How Designer converts PDF objects

The conversion of PDF contents into XDP format is highly dependent on the source of the PDF file itself. The PDF specification allows for a wide variety of styling and structural layout, some of which lends itself to good migration. Often, PDF is used as a final form layout; that is, the display of the contents is the only thing that matters, not the contents themselves.

In many situations, Distiller® or PDFMaker actually generates the PDF file, but they both can only render what is provided to them in the order that it is provided.

This table identifies key elements in a PDF file and indicates how Designer treats them when they are imported.

Item	Converted	Not converted
Actions (from an Acrobat form)	Designer only converts the following actions that may be associated with a form created in Acrobat: Import form data Launch a URL Reset a form (full and partial field list) Show/hide a field Submit a form for complete field list	All remaining actions
Calculations	Average Maximum Minimum Sum Range
Comments/ Annotations		Not converted
Document	Document-level JavaScript script is converted to event scripts that are commented out. You must verify and update the scripts to match the Designer model. Pages and names Events other than JavaScript scripts Security options Document metadata, including PDF version, title, author, subject, keywords, creator, producer, creation date, modification date Accessibility information of Tagged PDFs is preserved.	Tab order
Fields	Date, Text, Numeric, Check Box, Radio Buttons and groups, Button, Combo box, Signature (only identified), Drop-down List, and List Box field types Default text Dimensions Events Font name, size, bold, italic JavaScript script is converted to event scripts that are commented out. You must verify and update the scripts to match the Designer model. Name Picture formatting Position, orientation, alignment, and visibility Printable Read Only, Required, Maximum Characters, and Multiline attributes RGB and grey color definitions for background color, border color, and color. Other color specifications are mapped to RGB values. Tool tip is preserved	All fonts used in a PDF file must exist on your system or font substitution rules must be defined in the font-mapping table. Designer uses a cross (x) to indicate when a check box is selected. If a check box in the PDF file uses a different character, the character is converted to a cross that may not be perfectly aligned inside the fillable area.
Images	All 1-bit, 4-bit, 8-bit, and 24-bit Dimensions Position	Vector based 6-bit 32-bit Some TIFF formats, including tiled TIFF format
Lines	Color (both edge and fill) Dimensions Position Width Some dotted and dashed styles Style
Rectangles	Color (both edge and fill) Dimensions Position Width Some dotted and dashed line styles Rounded-corner rectangles are converted when they are detected. The conversion depends on how the PDF file was generated.	Style
Scripts	Document, page, and field-level JavaScripts scripts are converted to event scripts that are commented out. You must verify and update the scripts to match the Designer model.
Text	Content Dimensions Font name, size, bold, italic Mixed formatting (rich text) Position RGB and grey color definitions for background color, border color, and color. Other color specifications are mapped to RGB values.	All fonts used in a PDF file must exist on your system or font substitution rules must be defined in the font-mapping table. Symbol-based characters are not always displayed correctly. You can define character-mapping rules in the character-mapping table. Designer does not support font kerning. When PDF-based kerning is detected, the font size is decreased so that the text occupies the same horizontal space.