How to get pop-up text to show up?

[alans34355387]

I am using Acrobat Pro 2017 to create a fillable form with tool tips.  I am using a Dell Latitude E7450.  Form users will use the same machine or a Dell Venue tablet on a docking station with a mouse attached.

I used the Edit PDF tool to create tool tips for all the text boxes that needed them. I closed the Edit PDF tool and hovered over the text and it worked.  I sent it to some test users via email.  The form didn't show the tool tips for them.

Next, I used the Prepare Form filed to created buttons with no labels, borders, or fill so they wouldn't show up.  I didn't make them hidden. I placed them over the text that needed the pop-up help, then entered tool tips for each button.  I tested the form by hitting the Preview button.  They showed up for me.  I sent it to some test users via email.  The tool tips did not display for the test users.

Next, I used the Prepare Form tool to create text fields and used the popup text I needed as the default value.  I made all the text fields I created hidden.  Then I created buttons with no labels, borders, or fill so they wouldn't show up.  I didn't make them hidden.  I set the actions on each button to show the corresponding text field on mouse enter and hide it again on mouse exit.  I used the Preview button to test the form.  It worked for me, but it flickers rapidly and doesn't always stay open when the mouse is over the button.  I saved it and sent it to test users via email.  It showed the pop-up text, but it flickers rapidly and doesn't always stay open when the mouse is over the button.

Next, I used the Prepare Form tool to create image fields of the text I need to have show.  I re-create all the buttons with no labels, borders, or fill so they wouldn't show up.  I didn't make them hidden. I placed them over the text that needed the pop-up help, then entered tool tips for each button.  I tested the form by hitting the Preview button.  They showed up for me, but it flickers rapidly and doesn't always stay open when the mouse is over the button.  I sent the form to some test users via email.  The tool tips did not display for the test users.

Finally, I changed the actions on the above form to show the image on mouse down and hide on mouse up.  It worked for me with no flickering.  It didn't even show up for the test users.

I am now throwing in the towel and asking for help.  My questions are these: WTF?  Why is this not working for other users? Shouldn't all of these methods work on at least the other user's Dell Latitude E7450 machines?

Can someone please help me to get this to work?

[try67]

The most important piece of information is missing: In what application are

the users opening the file?

[alans34355387]

They are all using either Adobe Acrobat Pro 2017 or Adobe Acrobat Reader DC, just like me.  In fact, I even checked versions.  The test users all have the identical version of Pro as I do: 2017.011.30080, and the same version of DC as I do: 2015.006.30418.

[try67]

The Preview state is not good for testing this kind of thing. You need to do it in the normal viewing state.

Ask the other people to send you screenshots of what they're seeing. Often people think they use one thing when in fact they use another... It's always good to double-check. If all of that fails you might need to share the file with us, so we can try and reproduce this for ourselves.

[alans34355387]

Thank you for your quick answers.  I appreciate the help.

It made me smile to think that the Preview is not a good place to preview a form being created, but I'm glad to know that.

I stood by some of the user's desks and talked them through the process as I observed.  First I had them save it from their email to their computer.  Then I had them test it in Pro and DC.  I am certain that at least 3 of them were using those programs and did not get good results.  One other person tested the form with DC only as I observed.

I guess I'll have to upload the form.  I'll do that tomorrow, because my work day is coming to an end.

Thanks again!

[alans34355387]

I got it to work!  I found the final piece of the puzzle here: https://forums.adobe.com/message/2172066

I had set the fields to Read Only, disabling user input.  Unless user input is possible, popups will not display.

I guess it worked for me before because I was working on the form and using Preview.  This time I saved and closed the form and program.  I opened the form in Reader DC to test it.  User success!

Thanks for your help try67​.  You got me thinking through this enough to find the problem.