Beginner problem - PDF will not save with js or combs or arbitrary masks

[sillybomb]

I have a PDF form that I have put together today.

I'm a beginner with Acrobat, but have knowledge of JS coding.

I have lots of fields in the form

• Some of them have a 'comb' of 6 characters
• On a couple of items I have set up some javascript to autotab
• On some fields I have used arbitrary masks in Format -> Special to create a date format of 99-99-99 to give me automatic dashes.

It all works perfectly in preview in Adobe Acrobat however when I save the document I lose all of these features and all of the textboxes become regular textboxes.

• If I open with adobe acrobat the combs become number limits of 6 rather than keeping their 'comb' format.
• The autotab functionality is gone, no JS visible
• The Arbitrary masks are gone. They are now just textboxes.

I am not doing anything special when I'm saving just going straight to the regular File > Save in adobe acrobat.

1. Long story short, how do I save my PDF from acrobat so that it can be opened and filled out with the correct formatting and keep its javascript?

AND followup question - when I edit my PDF If I make my textboxes visible they are all blue boxes that you can click on and edit (or white boxes in Preview)

     2. how can I make the textboxes invisible but still editable/printable. When I set the boxes to 'Hidden but printable' they disappear but I can't click on the boxes to      edit them.

[Bernd Alheit · Accepted solution]

Do you fill the form with Adobe Acrobat or Acrobat Reader?

[sillybomb]

I think that was it thank you. I think I had opened the file accidentally with Preview which was breaking it somehow ??

Because it would lose its abilities after that

I tried again very careful to go straight to acrobat or reader and it worked in both.

Cheers

[Test Screen Name]

Preview is notorious. It not only ignores settings and fills forms wrong, it leaves them PERMANENTLY broken!