Dynamic properties are form object
properties that are assigned values from a data source and are updated
at run time. For example, the items in a drop-down list can be populated
with a list of countries that are stored in a data source.
The following properties of form objects are dynamic and can
be bound to values from a data source:
List items in a drop-down list or list box
A caption
A validation pattern message
A validation script message
A tool tip
Screen reader text
Dynamic properties allow you to modify form object properties
outside of the form design and rely on a data source. This can be
useful in deployment and maintenance scenarios.
In addition, the same data source can supply data to different
form designs. For example, a long list of countries can be stored
in one data file and used in many forms. You can use a wide variety
of data sources, from complex databases to simple XML files.
Note: If you expect that a dynamically inserted text,
such as caption or tool tip, might contain a hyperlink or a dot
leader, select Acrobat and Acrobat Reader 9.0 or later as the target
version for the form.
To identify which form object properties you can set dynamic
properties for, Designer uses active labels. Active labels can be
turned on and off using the Tools > Options > Data Binding
dialog box and selecting the Show Dynamic Properties option. For
example, here is the active label for the caption for a drop-down
list before and after it is dynamically bound to a data source.
Before
After
In the Data View palette, this icon 
indicates that the node is
dynamically bound to an object.
Note: If a node is bound to both a dynamic property
and to a field, the default icon
displays.
To dynamically populate form object properties from a data source,
first you need to bind the form object properties to the data file
and point to a data file that contains data to be used to populate
the form object properties.
Note: You can bind the form object properties to the
data file manually if you know the expected data file structure.
In this way, you do not need a data connection.
The following table lists the objects and which active labels
they each have.
Active Label/ Object
|
List Items
|
Specify Item Values
|
Caption
|
Validation Pattern Message
|
Validation Script Message
|
Tool Tip
|
Custom Screen Reader Text
|
|---|
Barcodes
|
|
|
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Button
|
|
|
Y
|
|
|
Y
|
Y
|
Check Box
|
|
|
Y
|
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Date/Time Field
|
|
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Decimal Field
|
|
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Signature Field
|
|
|
Y
|
|
|
Y
|
Y
|
Drop-Down List
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Email Submit Button
|
|
|
Y
|
|
|
Y
|
Y
|
HTTP Submit Button
|
|
|
Y
|
|
|
Y
|
Y
|
Image
|
|
|
|
|
|
Y
|
Y
|
Image field
|
|
|
Y
|
|
|
Y
|
Y
|
List Box
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Numeric Field
|
|
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Password Field
|
|
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Print Button
|
|
|
Y
|
|
|
Y
|
Y
|
Radio Button
|
|
|
|
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Text
|
|
|
|
|
|
Y
|
Y
|
Text Field
|
|
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
