Expanding to Fit the Entire Value
A while ago, I posted an article detailing a trick to make the value of a field be displayed entirely within the field’s content area. Essentially, by setting the value font size to zero, this tells Acrobat to shrink the field’s content area (value) font at will to make the entire value entered fit horizontally. This can certainly be useful but there’s one significant drawback: the value font may shrink such that it becomes too small for anyone to read depending on how much data the user enters into the field.
Fortunately, there’s an alternative method to making a value fit within a field’s content area when you don’t know how long the value will be: Making the field’s width and/or height expandable!
The advantage of this solution is that the value font’s size remains constant (the same as which you specified it to be when you designed the form). When a field is make expandable, its "w" (width) and/or "h" (height) attributes are replaced by "minW" (minimum width) and/or "minH" (minimum height) attributes, respectively. These attributes define the initial and minimum size of the entire field (that is, its caption and content areas combined). When the width is extended, however, only the field’s content area is increased in width. Its caption area remains the same width. On the other hand, causing the height of a field’s content area to be extended will also cause the caption area’s height to be extended.
Making a Field Expandable
Specifying that a field’s width and/or height is to expand to fit its content is quite simple: You just need to check the "Expand to fit" check box that pertains to the width and/or height property on the Layout palette.
Getting a Tight Fit
So far, you’ve learned how to make a field’s width and/or height expandable, essentially by specify a minimum width and/or height instead of a set width and/or height. Now what if you wanted to ensure that the field’s width and/or height was always just wide enough to contain whatever value was entered? For example, you don’t want a whole bunch of empty space if you set a minimum width of 2 inches to have a nice initial size to enter a value into the field but the user only entered a value that required 1 inch to be entirely displayed.
In that case, you could simply set the minimum width to zero when the user leaves the field, if they’ve entered a value. This is done by scripting the field’s Exit event (shown here in FormCalc):
$.minW = "0"Look-out for Long Values!
One thing you have to look-out for is extra long values — especially if you haven’t specified a maximum length for the field. If the user enters too much data, the field might simply run off the page.
If you don’t want to set a maximum data length for the field but you don’t want it to expand beyond a certain width, you can set a maximum width and/or height. Since Designer’s UI doesn’t let you set this property directly, you can use the field’s Initialize script to set it (shown here in JavaScript):
this.maxW = "4.5in"; // max width of 4.5 inchesNote, however, that if the user enters more data than can fit within the specified maximum dimensions, the value will be cut-off and won’t print so you may consider setting a maximum data length or resorting to the previous solution (setting the font size to zero).
Sample
This sample form implements the solution I’ve described in this post.
Minimum Requirements: Designer 7.x, Acrobat 7.x.
Posted by Stefan Cameron on October 31st, 2006
Filed under Scripting, Tutorials
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Is there a way to determine within a script whether or not the text fits within the field? Acrobat/Reader give the visual clue (the + sign) but I can’t find any documentation indicating that this “status” is available programmatically.
Brad,
To my knowledge, this kind of information isn’t available via the scripting API.
If you’re trying to grow the field such that the text always fits, I would suggest you make the field’s width and/or height expandable using the Layout palette. This will ensure that the text always fits (and is always completely visible).
Thanks for the response. Expanding the field is not appropriate for my application. I wanted to do a kind of “pre-flight” print checking to make sure that all content will be visible within the fixed amount of space that has been allocated. Since I’m using variable width fonts I can’t just restrict the number of characters.
Brad,
I think I understand your problem a little better now. You may still have some options:
event.target.getField(GetFQSOMExp(this)).doNotScroll = true;
Note that this must be done in the field’s Enter event (when the field receives focus). Doing it in the Initialize event is too soon and you won’t have access to the pertaining Acrobat Field Object in order to set the doNotScroll property.
In both cases, this will limit users from entering more text than can fit into the content (value) area of a field. It’s different from setting a maximum character length for the field in that it takes variable width fonts and kerning into consideration.
I have created a table with auto-fit textbox in the repeating row. Although I have set both Table and Body Row property to “Allow Page Break within Content”, the table still run off the page for bulky input (start from the first row of second page). How can I fix this?
Esther,
If I understand correctly, the text field within the table row isn’t splitting in two parts with the beginning on page 1 and the remainder on page 2, for example. Instead, the entire table row gets moved onto page 2.
To make sure that the text field within the table row is split into two parts, the table must be placed within a flowed container (that is, a subform with its Content Type property set to “Flowed” — set this via the Subform tab in the Object palette) and the table and table row must both have the “Allow Page Breaks within Content” option checked (also set via the Object palette’s Table and Row tabs, respectively).
Thanks very much! I just miss the “Flowed Container” that you mentioned.
I am creating a table with following spec. but the result is not what I expected, so wonder if it is possible in Pro 8:
One subform container for the table body which just repeats once, and the table body itself contains 10 rows, with column one a positioned subform, so that I can put different elements for each row.
I can’t make it right as the page break problem happened once again. So it is impossible to make a flowable table with not just using the repeating content?
Esther,
A flowed container (subform or table) is required if you’re going to make something within it repeatable.
You should be able to select the default text object contained in the first column of a row and change its type (via the Object palette Field tab’s Type property) to a subform. This will give you a positioned subform as a table cell. At that point, if you want the subform within the cell to split across pages, I believe you’ll also have to make it flowed. You can always add a further level of nesting using positioned subforms in order to position fields within that subform at precise locations.
Hi Stefan,
I have a question about using javascript to set the width of a cell in a table. Say we have a table with 1 row as well as a header row (named Row1 and HeaderRow). Also, HeaderRow contains the default text object called “Cell1″ and so does Row1. So basically I just clicked on “create a simple table” with one column and one body row. I can adjust the heights of the rows with the following code:
Table1.HeaderRow.Cell1.h = “2in”;
However, when I try to adjust the width with the following code, nothing happens.
Table1.HeaderRow.Cell1.w = “2in”;
I can put a text object on the form and adjust either the height or width, but when it’s bound by a table, I seem to only be able to adjust the height.
Thanks a lot,
Brent
Brent,
Very good question! In order to understand why you can’t adjust the width of a column the same way you can adjust its height, you need to understand a bit about how tables work in XFA.
Tables are essentially <subform> structures where the table itself is a subform with a special “table” layout (which is basically a top-bottom flowed layout). It then contains subforms as its children which each represent a row. These subforms also have a special layout which is, you guessed it, “row” (basically a left-right flowed or western text flowed layout with some slight differences). Since these special subforms are flowed, you can use Instance Manager objects to add/remove instances of rows within a table and cells within rows — as you’ve done already.
Now to get to your question, the height of a row is determined by the tallest cell and all other cells are treated as being that height in the layout even if they aren’t the same height — hence why you can adjust the height of a row by setting the height of a cell.
The width of a cell, however, is set by the column widths defined on the table subform itself in a special attribute called “columnWidths”. It contains a space-delimited list of columns widths. These measurements override any individual cell widths. Therefore, in order to change the width of a cell, you have to change the width of the column it pertains to in the columnWidths attribute which you simply access as a property on the table subform:
A suggestion for easily editing this attribute’s value would be to use the JavaScript String object’s “split” method to convert the string list into an array of sizes which you can then manipulate. Although the units (“mm”) will also be part of those numbers, you may specify column widths using other units if you wish.
Last but not least, if the columns don’t appear to render correctly after you set the new column widths, it’s probably because you need to force the form to be re-rendered by using the following statement (this will apply to Acrobat/Reader 8.0 or earlier):
This is a similar bug to the one about adding/removing table columns. This issue is fixed in the Acrobat/Reader 8.1 update.
Hiya Stefan,
You seem to know your stuff around Adobe Designer. I have a small issue, perhaps you can shed some light on the subject because what I am finding is limited and useless.
I have a form I am developing with Designer 7.0. For some reason, when I add something random (sometimes an image or even changing text) Designer won’t save. I get an error saying it cannot save because of “PDDocSave”. Now I can figure the problem out if I know what the heck that actually does…. Any ideas?
Thanks,
Stephanie
Thanks a lot Stefan! I would have never figured out that the column widths are stored in a space-delimited string. This is the first dynamic pdf file I have ever created and you and your site have helped me so much. Thanks again.
Stephanie (eDesign4Less),
I believe the error message you’re seeing is
According to my colleagues, this error message usually occurs when there’s a problem saving a form as a PDF file. Possible causes could be that the PDF file is currently open in another application (thus preventing Designer from writing any changes to it) or that the system ran out of memory while attempting to write to the PDF file (which could explain why it tends to occur, for you, when you’re adding an image object to a form depending on the size of the image file that you load into it).
I’m sorry I can’t be more specific than that — hopefully this helps.
Hey Stefan,
I have 3 text fields on a page all set to expand and all set to be the same height. Getting the xfa.layout.h for one text field and setting the minH of the other 2 fields to this height. Now my question is when the text field expands over onto a second page the H does grow past the height of the first page. It tells me the height is 265 mm…when there’s another 100 mm on the second page. I do I get the full height when it’s over onto a second or third or more pages.
Tyler
Tyler,
It took me a little while to figure this one out because the documentation on “xfa.layout.h” isn’t very clear. Essentially, you’ll need to make use of the function’s 3rd parameter which takes a “page offset”. What this means is that you need to give it the zero-based index of the page on which you want to determine the height of the field. For example, if the field spanned 2 pages and you wanted its height on the second page, you would do this:
The other important piece is how to determine the page index of the first page on which the object appears as well as the number of pages that it spans. For this information, you’ll need to use the “xfa.layout.page” (to determine the one-based index of the first page on which the object appears — a return value of zero likely means that the object isn’t rendered, probably because it’s hidden) and “xfa.layout.pageSpan” (to determine the number of pages that the object spans).
By using “xfa.layout.page”, “xfa.layout.pageSpan” and “xfa.layout.h”, you can then iterate through all pages that the object appears on and add the heights in order to determine the total height. Here’s an example (in JavaScript):
Hi Stefan,
I have a few issues with my form that I am trying to create in Adobe Designer 7. First, I have two options using radio button, each options has descriptions/text fields that need to be filled in once checked. Is there a way that if one option is selected, only the selected description/text fields are visible and the other otpion/descriptions/tex fields will be hidden? Second, what is the script for automatically populate information from one field into another because the checkbox was checked? Third, expanding the field automatically, I have been trying everything that I’ve read from this page and it still does not work. I have the text field that will allow mutiple lines, what is it that I am missing in order for the form to grow when more texts are being added.
Hue Ngo,
Hello Stefan,
I have two questions.
Question 1
I know how to make expandable flowing text fields on multiple pages. But the problem I encounter is when the expandable text field flows onto another page, it creates a new blank page with the expanded text on it. Is there a way to have the expanded text roll over on to the next page of the form, pushing the next pages content down to accomodate it.
Question 2
Is there a way to create a text field that has horizontal lines populated in it to accomodate the people that need to hand write in the form while the text perfectly matching up as if it was underlined for the users that electronically fill out the form?
oops, forgot to add.
I am using Adobe Acrobat 8 LiveCycle Designer
Kyle,
In response to question 1: If the expandable text field is inside a flowed subform, all objects inside that subform that follow that text field as it expands in height will continue to flow on the next page just below the text field.
In response to question 2: I don’t know of a way to produce horizontal lines. The only thing I can think of that comes close is to specify a comb on the field but this only works for single-lined fields.
Hmmm, I have a subform that encompasses page 2 – page 5, set to flowed with page breaks checked. I think my Hierarchy looks ok, but instead of the expanding text field being on the next page pushing down another text field. It creates a new blank page inbetween for example page2 and page3 instead of the textfield going on page3. Any thoughts?
Figured it out. Thank you for your time Stefan. The problem was, under pagination, I needed to have the subforms that are created for my pages to be “following previous”, it was defaulted to “top of next page”.
Hi Stephan,
I really need your help! I am currently trying to create forms and I would like to make fields that has the capacity to add in lengthy text. Now, what ive done is put a text box where the lengthy text is to be entered. However, I dont want the textbox to expand (due to dynamic text format), but instead flow onto the next page, ( sort of how microsoft word works) I hope you can help me! Thank u!
Best
Joey
Joey,
It sounds like you should be giving your text box a set width and an expandable height so that it doesn’t grow in width but just in height. Then you would need to put it in a flowed subform and make sure that the subform’s content can break across pages (both these settings can be found on the “Object palette > Subform tab”). Note that all subforms up to the page subform will need to be flowed in order for the text field to successfully break across the page.
Hi Stefan,
Thanks so much for your reply. I just have another question, in the form that I’ve created, the subform button is not available ( as in it it won’t allow me to click it). I have created this form from an existing document in InDesign. Is that the problem? If I create a new form it will allow me to create a subform. However I need to have the subform available in the existing document to allow me to add text. Please help! and Thank you so much for your time and help..
Joey
Joey,
That’s the problem: When you import a form as “fixed pages” (as you have done with your InDesign document), you cannot use the subform object. Furthermore, you cannot use “dynamic” features such as “expand to fit” on a text field. This is because the PDF you end-up with, while staying true-to-form to your original document layout, is essentially a static PDF which doesn’t support any dynamic features (e.g. showing/hiding fields, growing/shrinking fields, adding/removing subform instances, etc.).
I’m afraid the only alternative is to import your form as “flowable layout” however I can’t guarantee that you’ll like the results.
Hi,
I have a question, say if I have 1 text field which I want it to be expandable and I have another text object right beside the text field, my problem is when the text field expanded it overlapped with the text object besides it. Is there any way I can expand the textfield and at the same the text object will also move accordingly?
Thank you.
Jacelyn,
The problem with the expandable field overlapping the other field beside it is that the fields aren’t in a flowable container (a subform with flowed content). Therefore the second field is fixed in position on the form. If both fields were in a flowed container and the first expanded, the second would automatically be shifted to the right or downwards (depending on the flow direction) to accommodate for the first field’s new width/height.
You should be able to select both fields and then right-click and choose “wrap in subform”. That will place both fields in a single subform. Then, with the subform selected, set “Object palette > Subform tab > Content” to “Flowed” and, if you want your fields to remain side-by-side, set “Flow Direction” to “Western Text” (which means “left-to-right, top-to-bottom”).
If you set the flow direction to “Western Text”, increasing the width of the first field such that the second can no longer fit next to it without going outside the form’s right hand margin should cause the second field to essentially wrap around end-up below the first field (on the “second line”).
Hi Stefan;
I created a form in Acrobat 8.0 using an MS Word form. It looks fine – the text fields were recognized etc. So far so good. However, I want the fields to expand and I want the entire form to flow and extend on to new pages as text is added to the fields just as it would in word. However the “Expand to Fit” boxes are grayed out for all of my text fields, I also cannot save the form as a Dynamic form as that option does not appear when I save it; my only choices are Acrobat 6/7/8 Static form. I also cannot wrap any of the text boxes in a subform which I read somewhere you needed to do in order to get the form to flow. If I create a new blank form I can save it as Dynamic form so it is extremely puzzling why the converted word form does not allow that option. Do you have any ideas or suggestions for these issues?
Thank you
Kelly,
The issue here is likely with the way you imported your Word document into Designer: When you import the form with “fixed pages” (a.k.a. as “artwork”), the result is an XFA form with the original PDF (or the Word document converted to a PDF) as its background. While the results are aesthetically precise (i.e. it preserves any kind of special layout you might have had in your original document), this type of form cannot be dynamic (e.g. fields in it can’t expand to fit, as you’ve observed, and you can’t have sections that expand or contract, amongst other things).
If you import your Word document using the “Interactive Form with Flowable Layout” option in Designer, then you’ll get a form that may not look exactly like your original document however you’ll be able to save it as a Dynamic PDF form and make fields and sections expandable.
Hi Stefan. I have 2 somewhat related questions.
Is there a way to determine through scripting which content area(s) a certain subform is contained in? I have a form that’s a 2 column layout, one content area for each column. I’d like to know if a subform with a text field flows from one column to the other — or is contained wholly in one column.
Also, I’ve been trying to change the heights of content areas during runtime. Ont he same 2-column form, I have a header area that expands based on the amount of text a user types. I’d like the 2 columns to start directly below that header. I’ve been trying to get the height of the header and using that to calculate a new height for a content area. But I can’t seem to make it work. Is this impossible?
Thanks very much.
Dear Stefan,
I just found your blog and must thank you for the information I have so far gathered. I am having the same problem as Esther above where my expandable text fields that are placed within a Table Cell don’t flow properly. Instead of information being on both the first and second page the whole table row jumps pages. This is a problem is someone inputs more information than one page can hold and Acrobat doesn’t know what to do anymore.
I have created text fields in subforms that expand properly no problem. I have also gone into the Object\Table, and Row properties and checked “Allow Page Breaks within Content.” Is there anything that you can think of that would be causing problems. If seeing the file would help I have posted it here
Nate,
While it’s possible to determine the page on which a form object is located, I don’t believe it’s possible to determine in which content area on that page it happens to be rendered. You can determine the page using the “xfa.layout.page(object)” function where the parameter is a reference to the form object in question.
As for resizing content areas at runtime, that’s not possible. There are too many implications with regards to form layout for this to be possible.
sbrof,
I think it’s the buttons (MoveUp, MoveDown, RemoveItem) inside the table row that are preventing the breaks within the Item_OT and Issue_OT text fields.
If you create a new table with a row containing only multi-line, height-expandable text fields as cells and allow page breaks within the content of the table and the row, the fields should break assuming there’s a common break point amongst the content in all fields/cells.
Also note that this will only work with Designer 8.2 and Acrobat 9.0 since those versions introduce the ability to break field content across page boundaries.
Hi Stefan, googling for wrapping text inside checkbox sorta point me to your site once again, would you by any chance know how to do this?
Sylvia,
I’m quite certain caption text in a checkbox will wrap if you size the caption area large enough to fit the text. If it doesn’t, I think you’ll have to set the checkbox’s “Layout palette > Caption > Placement property” to “None” and use a separate text object for the caption.
Hi Stefan
I’m using Designer 8, Acrobat 8 and testing on Reader 8.
I have a table with a few rows and the rows contain TextBox fields.
They have been set to height expandable so if the text is larger than the box it expands to fit. This works fine.
I am having trouble with the overflow of a particular row. So if one row expands over more than one page it doesn’t split the cell so that the row stays on the first page and the overflow goes onto the next page. Is this possible?? From your comment above to sbrof, I believe I’m not using the right version. Just need to confirm.
Thanks in advance
Anthony,
That’s right: Splitting text field values between pages is a new feature in Designer 8.2 and Acrobat/Reader 9.
Hi Stefan,
Quick question for you … I know this hasn’t been possible in the past, and was wondering if anything has changed in versions 8.1.2 or 9.
I have an expandable text field, but as the user enters multiple lines of text, the height of the text field remains the same, and a scroll bar appears along the right hand side. The text field does not expand in size until focus is moved away from the field.
Is there any way to allow the text field to dynamically grow as the user is typing in the text? I don’t think it’s possible (it would seem very expensive to recalculate layout with each line of text entered), but figured I’d ask.
Thanks.
duane,
I know what you mean. I wish it resized in real-time but that hasn’t changed in Acrobat/Reader 9.
Hi Stefan,
I’m trying to create the expandable field, just like your reply #28, but it’s not working. I can’t even get the expandable field to work. I’ve checked off “expand to fit” but still…nothing! I’m using Acrobat 9 and livecycle designer. Is there something I’m missing? please help!
Sorry, to add to that..the field keeps giving me a plus sign and doesn’t expand, even though its checked off as expand to fit. any ideas??
Stephanie,
It sounds like your PDF might be static, not dynamic, in which case field expansion will not work. Have a look at my article on previewing a form as a Dynamic PDF.
Hi Stefan,
I have a document with a fixed layout for the first page and possibly dynamic layout for the following pages.
I need a multi line text field on the first page that should behave as follows: If the amount of text exceeds the visible part, it should be replaced by something like “for details see last page…”, and then the complete text should appear there. So I think I need the following:
1. Determine if the field is full, without restricting the number of characters entered.
2. Create a new field on the last page
I haven’t tried number 2 yet because I did not succeede with number one. So any idea for queastion 1?
Thanks
Christoph,
Sounds like you need something like the auto-splitting text sample.
I am using LiveCycle 8.2 and want an expandable text field, and the next items to move down to accommodate the text. I have it (along with some other items) in a subform that is “positioned” and the subform below it is also “positioned” but those two subforms are within another subform which is “flowed,” so as I understand it from the other responses, the subform below SHOULD move down to accommodate the expanded text. I have checked off the height as expand to fit, which it does, but it appears over the next set of items. I know this is possible; I have used a form with it, but unfortunately, that form is protected or I’d crib the scripts, etc. Oh, yeah, it is a dynamic form.
Thanks! This is a GREAT forum!!!!!!
Loretta,
In order to get the subform below to move down when the text field’s height expands, everything must be flowed, including the two subforms that are currently positioned. If you need to place objects within those subforms in specific locations around the text field, you can wrap those other objects within positioned subforms of their own.
Hi
Is it possible to make expandable form fields whereby the text box will expand to accommodate all the copy and flow the remaining fields down the document, using Acrobat Pro only?
Thanks
Robert,
If by “using Acrobat Pro only” you mean in an Acrobat Form, not an XFA Designer form, then I don’t believe you can do it but you would be best to ask your question at the acrobatusers.com forum.
Otherwise, as long as your field is inside a flowed subform and that subform and its siblings are inside a flowed subform (could be the root subform), then when the field expands, the following content will flow down.
Hi Stefan,
Love your site! Question regarding this post. I have a textfield with a default value that is multiple lines entered in my field. The objective is if the user choses not to include this line or part of the line, they can highlight the text and remove it.
In the object field section I have “Allow multiple lines” checked and in the layout section I have “Expand to fit” selected as well.
I have the following in the exit under javascript
this.minH = “0″
This works to shrink the textfield to the necessary size however, if the user removes the entire text a space remains (which I am guessing is the minimum size for the font). This is not what I want.
I want if the user removes the entire text from the textfield it makes the text field the size of 0 (like a flowable subform does when it is empty).
I have tried to add validation script to make the subform it is in “hidden” if the minH – 0 and I have tried if the text field =null but neither work properly.
I am using LiveCycle ES 8.2
Any help or advise would be very helpful.
Thank you in advance for your time.
Chris,
You’re correct: Even if the minimum height is 0 and the field doesn’t even have a caption, the field’s height remains at the height needed to show one line of text in its content area.
I would suggest you simply hide the field on exit if it’s empty. In the text field’s Exit event, just use this script:
Thank you Stefan!
I wont even try to pretend I know what I am doing! Somehow I managed to bumble through the creation of a form with expandable flowed subforms, the form work to a point. Once any of the flowed data reaches the bottom of the page, no 2nd page materializes. Typed info is not viewable, is there some simplistic setting I have over-looked.
I have checked allow page breaks on every subform that will allow it. Some do not allow it, some have paginantion options. Any help will be great Thanks
Update,
Stefan I now know what Im doing, form work awesome…on problem how does on add a header or footer to these dynamic documents. Going to document tab in pdf does not allow adding.
Please help
Kevin,
I’m glad you figured it out!
On adding headers and footers, you would add these to the Master Page. Choose “View > Master Pages” and then resize the content area to give you room for your header and/or footer. (The content area defines the area on the master page where body content flows. Note that resizing the content area will require you to resize your page subforms on the Design View accordingly.)
With the content area resized properly, you can then place fields/text above and/or below to create a header and/or footer that will be displayed on all pages of your form as they are created with respect to the dynamic content on the Design View.
Stefan,
What can I say? You the man!!!
Thanks!
Stefan,
Im not even sure the program can do I what I am trying, but let me explain. I have a flowed drop box and fillable field text together. The flowed portion seems to work fine. What I would like is for the drop box and and field to replicate as needed…I do not mind if the is one blank row on a form. Is there a setting to make the form replicate this content while it is being filled out. I can set a number of rows, but if I set 10 and only 3 are used that leaves a lot or empty space.
Kevin
Kevin,
You would need to wrap your drop down list and text field into a subform and place that subform inside another subform that has flowed content (“Object palette > Subform tab > Content property” is set to “Flowed”). Then you would make the inner subform, that contains your two fields, repeatable by setting its “Object palette > Binding tab > Repeat Subform for Each Data Item property”.
Once this is done, you can use the Instance Manager in a script to add/remove instances of the subform containing the two fields. For example, say the inner subform was named “row”. You would do the following to add an instance in the Click event of a button:
I have a successful text field that has $.minW=”0″ and $.maxW=”4″ wrapped in a flows subform with western text flow direction.
I need to control the entry in that text field so I need it to be a drop down list. Once I change the text field to a drop down list, I cannot make the field expand and contract and the expand checkbox under the layout tab is greyed out.
What am I doing wrong?
Pat,
Unfortunately, drop down lists do not support the “expand to fit” features (and neither do list boxes).
Hey Stefan,
Using 8.2
Getting desperate… I’m new to livecycle and I have a newbie problem. My document is built like this:
Subform(positioned)
Subform (flowed)
- Table (set to allow breaks)
I have to add dynamic value fields Inside the cells. So I need my rows height to adjust according to the content. Might sound stupid but I can’t figure it out. I’ve been searching for hours. It seems like a basic thing in all the programs I’ve ever worked with.
Emmanuel,
Just make sure your cell fields are set to expand to fit their value vertically (height-wise).
Note that only certain types of fields can expand to fit their value and when in a table, they can only expand vertically. Having non-expandable fields (e.g. drop down lists) in a row, however, will not preclude other expandable fields in the row (and the row itself) from expanding.
Hi Stefan,
I am using LC Designer 8.2.
Q) I am creating drop down lsit box. However, the text of each list item is too long to be visible as it is a long paragraph. May I know if there is any text wrap script available for drop down and list box?
Thanks
Campbell,
Text in listbox and drop down list items cannot be wrapped.
I am attempting to convert an existing Word form to pdf. I have Adobe Pro and Livecycle. If I simply convert the doc to pdf, (by either opening in Acrobat Pro, or simply right-click and convert to pdf) the height auto-expand property on several text fields which exists in the Word form is lost in the pdf. Initially I thought perhaps this was happening because that property does not exist in Acrobat. So I attempted to open the Word form in Livecycle without creating a pdf first. However the option to import with a flowable layout does not appear when importing a Word doc, only when I import a pdf, so the auto-expand property is lost. I realize I can change the auto-expand property once I open the form in Livecycle, however my problem is that I have several documents, many of which are 15+ pages. To modify the properties of each field, the page layout, subforms, etc, etc would be ridiculously time-consuming. Is there a way to import the Word form which will not lose the auto-expand height property? Thanks…
Laurie,
I’m afraid I don’t have an answer for you. When you import a Word document directly, the only option is to import with flowable layout so if the auto-expand attribute isn’t being retained, it must be because the import tool doesn’t support/recognize it.
Bummer. Thanks for the reply anyway, Stefan.