flowed subforms (again)

[milly_mac]

I have gotten help from this forum before which has been great.  However, when it comes to actually applying the help I've gotten, I just can't seem to get it right.

My problem is that I'm trying to get side by side fields to flow.  Let me say, I've saved and opened the sample I've seen on this forum named:

2009-06-03 Flowed Subforms, I have dissected it and tried to apply everything in every tab exactly the same as my re-creation and it doesn't work for me.

I have 2 problems, if my side-by-side fields do flow, they stair step.  I fill the first left field, then tab over which will populate the left field.  When I fill the right field and tab again to go back to the second left field, the right field (cell) will begin filling at the bottom of the first left field. Stair step.  But at least all the fields do fill and flow.

While poking around trying to fix that problem, then I got the problem that all my fillable fields are no longer fillable when I click Allow Page Breaks Within Content in the Field tab.  Note that this option is clicked in the Subform tab.  But, if it's clicked in both the subform and field tab, the field will no longer be fillable at all when I look at it in PDF Preview.

The parent subform is positioned/allow page breaks within content; the child subform is flowable/western text/allow page breaks.  I have Auto Fit clicked in all 3.  Again though, in the actual text field, if I check Allow Multiple Lines and Allow Page Breaks . . . this is what seems to make the field no longer fillable.

I have tried to do my page content areas, page subforms, parent subforms and child subforms properly as well as everything checked properly in the Object window and its tabs but obviously I'm doing something wrong somewhere.

This document is 4 pages, the first 3 are completely text (directions/information).  The fourth is the side-by-side flowable text fields (a chart if you will, 2 columns, 1 header, 4 rows), followed by simple text boxes which I'll have no problem with.

I won't be able to work on it again until Monday but if anybody's got the time to help me with this again -  maybe next week - I'd be very grateful.

~ Milly

[Srini_Dhulipall]

Did you try changing the Preview Adobe XML Document as : Dynamic XML Form and Preview type to "Interactive Form". Your's might be Print form.

You can get this by going to File Menu -> Form Properties -> Preview tab.

Thanks
Srini

[kingphysh]

Milly,

Often you can get some clues from the "Report" pallet, "Warnings" tab at the bottom of the work space. If you don't see it, click on "Window" in the menu bar and click "Reports".

I'm not clear if you are having problems with the tabbing order? If so, that is fixed by the tab order tool: click on "Window" in the menu bar and click "Tab Order" to open the tab order tool.

It sounds like, you might be having problems with the width expanding when you just want the height to expand. If so, uncheck the width expand to fit  checkbox for that field and just have the height expand.

I'm not really understanding your stairstep description. I use Positioned Subforms to contain items that don't flow. I let the Positioned Subform itself get shoved around by the other objects in the Flowable Subform in which the which the Positioned Subform resides. I don't use expanding objects in a Positioned Subform--so I'm not able to advise you on this.

That said, if I understand you correctly, you might try a structure like this:

Page(FlowedTopToBottom)

     SubformFlowedContainer(fixed width,western text)

          SubformLeftFlowed(fixed width,top to bottom)

                    YourLeftExpandingHeightFields

          SubfornRightFlowed(fixed width,top to bottom)

                    YourRightExpandingHeightFields

Good luck,

Stephen

[milly_mac]

You know, I really have tried.  I have remained hopeful and positive and figured if I just stuck to it long enough, I'd get it right.  I have recreated the problem area from scratch several times.  I have analyzed the form that was fixed for me and sent back and tried to make mine match it.  I have analyzed the 2009-06-03 Flowed Subforms file and tried to match it as well.  I have put it away for hours assuming when I come back, the answer would be newly apparent, I have searched online help, done tutorials, and read the JP Terry book - all, sadly, to no avail.

It does seem that the Report pallet is giving me some warnings about the target version, but even if I change the target version, I still get warnings.  However, I don't believe this is the main cause (though certain, I could be wrong).  I assume it's something to do with parent subforms and child subforms being set properly and I can't discover the magic combination.

My flowed box (2 colums, 3 rows) works except I can't make the stuff underneath it bump down, and I can't make it break at the bottom of the page and go to the next page. The pagination page is grayed out and unaccessable. Also, I get an error message:  "Although this object is allowed to break, deselecting the Allow Page Breaks Within Content option of the parent object restricts this object from breaking between pages."  Bottom line, if I unclick this, then something else doesn't work and then I'll have a different set of problems.

When creating flowed subforms/western text, does one create the subform box first, then create each field within it?  Or, do you create all your fields and arrange them how you want, then choose wrap in subform and select western text?  Does it matter either way?  I have discovered that getting everything created then wrapping will most of the time, completely rearrange my placement and make it diffiucult for me to get it layed-out right.

I have to have this done by 3/9 . . .

Any guidance?

Thanks!

Milly

[Srini_Dhulipall]

Can you upload your form..

Steps to upload the document

1) goto acrobat.com website
2) login with your Adobe login/password.
3) In Actions you will find Upload. Select your form and upload.
4) After uploading, select form name in All Files section and right click and select share.
5) Check the checkbox "Allow anyone with a link to view this document".
6) Copy the URL link and post it in the forum.

Thanks

Srini

[milly_mac]

Posted.  Here's the link:

https://acrobat.com/#d=ouh7i0A0ONzo9cfsP7rBxw

[kingphysh]

Hi milly mac,

I just did a very quick look with no testing. I noticed this probelm right away.

In the Hiearchy pallet, click on Page3 and in the Object pallet, change to flowed. Do the same for Page4.

That will make a big difference. I can look for more later.

Good luck

Stephen

[milly_mac]

Thanks for the quick response!   . . . I did as you suggested and it scrambled/rearranged my fields.  I've been running into this problem a lot.

~ M

[Srini_Dhulipall]

Hi,

     The PDF seems to be a generated one from word document.

     As Stephen mentioned, I changed the Page4 content type to Flowed. But moved all the fields to the left most and then I have to align them to place them in the right place by using the x and y coordinates in the Layout tab.

     Although you mentioned that you have 2 columns and 4 rows in the page 4, they are actually 8 textboxes placed on the form that look like a table rows and colums. So when you add text to each of the text field, they overlap the next textfield below. I changed these fields to be part of a table.I checked the Allow Page Breaks with in Content for each of the Row in the table.

     I did the changes and uploaded the document at the below link. You can verify and confirm.

     https://acrobat.com/#d=x*ecdel51z0Y8b0yhXfQKA

Thanks

Srini

[milly_mac]

Stephen and Srini - Thanks again, very much!  The form works fine.

So, in the future, if I have side by side fields which should flow, then I should use a table?

Also, do you create your fields first, then wap in subform, then format in the object/format pallet?  Or, do you create your subform box first, then create your fields within it?  Is either way better than the other or does it matter?

Your help and encouragement are very much appreciated.

~ Milly

[kingphysh]

Hi Milly,

Srin's solution using a table works great and really is the only way to keep them in rows, grouped side by side. I didn't understand that requirement on a previous piece of advice I gave you.

With regards to your chicken or the egg question, whatever works for you is fine. Just keep in mind, if you start with a subform, it will have to be "Positioned" first, then after you add your objects you can change it to "Flowed". Before you change to flowed, it is not a bad idea to put them in order in the Hierarchy pallet first (drag and drop to move them in there) so they end up on the form where you expected them to be. Same with wrapping objects.Look at and adjust the order in the Hierarchy pallet first, if you intend to wrap with a flowed subform.

Don't be afraid to use subforms--they are your friend. For instance, you can reference a whole group of objects in a script by referencing the subform--reveal or hide them, for instance.

And, by now, you are starting to understand that a "Page" is a subform--so in flowed forms your printed version might take up 20 pieces of paper, but the form design may be a single flowed "Page" subform.

Good luck,

Stephen

[vinodm95460392]

Hello All,

I have a pdf which generated from a word document .It has texts  but not like XFA form controls.

I have to convert this form into the XFA form using Livecycle studio.

I opened  pdf in livecycle studio,it  restructured the document into the studio structure.

This pdf has forms like page1 and page2 and has subforms as it's children.

When I change the content type as "Flowed" of page1,2 ,it disturbs the alignment and shifts everything to the left.

Is there any way to make the form content type as flowed and does not disturb the alignment.

Thanks,

Vinod

[kingphysh]

Simply, from the perspective of you just beginning to use Designer (on day #1)? The answer is No. You cannot switch to "flowed" and expect the objects to remain in their initial layout. You must put the objects in the flowed order that you want (drag and drop in the hierarchy panel) and size them in the "Layout" panel to get the layout you desire, when using "flowed".

[MinusZero]

The easiest workaround to have a flowed form and still have things where you want is to put everything into a table or multiple tables. I have the table borders hidden and also use single cell tables to add spaces in between the main tables.

Livecycle is not fun for editing tables, you can't easily change column sizes and mix and match different cell amounts in one table, even use a single row table if needed.