Adobe Reader 8

Forms preferences

Set forms preferences to control various aspects of your interaction with form fields.

To open the Preferences dialog box, choose Edit > Preferences (Windows/UNIX) or Reader > Preferences (Mac OS), and then select Forms on the left. The forms preferences are organized in three sections: General, Highlight Color, and Auto-Complete

Note: The forms preferences apply to the way the application handles open forms as you work. The preferences aren’t saved with the PDF forms themselves.

General

Automatically Calculate Field Values
Automatically performs all field calculations upon user entry.

Show Focus Rectangle
Indicates which form field currently has the focus.

Keep Forms Data Temporarily Available On Disk
Retains forms data in the web browser if you briefly go to another web page and then click Back to return to the PDF form.

Show Text Field Overflow Indicator
Displays a plus sign (+) in text fields that exceed the bounds specified when the fields were created.

Always Hide Forms Document Message Bar
Hides the forms document message bar by default whenever a PDF form is opened in Adobe Reader.

Highlight Color

Show Border Hover Color For Fields
Displays a black outline around a form field when you place the pointer over it.

Fields Highlight Color
Opens a color picker for selecting the color of highlighted form fields. The highlight appears when the Highlight Fields button  on the document message bar is clicked.

Required Fields Highlight Color
Opens a color picker for selecting the border color of form fields that must be filled in. The border appears for required form fields only after you attempt to submit the form.

Auto-Complete

Auto-Complete menu
Displays three options for Auto-Complete: Off, Basic, or Advanced.

Remember Numerical Data
Suggests your previously entered numerical entries when you type the same first character into a similar field. When deselected, Auto-Complete offers suggestions only for text entries. (Available only when Basic or Advanced is selected.)

Edit Entry List
Displays current entries stored in the Auto-Complete memory. You can select and delete any entries that you don’t want to keep for filling in future forms. (This option isn’t available if no entries are in the memory.)