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robint1974
robint1974
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extracting all form fields from a fillable pdf

Dec 22, 2011 10:04 AM

Is there any way of extracting/exporting/copying all form fields from a pdf? Meaning, the wordings from all the fields so I can pass it along to another individual to use for cross referencing, since they are not able to see all the various form fields within the split screen?

Thanks!!!

5112 Views   5 Replies   Latest reply: robint1974, Dec 22, 2011 12:30 PM
 
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  • George Johnson
    9,208 posts
    Aug 11, 2002
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    1. George Johnson,
    Dec 22, 2011 11:00 AM   in reply to robint1974
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    Can you clarify exactly what you want to extract (e.g., field names, field values, the fields themselves, etc.) and in what form you want to deliver them to the other person?

     
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  • robint1974
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    2. robint1974,
    Dec 22, 2011 11:35 AM   in reply to George Johnson
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    The person that needs this is looking for the entire running list of all the fillable field names within the pdf. Any kind of document that I can deliver them in, I am willing to take suggestions.

    Right now, what I was thinking of doing was having the screen split between the pdf and the listing of field names in the sidebar and taking screen captures as I scroll down the pdf and corresponding field names in the sidebar until I got all pages.

    Is there an email address I could contact you at to discuss offline? I have an example I could send you but don't want posted online.

    Thanks!

     
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  • George Johnson
    9,208 posts
    Aug 11, 2002
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    3. George Johnson,
    Dec 22, 2011 11:51 AM   in reply to robint1974
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    The easiest way would be to export a form to a spreadsheet. You do this in Acrobat 9 by selecting: Forms > Manage Form Data > Merge Data Files in to Spreadsheet. This will export the form data into a CSV file. The first row will contain the field names, the order of which depends on which version of Acrobat you're using. In 9, it's alphabetical order. You can remove any subsequent rows that contain the form data, and the other person can transpose the row of field names to a column of field names.

     
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  • Gilad D (try67)
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    4. Gilad D (try67),
    Dec 22, 2011 12:01 PM   in reply to robint1974
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    I developed a tool that lists all the form fields in the file, and their

    data, to the console, from where they can be easily copied to an Word file,

    or just a plain text file. This tool will work in both Acrobat and Reader,

    while other options will only work in Acrobat.

    Have a look here:

    http://try67.blogspot.com/2011/11/reader-display-form-data.html

     
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  • robint1974
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    5. robint1974,
    Dec 22, 2011 12:30 PM   in reply to George Johnson
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    Thanks, I will give that a shot! I appreciate your responses to my question!!!!! Happy Holidays George.

     
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