User manual

Setting Acrobat form field properties
You can set a variety of properties for an Acrobat form field, depending on the form field
type. For example, the combo box and text form fields include format, validation, and
calculation properties; however, these settings are not available for a check box form field.
To save time when creating form fields, you can define default properties for a specific
form field type, which you can then use as a template when you add another form field of
the same type. For example, you can create a check box, specify all the properties, and
save the properties as the default values for all check boxes. The next check box you add
to the form will have the same property values.
To make a form field display helpful text, such as instructions or the form field's
text label, when the user places the pointer over the form field, just type the text in the
Tooltip box in the Text Field Properties window. The Tooltip text is also read by screen
readers. (See Making Adobe PDF forms accessible.)
To set default properties for a form field type:
1. To select the form field, do one of the following:
● Select the forms tool you used to create the form field that you want to change.
● Choose Tools > Advanced Editing > Select Object tool.
2. Open the form field properties dialog box, and specify the settings.
3. Right-click (Windows) or Control-click (Mac OS) the form field, and then select Use
Current Properties As New Defaults. (Double-click on the page to create a form field
using the default properties settings for that form field type.)
Related Subtopics:
Defining the tabbing order of form fields
Changing Acrobat check box properties
Changing combo box properties
Changing text field properties
Format options
Validation options
Calculation options
Changing list box properties
Changing radio button properties
Changing digital signature field properties