling forms. Highlight colors are set at File > Options > Forms for ordinary and required fields.

reset form fields icon

Reset Form Fields: Remove text responses from form controls but retain the controls. It also clears all checkbox and radio button controls and removes selections from list and combo boxes.

set tab order icon

Set Tab Order: Click the tool, double-click in the field you want to be first, click in each subsequent field and click the Hand tool to finish renumbering.

 

Data group and tool

import-export form data icon

Import / Export data: Import/export data from/to the xfdf / fdf / htm / txt file types; export data from multiple files.

 

 

Use the Form Controls panel to view and work with a list of all form controls in the document.

 

Tip

To find tools in other ribbons, see Ribbon Overview or use the Find a Tool facility top right.