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Set default font type and size in formcreated using Acrobat X Pro

New Here ,
Sep 02, 2012 Sep 02, 2012

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I have a word document that I used Acrobat X Pro to create a PDF and then a Form.  The Form has over 200 text fields.  Is there a way to globally set the font type and size to one type, for instance Arial 10 so that when someone opens the Form and fills it in, the global font type and size is preset         

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LEGEND ,
Sep 02, 2012 Sep 02, 2012

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If you're using the Form Wizard to create the forms, there is not. If you create fields manually, you can set the default for a particular type of form field by first creating one with the properties you want, right-click, and select "Use Current Properties as New Defaults". You can also use JavaScript to loop through the collection of fields and set any of the properties the same.

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Participant ,
Sep 09, 2012 Sep 09, 2012

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Hi George

Like many others I read about, changing the font away from Helvetica as the default font for new text fields does not work, as it did in all previous versions when the user right-clicks on a text field and chooses "Use Current Properties as New Defaults". Given the number of forms my teams create, this bug is very serious. As said to me by more than one of the developers, this is doubling the time taken to prepare forms.

Is there a fix, and has this been raised as a bug? How do we raise it as a bug? Adding in Javascript to change this is not a solution, just a workaround that adds to development time.

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LEGEND ,
Sep 09, 2012 Sep 09, 2012

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Are you talking about fields that you create manually or field created with the Form Wizard? Exactly what version of Acrobat are you using? What OS?

In any case, using a script is a quick and easy approach:

for (var i = 0; i < numFields; i++) {

    var fName = getNthFieldName(i);

    var f = getField(fName);

    if (f.type === "text") {

        f.textFont = font.Times;

        f.textSize = 9;

        // Other properties go here

    }

}

I use this type of thing all the time to quickly alter a form. Such a script isn't added anywhere, just executed (e.g., JavaScript console). Over time a developer can build up a collection of utility scripts that can do all sorts of things to dramatically speed up development. It would be bad if this option were not available.

If there is a bug, it should certainly be addressed, so don't think I'm arguing against that, but I'm not seeing it on any of my systems. I can successfully set the default field properties by selecting "Use Current Properties as New Defaults". The Form Wizard does not use these defaults, but that's a different matter.

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Participant ,
Sep 09, 2012 Sep 09, 2012

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Hi George

Thanks for the script - I am talking about new fields manually created, not using the form wizard. We abandoned that long ago because we couldn't set the font default, or anything else for that matter. So in my sets we have over 4500 forms or varying lengths from 2 to 105 pages, most of which were built using Acrobat 9 Pro, where creating the first text field and setting its font to Arial (and other setting), then selecting "Use Current Properties as New Defaults", any new text fields created would have Arial as default.

With Acrobat X Pro, following the same procedures saves everything but the font setting - new fields always revert to Helvetica. This is particularly on Windows 7 64-bit machines - Acrobat Pro 10.1.2.

We use document level scripts for all sorts of functions, so have a hefty set of such scripts already, some even based on your expertise over the years. But that is a different matter really - just my guys moaning about a feature that was always present, and does not work now.

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LEGEND ,
Sep 09, 2012 Sep 09, 2012

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Got it. These default settings are stored in the Windows registry, so you might want to experiment by changing them directly and see what happens. This should at least be a workaround to setting them in Acrobat.

It would also be interesting to see of they are saved for other field types and for comments, such as line, oval, text box, etc. It could be a bug with Acrobat, or something's preventing writing to the registry. My Acrobat 10 is running on WinXP, but this works fine for me with Acrobat 9/Win7-64.

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Participant ,
Sep 09, 2012 Sep 09, 2012

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Agreed - WinXP/Acrobat 10 works, Win7-64/Acrobat 9 works. Just not Win7-64/Acrobat 10.

From a few years ago, I do remember changing the registry for something else, so thanks for the reminder. Is it here:

.

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Adobe\Adobe Acrobat\10.0\Tx Properties

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Participant ,
Sep 09, 2012 Sep 09, 2012

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UPDATE:

I have been playing around with this registry key, and have changed the sTextFont to Arial and the sTextSize to 10.0. For this I did the following: deleted those two binaries, closed regedit, opened Acrobat, modified a text field to be Arial 10pt, and set "Use Current Properties as New Defaults". When I opened the registry key again, the two binaries had been recreated with the Arial 10pt values. So Acrobat is writing new values, but not overwriting existing values. With the binaries in place, changing the font settings and clicking "Use Current Properties as New Defaults" does not change the values in the registry.

I restarted the machine, opened Acrobat again, and edited the form. I created a new text field, and hey presto! the new field was Helvetic Auto!! Went back to check the defaults in the registry, and those were still Arial 10pt. So, in short, there is some sort of disconnection between the registry and Acrobat 10 on Win7.

Also, the script does not seem to make any difference - I put the exact script you posted in as a Document Level javascript, changing only Times to Arial and 12 to 10 pt, and nothing seems to change the values of the text fields.

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LEGEND ,
Sep 09, 2012 Sep 09, 2012

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It's not intended to be a document-level script, though it will work there. But if you put it in a function definition, the function has to be called at some time.

It's really meant to be run the the interactive JavaScript console (Ctrl+J), by highlighting all of the lines and pressing Ctrl+Enter, or Enter on the numeric keypad. I just tested what I posted and it works for me.

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Participant ,
Sep 10, 2012 Sep 10, 2012

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Hi - since the original post was about defaulting text fields to something other than Helvetica Auto, is there anything that can be done about this bug in Win7/Acro 10? As above, my tests show a disconnect between Acrobat 10 and the Windows 7 registry.

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New Here ,
Jun 19, 2013 Jun 19, 2013

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Hi

The script works fine. What is the name for 'combo box' and if i want to use different font for this what do i do

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Guest
May 26, 2013 May 26, 2013

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Hi to all.

I tried to solve the same issue for long time and now I found the solution! 🙂

I think this issue regards only Win 7 64bit users with Adobe X Pro.

So, if you want to change the default font for the textbox, and the right click and Set As Default Properties does not work, the only way is to modify value in regedit.

Don't worry about, but be really careful inside registry.

Follow these steps:

For the first, cloe adobe X Pro, if still opened!

Open Regedit and go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Adobe\Adobe Acrobat\10.0\Tx Properties.

There are all values about textbox properties. Now double click on "sTextFont" and left click inside the box, after Helvetica. Delete the word Helvetica and type Arial. (you can check the value of any font here: http://www.asciitohex.com/).

Now on the left side of the window you must see the Hexadecimal value of Arial (41 72 69 61 6c). Left click after "6c" and add "00" value, that will add "." (dot) after "Arial" on the right side.

Now hit OK and save. Exit Regedit and you've done! :-)) Open Adobe X Pro, add an new textbox, and voila, the default font is Arial.

Enjoy!

Rene

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LEGEND ,
May 26, 2013 May 26, 2013

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That's interesting information, but a negative and pointless thing to do, surely - to change from Helvetica to Arial (see above).

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Community Beginner ,
May 26, 2013 May 26, 2013

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The current version of Acrobat XI Pro now uses a TIMES ROMANESQUE font named "Minion Pro" as a default instead of Helvetica, so the work-around is certainly applicable.

Of course, the correct approach would be to place this variable somewhere in the "Preferences" group. That way we wouldn't be subject to the whims of Style Gurus as to what fonts are good for us.

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New Here ,
Jul 25, 2016 Jul 25, 2016

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I don't quite understand why it's your business if anyone wants to change a font to what they please, or why you felt it necessary to chime in without having a single useful thing besides your opinion to add to the discussion.   The question was how to change the font, not if Test Screen Name would give their approval to use a different font.

Working on a Mac, "set to default" doesn't work, selecting all and changing from preferences only works hit or miss.  Clearly this hasn't been fixed, so I'm spending  what is supposed to be my off time individually changing field fonts so I can accomplish other things during my work day.   Form is built in a particular font, and the higher ups want everything to match, so just leaving it at Halvetica like Acrobat insists on isn't an option.   Would really like a work around that works on Mac 100% of the time.

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New Here ,
Jun 04, 2013 Jun 04, 2013

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Great idea, but the registry is different in XI. A fix for XI would be greatly appreciated. I hate having style dictated like this!

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Mentor ,
Jun 04, 2013 Jun 04, 2013

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You should be able to click on field the choose properties Adjust the font then whe saving should come up make this default.  You may have to do this with any Field created with Forms Generator.

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Guest
Jun 04, 2013 Jun 04, 2013

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Dear Phillip jones, this does not solve the issue, and I'm not sure you've read all posts. Infact "set default properties" does not work (bug of Adobe Pro X) The only way is the solution I've found. If you have 100 fields to set, well it's simply; select all fields > properties > change font > OK. But when you work with thousand fields, well it's impossible to do it without nervous breakdown! 🙂

I've read about similiar solutions like mine, about registry settings, but no one works properly, because indicating wrong hotkeys. The only one is
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Adobe\Adobe Acrobat\10.0\Tx Properties....it's simply! :-))

Now, is true that Helvetica is an good font, in reply to Test Screen Name, and for someone maybe pointless to change it with Arial, but I thing this is subjective. I don't like Helvetica, above all I don't like to be forced to use it, just because Adobe default settings.

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New Here ,
Jun 05, 2013 Jun 05, 2013

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All - I dropped out of this conversation after it became clear that manual resetting is the only way, whether by bulk selection or otherwise. Why Arial - very simply because on Windows it is NOT a default font - only on Mac. On Windows it is a paid-for font. And here is the why - our forms are used by many thousands of customers, most of whom have Windows. For those users who do not have Helvetica installed, the forms produce an error. With Arial, it is installed as a default in all Windows and Mac systems (Linux uses Arial too), so we are never in danger of irritating the customer.

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Community Expert ,
Jun 05, 2013 Jun 05, 2013

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It's not the only way. It can also be done using a script.

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New Here ,
Jun 05, 2013 Jun 05, 2013

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When you have nearly 5000 forms with many variations, even a script becomes manual. What I still want is for Adobe to address the issue that  "Use Current Properties as New Defaults" does not default the font to the one I want. The Helvetica/Arial issue is going off the subject.

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Guest
Jun 05, 2013 Jun 05, 2013

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Sure, maybe, but who, like me doesn't know about scripts, the most simply way is regedit, although you have to remember to be very careful in using regedit and do not change any other value, if you are not sure!

This issue was started from people, that had only one question; how to change the default font in Adobe Pro X? The right way should to be > right click > properties > set as default properties! Unfortunately there is an bug in Adobe Pro X with Windows 7 64bit and that's the reason about our thread :-)) So or script (who know to use it) or my simply solution with regedit....does no matter. Everyone takes what he wants to be good, it is important to have found alternatives to bug, I think! 😉

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Community Expert ,
Jun 05, 2013 Jun 05, 2013

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I agree that this bug should be solved, but I didn't mean that you can

change the default font used by a script, by the way (since you can't),

just that you can change it afterwards for all the fields in a single

process.

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Guest
Jun 05, 2013 Jun 05, 2013

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Ok, so what about to post your script and the way how to apply it. I would definitely like to delve into the world of scripts, can always come in handy! ;-))

However I prefer my solution, because I don't like Helvetica in any way, so it's more simply to set default font forever in registry.

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LEGEND ,
Jun 05, 2013 Jun 05, 2013

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Helvetica should be used, in preference to Arial in every case. It should in no case give an error - if it does this is a serious problem, so please let us know the detail.

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