Creating a Placeholder

You can define a placeholder as text, a check box, or a radio button, depending on how you want the data presented.

Note:

The steps for adding a form field depend on the version of Adobe Acrobat Professional that you are using. See the Adobe documentation for the version. If you are using Adobe Acrobat 9 Pro, then from the Forms menu, select Add or Edit Fields.

Naming the Placeholder

The name of the placeholder must match the XML source field name.

Creating a Text Placeholder

Follow these steps to create a text Form Field placeholder using Adobe Acrobat 9 Pro. If you are using a different version of Adobe Acrobat Professional, then refer to the documentation for details.

To create a text placeholder:

  1. From the Forms menu, select Add or Edit Fields.
  2. From the Add New Field list, choose Text Field. The cursor becomes a crosshair.
  3. Place the crosshair in the form where you want the field to reside and click. The Field Name dialog pops up.
  4. Enter the name. The name of the text field must match the name of the XML element from the data that is to populate this field at runtime.
  5. To set more properties, click Show All Properties.

    Use the Properties dialog box to set other attributes for the placeholder. For example, enforce maximum character size, set field data type, data type validation, visibility, and formatting.

  6. If the field is not placed exactly where desired, or is not the correct size, drag the field for exact placement and resize the field using the handles.

Supported Field Properties Options

BI Publisher supports the following options available from the Field Properties dialog box.

Note that these options are not available when you use repeating fields. For more information about these options, see the Adobe Acrobat documentation.

  • General

    • Read Only

      The setting of this check box in combination with a set of configuration properties controls the read-only/updatable state of the field in the output PDF. See Setting Fields as Updatable or Read Only.

    • Required

    • Visible/Hidden

    • Orientation (in degrees)

  • Appearance

    • Border Settings: color, background, width, and style

    • Text Settings: color, font, size

    • Border Style

  • Options tab

    • Multi-line

    • Scrolling Text

  • Format tab - Number category options only

  • Calculate tab - all calculation functions

Creating a Check Box

A check box is used to present options from which more than one can be selected. Each check box represents a different data element. You define the value that causes the check box to display as checked.

For example, a form contains a check box listing of automobile options such as Power Steering, Power Windows, and Sunroof. Each of these represents a different element from the XML file (for example <POWER_STEERING>). If the XML file contains a value of Y for any of these fields, you want the check box to display as checked. All or none of these options may be selected.

The following describes how to create a check box field using Adobe Acrobat 9 Pro. If you are using a different version of Adobe Acrobat Professional, refer to the documentation for details.

To create a check box:

  1. From the Forms menu, select Add or Edit Fields.
  2. From the Add New Field list, choose Check Box. The cursor becomes a crosshair.
  3. Place the crosshair in the form where you want the field to reside and click. The Field Name dialog pops up.
  4. Enter the name. The name of the check box field must match the name of the XML element from the data that is to determine its state (checked or unchecked).
  5. Click Show All Properties
  6. Click the Options tab.
  7. Select the Check Box Style type from the list.
  8. In the Export Value field enter the value that the XML data field should match to enable the "checked" state.

    For example, enter "Y" for each check box field.

  9. Set other Properties as desired.

Creating a Radio Button Group

A radio button group is used to display options from which only one can be selected.

For example, the XML data file contains a field called <SHIPMENT_METHOD>. The possible values for this field are "Standard" or "Overnight". You represent this field in the form with two radio buttons, one labeled "Standard" and one labeled "Overnight". Define both radio button fields as placeholders for the <SHIPMENT_METHOD> data field. For one field, define the on state when the value is Standard. For the other, define the on state when the value is Overnight.

The following describes how to create a radio button group using Adobe Acrobat 9 Pro. If you are using a different version of Adobe Acrobat Professional, then refer to the documentation for details.

To create a radio button group:

  1. From the Forms menu, select Add or Edit Fields.
  2. From the Add New Field list, choose Radio Button. The cursor becomes a crosshair.
  3. Place the crosshair in the form where you want the radio button group to reside and click. The Radio Group Name dialog pops up.
  4. Enter the name. The name of the radio group must match the name of the XML element from the data that is to determine its state (selected or unselected).
  5. In the Button Value field enter the value that the XML data field should match to enable the on state.

    For the example, enter Standard for the field labeled Standard.

  6. To enter another radio button to the group, click Add another button to group. The name of the radio group defaults into the name field.
  7. In the Button Value field enter the value that the XML data field should match to enable the on state for this button.

    For example, enter Overnight for the field labeled Overnight.

  8. If you want to change any of the properties, then click Show All Properties. To change the radio button style, click the Options tab.
  9. Select Radio Button from the Type drop down list.
  10. Set other Properties as desired.