Form fields general settings

Learn more about PDF form field settings to improve form functionality and experience in Adobe Acrobat

Use the general settings in the Form Field Properties dialog box to customize how a field looks and behaves. Properties are grouped into tabs General and Actions appear for all field types, while others, like Options, vary by field. Each tab includes Locked and Close options to prevent changes or exit the dialog. Changes apply immediately when you select another property. To edit multiple fields, keep the dialog open and click between fields.

Form field appearance settings

The appearance tab in form field properties is available for all form field types except barcodes:

• Border Color: Select a color for the field frame or No Color for no border.
• Fill Color: Select a background color for the field or keep it transparent.
• Line Thickness: Set the thickness of the field border.
• Line Style: Select options like Solid, Dashed, or Underline.
• Font Size: Adjust the text size within the field, with an Auto option for dynamic resizing.
• Text Color: Pick a color for the entered text or selection markers.
• Font: Select from available system fonts. This option is not applicable for non-text fields.

Form field position settings

The Position tab allows you to accurately position or resize the currently selected fields within a precision of up to 10,000ths of an inch. You can also move fields to precise locations on the page.

Use the Height and Width options to change only the size of fields. To relocate fields without changing their dimensions, select Do not change height and width when changing the position.

Form field actions

The Actions tab in form field properties allows you to set up actions that trigger when users interact with the field:

• Select Trigger: Initiates the action for the trigger, such as Mouse Up, Mouse Down, Mouse Enter, Mouse Exit, On Focus, or Blur.
• Select Action: Specifies the event that occurs when the user triggers the action. Options include:
  • Execute a menu item
  • Go to a 3D/Multimedia view
  • Go to a page view, Import form data
  • Multimedia operation (Acrobat 9 and later)
  • Open a file
  • Open a web link
  • Play a sound, Play Media (Acrobat 5 Compatible)
  • Play Media (Acrobat 6 and Later Compatible)
  • Read an article
  • Reset a form
  • Run a JavaScript
  • Set layer visibility
  • Show/hide a field
  • Submit a form.
• Add: Opens a window to select and add an action.
• Actions: Displays the list of defined triggers and actions.
• Up and Down: Changes the order of the listed actions under the trigger. They are available when multiple actions are defined for the same trigger.
• Edit: Opens a dialog box with specific options for the selected action.
• Delete: Removes the selected action or trigger-action pair.