13 Replies Latest reply: Sep 18, 2014 6:03 AM by paul dave RSS

    Using a MAC to fill out PC Created PDF forms creating problems

    Q34 Community Member
    Q34 Oct 16, 2009 11:14 AM

      We have created a number of forms using LiveCycle to be filled out by clients.  They include submit buttons that send the form back as a PDF (rather than a data file).  The forms were then opened in  Acrobat 8 Professional and usage rights enabled to allow the clients to save a copy of the completed form.

       

      They work great...unless the client is using a MAC.  We have encountered the following problems with MAC filled forms:

       

      1) client entered data is present but only visible when the field is clicked on

      2) the Print and Submit by E-mail buttons do not work for MAC users

      3) the tabbing order is inconsistent

       

      Any ideas of ways we can make our forms more compatible for MAC users??

       

      Many Thanks!

      • 12978 Views
      • Tags:
        • 1. Re: Using a MAC to fill out PC Created PDF forms creating problems
          FrontierSteve Community Member
          FrontierSteve Mar 22, 2010 6:47 AM (in response to Q34)

          I wish someone would answer this.

          I am having the same problem with MAC users filling out a pdf created on a PC using LiveCycle.

          They can view the completed pdf, but the form fields show blank when opened on a PC.

          If you click in the form field you can then see the information.

           

          I have made sure everyone is using the latest versions of Adobe Acrobat.

          PC is using XP Pro and the MAC user is using Snow Leopard.

           

          I work for a University and we are getting very frustrated with not being able to view pdf files that have been filled out by MAC users.

          Can anyone provide me with an answer/solution for this issue??

           

          If you need to view the pdf file, I can provide the pdf file we are having the problem with.

           

          UPDATE: (Just noticed this as I was filling out the post to the forum)

          If you click on Forms, then Highlight Fields, OR, if the form has a button to select Highlight Fields, the data then shows up.

          It appears there is a bug with the data not showing up in a PC unless you select the Highlight Fields.

           

          Please provide information as to why this is and what can be done to prevent this from happening.

           

           

          Thanks in advance for any assistance provided.

          • 2. Re: Using a MAC to fill out PC Created PDF forms creating problems
            pguerett techies
            pguerett Mar 22, 2010 6:53 AM (in response to FrontierSteve)

            Can you send the sample file to LiveCycle8@gmail.com and I will have a look.

             

            Paul

            • 3. Re: Using a MAC to fill out PC Created PDF forms creating problems
              Q34 Community Member
              Q34 Mar 24, 2010 12:17 PM (in response to FrontierSteve)

              Thanks for your response; it spurred on some more research.

               

              Some more dialogue and testing has indicated that the problem may be only occuring when recipients are using MAC Preview instead of Adobe Reader.

               

              The script in the blog below that we recieved from Adobe may help :

              I haven't tried it yet.  But, it sounds promising.
              Thanks to everyone who helped nail down the problem and find a solution!
              • 4. Re: Using a MAC to fill out PC Created PDF forms creating problems
                scoobox Community Member
                scoobox Mar 28, 2011 8:16 AM (in response to Q34)

                It seems that there are real issues in this area...

                I'm using LiveCycle 8.2.1 to create a form on a PC but Mac users forms are  empty on return. I’m using Acrobat 9.4 to collate forms returned.

                Clicking in Highlight fields does not show the data. The "Fix field  appearances" script has been installed but is greyed out on the edit  menu. I’ve been around the Google route for other suggestions and I’m  kind of at a loss as to the next thing to try. Help please
                The form contains mainly single line textfields some with validation  patterns some with drop downs and there is only 1 multi line field.
                Many thanks.

                Rod

                • 5. Re: Using a MAC to fill out PC Created PDF forms creating problems
                  Q34 Community Member
                  Q34 Apr 1, 2011 10:49 AM (in response to scoobox)

                  Hi Rod,

                   

                  Sorry I replied a few days ago, but for some reason it didn't seem to get added to the thread.  So, here we go again ...

                   

                  The "fix field" script worked great for me.  So, we have been using that solution when needed.  Unfortunately, I am not enough of an expert on these things to provide an intelligent answer as to why it may not be working for you.

                   

                  But, it also became evident from dialogue and testing that the issue only occurs when recipients use MAC Preview to complete the forms.  So, on some forms I have just added a note saying - MAC Users: Please complete the form using Adobe Reader.  As this is, of course, free software, which most people already have installed on their computer, this seems to prevent the problem from occurring as well.

                   

                  Hope that is at least a little bit helpful.

                  • 6. Re: Using a MAC to fill out PC Created PDF forms creating problems
                    scoobox Community Member
                    scoobox Apr 1, 2011 11:27 AM (in response to Q34)

                    hi Q34,

                    Its funny that you should come up with that as a buddy of mine said about Preview on the Mac. (I'm not a Mac person so...)

                    I changed the form/instructions for Mac people to use Adobe Reader instead and even included a link to the Adobe site for them to use. So far I have had 2 forms back from Mac people and the script worked ok. It had to be run on each field in turn ( i cant remember if thats how its meant to work) but the only fields that it didn't like were 2 fields defined as Date/Time. I have edited these on the Portfolio responses file and the format is definately wrong even after the edit. But this small number can sorted out prior to import into the final application.

                    Many thanks for your reply

                    Rod

                    • 7. Re: Using a MAC to fill out PC Created PDF forms creating problems
                      Q34 Community Member
                      Q34 Apr 1, 2011 12:00 PM (in response to scoobox)

                      Hi Rod,

                       

                      You're very welcome.  Glad you've found a solution that at least works most of the time!

                       

                      Susan

                      • 8. Re: Using a MAC to fill out PC Created PDF forms creating problems
                        kjensen4 Community Member
                        kjensen4 May 10, 2011 7:21 AM (in response to Q34)

                        I tired to look for that script mentioned in a previous thread, but the link didn't work any more.  So did I gather correctly from everyone's comments that just using Reader on the Mac will solve most problems?  I would be curious to see the script and learn a little more on how to use it in case I needed it.  I, like someone else in the thread, work for a University.  My department uses PCs mostly, but there are a select few who use Macs and it does cause some problems.

                         

                        Thanks!

                        • 9. Re: Using a MAC to fill out PC Created PDF forms creating problems
                          scoobox Community Member
                          scoobox May 10, 2011 8:59 AM (in response to kjensen4)

                          Hi

                          I have attached the JavaScript to this reply but renamed it to .txt so

                          hopefully it will get through. You will need to rename it to .js and apply

                          it as per previous posts here.

                          After I had applied it and tried to import Mac generated forms Adobe

                          complained but saying ok to each error the fields were fixed. At least

                          enough to be able to see the content. Adobe complained about the number of

                          fields not being the same as the original. It worked enough for me and I

                          only spent 10 mins doing fixes on the 6 people that used Macs.

                          Good Luck

                          scoobox -- Rod

                          • 10. Re: Using a MAC to fill out PC Created PDF forms creating problems
                            Q34 Community Member
                            Q34 May 11, 2011 9:58 AM (in response to kjensen4)

                            Hi,

                             

                            Yes, requesting that recipients complete the form with Adobe Reader not Mac Preview does seem to solve the problem.

                             

                            The script also worked great for us on forms that had already been completed with Preview.  If you would still like some more info on the script, the original script and some dialogue about the issue and solution is from a blog called The PDF Developer Junkie Blog, the entry was entitled Script to Fix Mac OSX Preview.app Form Fill and Save.  If you enter the title into the search feature on that site, the entry will pop up.

                             

                            Happy form filling!

                            • 11. Re: Using a MAC to fill out PC Created PDF forms creating problems
                              Marty McFly73 Community Member
                              Marty McFly73 Oct 16, 2013 5:51 PM (in response to Q34)

                              Hi all,

                              I am currently having the same problem.  Can't wait to test this script to see if it works!! I wasn't able to find the script at all in the URL posted earlier in this thread but I was able to find it here (hope it's the same one):

                               

                              https://systems.cs.uoregon.edu/wiki/index.php?n=Help.MacAppsAdobeAcrobat

                               

                              Hope that helps someone else

                              • 12. Re: Using a MAC to fill out PC Created PDF forms creating problems
                                Q34 Community Member
                                Q34 Oct 18, 2013 10:02 AM (in response to Marty McFly73)

                                Hi,

                                 

                                Here is a direct link to the updated version of the script.  One of our clients recently installed it and it seems to be working as great as the original did for us!

                                 

                                http://blog.practicalpdf.com/2013/08/introducing-the-practicalpdf-fix- form-utility/

                                • 13. Re: Using a MAC to fill out PC Created PDF forms creating problems
                                  paul dave Community Member
                                  paul dave Sep 18, 2014 6:03 AM (in response to Q34)

                                  I just want to share this site PDFFiller.com which I find very useful. You can upload your word or powerpoint document and convert it to PDF file. from the site you will able to fill out the form and give you the option to save, print, fax, mail or send to sign. You can also create forms using their existing templates. I was able to get the form I need through goo.gl/4mV858.