First of all, I have only recently started to dabble with the advanced features of PDF…
Quick Backstory:
As part of my job, I spend much of my time pre-filling account paperwork with redundant information. So, I created PDF Paperwork Packages for each type of account. I then added form fields so I can more easily fill in the information.
Recently, I learned that I can name these fields, and if I name two or more of them the same, filling one fills all of them. So, I created cover sheets where I put in all of the redundant info once, and my account paperwork packages will auto-fill for me. YAY!!!
My Problem:
Sometimes, I send out two of the same types of account paperwork. For example, client is opening two accounts. lets call them account A and Account B. A and B are the same types of account, and require the same paperwork package, but each require different info on the forms.
When I send these to the clients, sometimes they combine the PDF packages into one file to make it easier for them to print. When I get the completed paperwork back, I find that some of the information from account A is now on the paperwork for account B, and vice versa. This is because the form fields on the two paperwork packages share the same names. Combining them jumbles the info.
The ideal solution:
I know that I can protect these forms and make it so that clients cannot combine the files; however, An ideal solution would ensure that:
1) One could combine PDF pages without altering the form fields that I have prefilled, even if the combined pages share form fields with the same name
3) People can still utilize the empty form fields to complete the areas that I was unable to prefill
I know that is a tall order, and I hope that my description was clear. Am I out of luck on this one?
thanks!
Best Answer
There are several possibilities how this situation can be handled.
As I understand, we have a repetition of the same pages, which are made available to he end user, and not a recombination of individual forms.
In this case, you could use Page Templates, where you mark the pages which may occur more than once as a Template. You then spawn these Template pages with the field renaming option switched on. This will add a prefix to the field names on a given spawned page, making them unique. If you have "common" information, you can prefill before spawning, and leave the individual fields blank.
This is therefore the preparation approach.
If you have already filled forms, and want to recombine them (but no longer have the fields editable, you would flatten the documents, and then recombine.
Finally, if you want to do a mass-prefilling, you could use a specially crafted FDF file containing the data, and working with Template pages (this would, however, create individual files, which would not have unique field names).
FWIW, "refrying" (sending a PDF through a PostScript printer driver and recreate the PDF using Distiller) is something you only should do when you really know what you are doing.