Are There Expandable Text Fields? | Adobe Higher Education
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June 18, 2009
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Are There Expandable Text Fields?

  • June 18, 2009
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Actual Question:

Okay,  am new to Acrobat and LiveCycle.  I have gone through about 9 hours of videos and still can not find an answer to what I know I should be able to do.  Is there a way on a form to create a text field which has the ability to expand its size versus creating a scroll bar so when you print the form it is not chopped off and missing?      This is a 2 page form so a text box has the possibiltiy it could split between 2 pages.

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ベストアンサー Kevin_Cavallo

The forum software runs a virus scan on uploaded files before they're released to the public.  Until the scan is run the attachment will show as Queued.  Unfortunately I don't know how often the scanner runs, but I've seen attachments queued for a day or two, so keep checking back every once in a while.  Once the queued label is gone you can download the file.

80 の返信

Level 7
June 19, 2009

Absolutely.  TextField objects can expand dynamically.  There are a few things that you need to do:

1. The TextField object should be contained in a subform that is set to Content: Flowed.  This isn't technically necessary, but if you have anything below the expanding text box and the subform is set to Positioned, the text will expand and overlay what's below.

2. On the Field tab of the text field's Object property tab, check the Allow Multiple Lines checkbox

3. On the Layout tab, check the Expand To Fit checkbox under Y:/Height

4. Set the PDF Render Format under Form Properties/Defaults to Dynamic XML Form.  If you're previewing in Designer, don't forget to set the preview to Dynamic too.

When you type in the text field in Reader, it will not immediately expand (and will show a scrollbar).  This is a limitation feature of Reader.  After you tab or click off of the field, Reader will redraw the form and the textbox will expand properly.

I've attached a simple example form for you.

June 19, 2009

Hi Kevin,

I sent an emial from Outlook before I went to Adobe Forums.  I tried opening the file on the reply you posted but nothing happens and the message QUEUED appears at the end of the file information.  Again this is my first time using Live Cycle andthe forums am I missing something simple?

Level 7
June 19, 2009

The forum software runs a virus scan on uploaded files before they're released to the public.  Until the scan is run the attachment will show as Queued.  Unfortunately I don't know how often the scanner runs, but I've seen attachments queued for a day or two, so keep checking back every once in a while.  Once the queued label is gone you can download the file.

June 23, 2009

Kevin,

I have tried following your directions, even following your sample, and have failed.  I could get the 2 fields (Details of Incident & Plan for Improvement) to expand and not overlap on the rest of the document, but I loose the layout.  What am I doing wrong?  Please help.

text expands formatting lost.pdf - is messed up, it has the expandable fields with flowing text, none of the original layout.

CAN.pfd - is how the form should be laid out

Thanks in advance for any assistance you can provide.

Level 7
June 23, 2009

No problem, I'll take a look as soon as the attached files are available.  I have a feeling that you just need a little more understanding of how flow layout works.

June 23, 2009

Genuinely appreciate the help.  I hate being a newbie, as I am used to being the tech-savvy one in the department.  Normally we build forms in Word, but have run into some problems… turns out not everyone has the same version of Word.  We all have the same version of Adobe!  So I thought, I let me give it a crack.  Now, I am bound and determined to get it right.  Thank goodness for forums and quick tips clips and videos.

Thanks again for being so helpful.

~N

Level 7
June 25, 2009

OK, this is not so bad.  You're 90% there.  You just have to get a better handle on how flowed content layout works.  It's a concept that most people have trouble understanding when they first start working with forms.  Once you get used to it and you are making a lot of dynamic forms, you'll always just lay them out with flowed content.  I rarely use positioned content.

Flowed content is very simple, and if you've ever done any web page work the concept is pretty much the same as the way HTML pages are layed out.  The first object in the hierarchy is placed at the top left corner of the subform's content area.  Then, the next object is placed immediately after the first, then then next one after that, etc.  There is no spacing between objects; the next one is placed abutting the boundaries of the previous one.

There is another setting that controls the layout; it's called Flow Direction and it's underneath the Content box on the Subform tab.  There are two settings: "Top to Bottom", which means that each object is placed "underneath" the previous object, not next to it on a line. This means that objects are always stacked vertically down the page.  The other, "Western Text" means that the rendering engine will try to place the next object "next" to the preceding one; i.e. across the page horizontally.  If the width of the new object is small enough that it will fit within the horizontal margins of the content area, it will be placed next to the previous one. If it's too wide, it will be place on the next line, below the previous object and against the left margin.  Please note that I use the word "line" a little loosely, it's not a line of text per se but you get the idea.

The big issue with flowed layout is that there's no "spacing" between objects, since everything is placed immediately against the boundaries of the previous object.  So, you have to include spacing in your objects to separate them.  This is usually done by using the margin settings on the object's Layout tab.  It sets the amount of extra space on each of the sides that is added when the object is layed out.

You can see how flowed layout makes dynamic forms work; if you type into a text box and it expands downward, the rendering engine will re-layout the page and draw the expanded box, then draw the next object below it.  No overlap.

So, in your case here's what you need to do, based on your sample form:

1. Set the Flow Direction of the subform that holds the expandable fields to "Western Text".  You'll see that the Type/Date/Level objects will now flow next to each other since they all fit on one line.  If you have anything that is now sitting next to a previous object but shouldn't, make the width of the previous object wider so that the next one won't fit on the same line, and it will be pushed down below.

2. Add spacing between objects.  For example, select the "Details of Incident" text field and set the Bottom margin on the Layout tab to ".2".  You'll see that no matter what you type in there, the layout engine will always add .2 inches of space below the text field, which will separate it from the text box below.  You can use the left/right margins to separate things that flow horizontally on the same line without making the actual data entry area larger by widening the entire object.

Something else that will make your life easier is to break up your document into logical sections using subforms, and getting the layout inside each one correct.  In fact things like the Type/Date/Level line can be made into a subform containing one set, and the subform repeated 3 times.  The same spacing idea works between subforms; set the margins on the subform's layout tab to separate it from the next one.

Hope the above is helpful.  See how close you can get to the original form, and let me know if you need additional help.

Level 4
July 14, 2009

Hi Guys,

Okay I have come to the conclusion that I am just a total idiot.  I have followed the instructions given and still I cannot get the text box to expand.  I have a feeling I am setting up my subforms incorrectly.  I have even tried a very (and I mean very) basic form so that I can try to get the expanding text box to work but it still doesn't.  I don't know what I am doing wrong. When I go to type in the box it doesn't expand I get the little plus sign in the corner.  Please help    I have attached my simple form for you to look at and let me know what I am doing wrong.  Also if I have already started a form can I change the fields to have the text boxes expand or do I have to start all over.  Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Jodi

July 14, 2009

The form that you attached was saved as a Static PDF, but I think that you need to save it as a Dynamic XML Form to get the field to dynamically expand the way that you want it to.

When I previewed your form in LiveCycle Designer the plus sign was still appearing on the text box when I tabbed out of the field, but when I saved your form as a Dynamic XML Form then text box expanded to show all the text that I had entered.  See mytest2.pdf which I have attached here. Are these the results that you wanted?

Kate

Level 4
July 14, 2009

Kate you rock! That is what I want. Okay now how do I save it as a dynamic PDF? I thought I did when I changed the form properties under File>form Properties>defaults and also Preview? Is that not where I do this?

Thanks!

Jodi