Import Options dialog box

Use this dialog box to set options for importing PDF files that were not created with Designer.

This dialog box is not available when Designer is integrated with Workbench.

To display this dialog box in the stand-alone version of Designer, select File > Open, select a PDF file, and click Open. If the New Form Assistant appears, click the Do Not Use Assistant link.

Create an Interactive Form with Fixed Pages

Preserves the appearance of PDF documents created in Acrobat and other applications available in the Open dialog box. Converts Acrobat form fields to the corresponding Designer library objects. After you import the content of a PDF document as artwork, you can place additional library objects on top of the artwork as needed. Use this option if you have a PDF document that was created in Acrobat or some other application that you want to use as the basis (background) for creating an interactive form with fixed pages in Designer

Create an Interactive Form with a Flowable Layout

Imports PDF documents so that the contents can be edited in Designer. Any file attachments and annotations are removed. Keeps text together in fewer objects. Use this option if you want to create an interactive form with a flowable layout, make substantial text changes to the imported PDF form, or use Designer to make ongoing updates to form. This option also supports word-wrapping, but line breaks may not be preserved. Some touchup may be required to restore the appearance of the original document.

Custom Options for Importing PDF

Includes options for importing text:

Place content In: Specifies where the content will be placed in the form design, either in a page or a master page.
Join text as: Specifies how the text will be converted into objects.
Tolerance for joining text: A high tolerance setting provides a higher degree of possible variations and will join more pieces of text together into an object. A high setting may combine pieces of text that were meant to be separate objects. A low setting will keep more text as separate objects.
Tolerance for joining text lines: A high tolerance setting provides a higher degree of possible variations and will join more lines of text together into an object. A high setting may combine lines of text that were meant to be separate objects. A low setting will keep more text as separate lines of text.
Tolerance for joining paragraphs: A high tolerance setting provides a higher degree of possible variations and will join more paragraphs together. A high setting may combine paragraphs that were meant to be separate. A low setting will keep more paragraphs as separate objects. A low setting may miss combining text that should be together in a paragraph.

Embed images

Converts images in the PDF file and embeds them in the converted form. You can select one of the supported formats. If you leave the option deselected, Designer does not convert the images but inserts placeholders for them.

Format

Lists the image file formats you can select.

Display a summary report when conversion issues are found

If conversion issues are found, related information is displayed in a dialog box before the conversion operation is completed. You can cancel the operation if required.

Generate a log file

Creates a temporary log file in system’s temporary folder that records information about the conversion process, and can be read using any ASCII text editor. Select one of these options to specify where to locate the log file:

Do not log: No log file is generated.
\TEMP\ConvertPDF.log: Generates a log file, called ConvertPDF.log, in system’s temporary folder.
\TEMP\inputfile.log: Generates a log file in system’s temporary folder using the same name as the input file. For example, if the input file is called ABC.pdf, the log file is called ABC.log. Creates a log file for each file imported.

Page Range: Includes options for indicating the number of pages to import.
All: Imports all the pages in the PDF.
Pages: Imports an individual page or a range of pages. For example, type 2,3,6 for individual pages or 2-5 for a range of pages. Individual pages and page ranges can be combined: 1,3,6-9.