Lowered a Form's Target Version to 9.0 or later and now validation messages are appearing, even when Show Dialog Messages is set to "Don't show any message boxes at all"

[Brian3_14]

Hi all:

I switched a form's target version from "10.0 and higher" to "9.0 and higher" and now I'm getting Adobe's automatic validation messages popping up, even when the Form Validation setting for the document is set to "Don't show any message boxes at all."

Any thoughts?  I have other form's set to 9.0 and higher and the same Form Validation setting of "Don't show any message boxes at all" works.

Only thing I can think of is the downgrading from 10.0 to 9.0 and higher did something?

Thanks in advance,

Brian

[mouslander]

Can you post screenshots of the validation errors?

[Brian3_14]

They are  just the auto-generated by Acrobat messages boxes that normally are triggered when exiting a field that fails validation.  So my messageBox and then Adobe's message box both pop up back to back.  Only happening in Acrobat 9, not bothering to test Reader 9.  Seems to be okay in Acrobat and Reader 10 and 11.

There may be connection with drop downs, too. (?) Been killing myself for 17 hours on this.

Thanks for any thoughts in advance.

Brian

[mouslander · Accepted solution]

without knowing what the errors are it is hard to say what the problem is. Forms normally do not have popups unless you are using FormCalc. Then the software will pop-up an FormCalc error.

[Brian3_14]

Mous:

Your comment (thank you) triggered an idea and I made some discovers. It doesn't appear to be validation-related but rather REQUIRED FIELD related. (FYI, using LD ES4.)

After expanding the target version from 10.0 and higher to include 9.0 and higher:

1. Even with all Form Validation options "off" in Form Properties>Form Validation:
   1. The standard "(field tool-tip or name here) cannot be left blank" messageBox is automatically being triggered by Acrobat/Reader(9,10 11) when either:
      1. On exit, a field fails a custom script validation and the field is cleared (for re-entry of data by resetting focus to that field); or
      2. The field has data when entered; data is deleted; field is exited.
2. And specific to Acrobat 9 (9.5.5 is what I'm testing on):
   1. When the document opens, any drop-down lists that are empty are having their tool-tips or names combined into a single pop-up stating they cannot be left empty; and
   2. Validation scripts with commands to reset the focus to the field that just failed validation are being ignored and focus is being set to the next available field.

After expanding the target version from 10.0 and higher to include 9.1 and higher:

1. Even with all Form Validation options "off" in Form Properties>Form Validation:
   1. All of the above is resolved except for:
      1. When the document opens in Acrobat 9.5.5, any drop-down lists that are empty are having their tool-tips or names combined into a single messageBox stating they cannot be left empty --- before the end-user has even done anything. 

I could live with limiting it to 9.1 and higher but that errant messageBox when opening the document is really confusing. And why is it only picking up on required drop-down lists??? Attempts at renaming/recreating drop down fields have been unsuccessful.  If there's a required drop-down list anywhere, it's in the messageBox.            

Either way, something under the hood is triggering Acrobat/Reader to give notice that required fields cannot be left empty, even though that option is turned off. I don't think it's any of the code I've written.  It's as if expanding the target version changed some internal code which is triggering Acrobat/Reader to create the messageBoxes.

While I'd rather know why this is happening and fix it organically, is there a possible work around to the problem?  For example, I've got "app.runtimeHighlight = false" in the form's doc ready event to remove the red border highlighting for the required fields. Something similar like "app."auto-check for required fields when exiting" = false" ? (You get the point; something to turn off the auto-check)

Otherwise, I've also experimented with rebuilding the entire thing but any attempts to save time via fragment use, creating custom objects or even cut-n-paste are blowing up the re-build's file size exponentially.

I'd be grateful for thoughts on anything - even tricks to speed up a rebuild without blowing up file size.

Brian

[mouslander]

Hey Brian-

Can I see the form? mousland@gmail.com

[Brian3_14]

Hi Mouslander:

Just emailed you.  Thanks so much.

B