Field specific properties

Learn more about field properties that control the behavior of specific form components in Adobe Acrobat.

Field properties let you control how users interact with the form and how the data is collected, making your forms easier to use. Right-click a field to access its properties. The settings in the properties dialog box depend on the type of field selected.

Barcode field properties

You can customize how barcode fields encode and display data using the following settings:

• Symbology: Select from PDF417, QR Code, and Data Matrix barcode types.
• Compress Data Before Encoding to Barcode: Compresses data before encoding for reduced storage space.
• Decode Condition: Preset decode conditions, customizable with the Custom button.
• Custom: Customize processing parameters for your specific hardware.
• X Dimension: Width of the barcode cell in mils.
• Y/X Ratio: Height/width ratio of the cell.
• Error Correction Level: Determines data redundancy for error correction. Higher error correction levels create more reliable barcodes but result in larger sizes and limited capacity for encoding additional data. This feature is available for PDF417 and QR Code barcodes, reducing issues like printing defects, fax transmission errors, and document damage.
• Manage Barcode Parameters: Save and share custom barcode selections.

Check box properties

You can define how checkboxes appear in a the form using the following settings:

• Check Box Style: Shape of the marker inside the checkbox.
• Export Value: Value representing the item for data export.
• Check box is checked by default: Preselects the checkbox.
  

Drop-down and list box properties

You can customize how users interact with dropdown and list boxes using the following settings:

• Item: Text for options displayed in the menu.
• Add: Moves the current entry to the Item List.
• Export Value: Value representing the item for data export.
• Item List: Displays available choices.
• Up and Down buttons: Change item order. These buttons are not available if Sort items is selected.
• Delete: Removes selected items.
• Sort items: Numerically and alphabetically arrange items.
• Allow user to enter custom text: Enables custom text entry.
• Check spelling: Spelling check for user-entered text.
• Commit selected value immediately: Saves the value immediately.

List box properties

You can set up how boxes capture multiple selections while filing the form using the following settings:

• Item: Text for options displayed in the menu.
• Add: Moves the current entry to the Item List.
• Export Value: Value representing the item for data export.
• Item List: Displays available choices.
• Up and Down buttons: Change item order. These buttons are not available if Sort items is selected.
• Delete: Removes selected items.
• Sort items: Numerically and alphabetically arrange items.
• Multiple selection: Allows selecting multiple items.
• Commit selected value immediately: Saves the value immediately.

Radio button properties

You can control how radio buttons appear and function in grouped selections using the following settings:

• Button Style: Shape of the marker inside the button.
• Radio Button Choice: Identifies the radio button.
• Button is checked by default: Preselects the button.
• Buttons with the same name and choice are selected in unison: Allows single-click selection of related radio buttons.
  

Text field properties

You can set formatting, behavior, and input limits for text fields using the following settings:

• Alignment: Aligns text Left, Right, or Center.
• Default Value: Initial text in the field.
• Multi-line: Allows multiple-line entries.
• Scroll long text: Compensates for extended text.
• Allow Rich Text Formatting: Enables text styling.
• Limit of characters: Sets character limit.
• Password: Displays entered text as asterisks.
• Comb of characters: Spreads the user-entered text evenly across the width of the text field. If a Border Color is specified in the Appearance tab, each character entered in the field is separated by lines of that color. This option is available only when no other checkbox is selected.

E-signature field properties

You can control what happens when the user applies a digital signature to the form using the following settings:

• Nothing happens when signed: This is the default setting.
• Mark as read-only: Determines post signature changes.
  • All fields: Locks all form fields.
  • All fields except these: Allows edits in selected fields.
  • Just these fields: Locks only selected fields.
• This script executes when field is signed: Enables custom JavaScript execution post signature.