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ADOBE ACROBAT 3D VERSION 8
User Guide
Note:
You can change the default settings for highlight color, whether forms open with the document message bar visible
or hidden, and other viewing options in the forms preferences. Choose Edit > Preferences (Windows) or Acrobat >
Preferences (Mac OS), and select Forms under Categories.
Types of PDF forms
The way in which you fill in and submit information on a PDF form is determined by the person who created it.
Fill-and-print PDF forms
Contain interactive form fields or static form fields; either way, the person filling in the
form must manually deliver a printed copy of the form, such as by mail or fax.
Submit-by-email PDF forms
Contain a button that either extracts all interactive-field data from the PDF form and
attaches it to an email message or attaches the entire filled-in PDF form to the message.
Submit-online PDF forms
Contain a button that sends all interactive-field data to an online repository, such as a
database. Available only when Acrobat is open inside a web browser.
When you fill in a PDF form, you can press Tab to jump from one form field to the next. After you Tab to a check
box or button that you want to select, press Enter or spacebar to select it (or to deselect it, if it’s already selected).
Another important distinction is between XML forms and other PDF forms. You can create and edit XML forms in
LiveCycle Designer but not in Acrobat.
Printing and saving PDF forms
Interactive forms can be filled in using either Adobe Reader or Acrobat. Users running either of these applications
can save a blank version of the form, and they can print copies of their completed forms before submitting them.
After a form is filled in, Acrobat users can save a copy of the completed form, showing all the information they typed.
Whether or not Adobe Reader users can save a copy of a completed form depends on the usage rights set up by the
person who created that form.
Note:
When you open a form in Adobe Reader, the usage rights appear in the notification area above the form itself.
About security for PDF forms
As with all sensitive data you transmit, precautions should be taken to minimize the likelihood of interception and
use by malicious parties. Such precautions may include the use of encryption, passwords, and other security
measures on your document.
All Adobe products enforce the restrictions set by the permissions password. However, not all third-party products
fully support and respect these settings. Recipients might be able to bypass some or all of the restrictions you’ve set.
See also
“Opening restricted documents” on page 247
Forms preferences
Set forms preferences to control various aspects of your interaction with form fields.
To open the Preferences dialog box, choose Edit > Preferences (Windows) or Acrobat > Preferences (Mac OS), and
then select Forms on the left. The forms preferences are organized in three sections: General, Highlight Color, and
Auto-Complete
