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.

// Ethnio survey code removed