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Thread ID: 51961 2004-12-05 23:35:00 On-screen PDF form Richard (739) Press F1
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299822 2004-12-05 23:35:00 I have a submission form that I wish to fill in. It is in PDF format. I can do almost anything with it except fill it in on screen. Is there a way? Or do I have to print it out and fill it in the old fashioned way.

Got my fingers crossed!
Richard (739)
299823 2004-12-05 23:39:00 Yup I came across the same thing the other day. Even tho the file properties said (in the reader) that form fill was allowed. I couldnt type anything in the form.

I had to print it, fill it in then scan it then email it. If u had the pro version of acrobat, it MIGHT let you fill it in.
Spacemannz (808)
299824 2004-12-05 23:47:00 Most such forms are in PDF form to stop you "editing" them.

I send a lot of info out in PDF form. If I ever get one back that has been electronically edited, it goes in the recycle bin.

If you can edit the form you could also (in theory) change the content, and most "forms" end up as a legal document somewhere. If you have edited it, every word would need to be checked by the originator to ensure that the original intent is preserved.

Otherwise they would just use RTF format.
godfather (25)
299825 2004-12-06 02:18:00 Apparently the US tax department have PDF forms which can be filled in on screen. So the technology exists. This is what Adobe (www.adobe.com) have to say about it.

My interpretation is: you should be able to fill in the fields on screen, but you can't save the filled in form. Presumably you can print it with the fields you have entered. :D
Graham L (2)
299826 2004-12-06 02:26:00 NZ IRD (www.ird.govt.nz) also have PDF versions of tax returns that can be modified on screen and printed.

Cheers
Miami
Miami Steve (2128)
299827 2004-12-06 02:36:00 Just to be clear - it is entirely possible to construct a form that allows only those fields to be filled out.

It's just that this is seldom done (as the software is expensive compared to the ordinary version).

Where the form is designed to be filled out, thats what you do. Where its not, attempts to edit it can be counterproductive.
godfather (25)
299828 2004-12-06 23:32:00 Thanks guys.
I will write my submission in Word, and attach it to the PDF submission form.
Richard (739)
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