Creating editable/fillable pdf in indesign

[sibelu72997086]

Anyone ever created an editable file which is exported as a PDF directly in indesign?

I have tried creating it in adobe acrobat however this has restrictions on who can then edit the file - only people with adobe acrobat can.

[Derek Cross · Accepted solution]

I think you're asking about an Acrobat Form. You can set these up in InDesign (CS6 upwards) and fine tune them in Acrobat Pro.

End-users can complete and save the data in the form using the Acrobat Reader. I'd recommend taking an online video tutorial from Lynda.com on how to create them (you can get a 30-day free trial).

[John Mensinger]

As Derek rightly pointed out, to make entries in your form fields, your form users wouldn't need Acrobat; only the freely available Adobe Reader​.

...this has restrictions on who can then edit the file - only people with adobe acrobat can.

It depends on what you mean by "edit." If the editing need goes beyond making entries in form fields, then you're correct, Acrobat Pro is required; and that goes for any PDF (or PDF form), regardless of whether you compose it in InDesign, Acrobat, or a combination of both.

[sibelu72997086]

this has been very helpful. thank you. the only other barrier I've stumbled across is once the form is ready to be filled out - it defaults to times new roman when typing in the text field. Is there a way I can select the font id like used for filling out the text fields?

[jane-e]

Not in InDesign, unfortunately. You have to edit the fields in Acrobat to change the typeface.

Tip: Be sure to choose a typeface above the solid line.

[TᴀW]

Choosing a typeface above the solid line, as jane-e suggests, is a good idea, because it guarantees that everyone will see the font you expect them to (since those fonts are built into Acrobat).

You could use other fonts if you are sure the end user has them installed on their computer, or, if it's a free font, you could send it to them along with form itself.

For short forms, there is also this free solution of mine for setting fonts, and much more (color, alignment, default text, etc. etc.) all directly inside of InDesign: FormMagic | Id-Extras.com

For longer forms, the pro version is necessary which is not free.

Ariel