Circle one or more selections in a form field

The value is actually getting set but there is an issue with the screen display. If you add an xfa.layout.relayout() command to the end of your script this will force a screen refresh and your circle will appear.

Paul

Paul, that did the trick! I can't say I understand it...but it did the trick! Thank you!!

Jo

Circleselect.pdf is cool, but it takes a lot of time creating fields and forces you to use Livecycle for the entire form when the Acrobat X Pro basic form creation/editing tools area easier and faster (I'm being very polite here). 

Here's a work-around that will save you a *LOT LOT LOT* of time, and let your respondent circle choices just like a paper form: DON'T DO A SINGLE DARN THING TO THE CHOICES YOU WANT RESPONDENTS TO CIRCLE. 

You are already saving your Acrobat-created fillable forms as Reader Extended PDFs so that your audience can fill out, save and print/submit the form, which means you've enabled the extensive array of drawing tools in Reader.  Anyone can draw an ellipse around their choice the same way they draw an ellipse in Paint or any other GUI, then save and/or print it.  You just need to teach them to manually display the Oval tool toolbar EVERY SINGLE TIME THEY OPEN READER (Good thinking on Adobe's part to hide powerful features!)

Pros:

- You create the text fields, check boxes, radio buttons for formatting/appearance control and respondent convenience

- Respondents can circle answers using a mouse+left click like they would in any other program with drawing capability

- Saves time - you don't have to create all those fields, measure and place them just right

- Users can save or print as they wish

Cons:

- Just like with paper forms, respondents can fail to answer questions/select choices (you can't make circle options required like other fillable fields)

- You have to train your respondents to manually enable the oval drawing tools every time they open Reader

To enable the oval/ellipse drawing tool in Reader 9:

Tools > Customize Toolbars... > XYZ (then select typewriter, oval and any other desired toolbars)

Adobe may have fixed Con#2 in Reader 10 but I'm not holding my breath though, since 10 versions later Acrobat still doesn't offer the common form need to "circle" choices off the right click form edit menu

You're right, creating a form like this is a pain in the butt.  It's all about trade-offs.  The usual idea when creating forms is to make the user's life easier.  Having to teach every user how to enable a toolbar and create an oval when most people who open PDFs don't usually use that feature is a major chore.  If the form is being used by three people in the next office, then rock on.  But if you're sending this out to lots of people, that's not really an ideal solution.  Better to take the hit up front and make the form easier to use.

A larger question is why there is a need to draw circles around the selections.  If you need to re-create a specific look to your form, then sometimes you'll have to jump through hoops to make it work.  But again there are options if people are willing to compromise.  Instead of circling the selection, how about putting a rectangle around it?  Then you can just toggle the field border on/off when it's clicked and you won't have to deal with meticulously laying out fields.

Plus, the original example was meant to be a simple explanation that someone can build on.  Designer allows this to be done more elegantly.  A more complete way to solve this is to create a subform and place a textbox in it that's set to expand horizontally.  Then drop a circle on it, and in the click event that handles displaying the circle you add additional script to center the circle over the textbox and adjust the height/width a little larger than the textbox bounderies so that the circle automatically adjusts to the size of the text.  Drag the whole thing over to your toolbar and make it a custom object.  Now you have an object that you can drag onto the form and set the text, and the rest of the layout is handled without a hassle.  But, y'know, I have a day job...