{"id":4213,"date":"2025-11-11T02:24:56","date_gmt":"2025-11-11T02:24:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/revolutionsincommunication.com\/viscomm\/?page_id=4213"},"modified":"2026-03-19T17:56:49","modified_gmt":"2026-03-19T17:56:49","slug":"interactive-pdfs","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/revolutionsincommunication.com\/viscomm\/interactive-pdfs\/","title":{"rendered":"4.4 interactive pdfs"},"content":{"rendered":"

Score: 50 points\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Goal:<\/strong> Downloadable fillable \/ interactive pdf in inDesign<\/p>\n

There are several kinds<\/strong> of interactive documents you can create with Adobe Indesign.<\/p>\n

Fillable pdf forms<\/strong><\/a> can be downloaded from a web site, filled out by a user, saved, and then printed or emailed.\u00a0 The IRS 1040 form is a good example of that.<\/p>\n

You can also make pdfs or ebooks <\/strong>with interactive features such as web links<\/a>, and animated page\u00a0 transitions. <\/a> It is also theoretically possible (but not easy) to create audio \/ video embeds.<\/a><\/p>\n

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FORMS\u00a0<\/strong> (Adobe instructions<\/a>)<\/p>\n

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  1. Open the Buttons and Forms<\/em> library\u00a0 (Window<\/span>\u00a0>\u00a0Interactive<\/span>\u00a0>\u00a0Buttons and Forms<\/span>)<\/li>\n
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    Select the frame and choose a form element type from the\u00a0Type\u00a0<\/span>list. Alternatively, right-click a frame and choose\u00a0Interactive\u00a0<\/span>>\u00a0Convert to […].<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n

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    Enter a name for the form field. To create a radio button group, all the individual buttons must have the same name.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n

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    Choose an event and add actions to associate with it. Actions such as Clear Form, Print Form, and Submit Form have been added. In the Submit Form action specify the URL as “mailto:xyz@example.com.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n

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    For a\u00a0radio button<\/strong>,\u00a0check box<\/strong>, or\u00a0buttons<\/strong>: set appearance attributes for different states. InDesign adds default graphics for the various states, but you can add your own.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n

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    For a\u00a0list box<\/strong>,\u00a0combo box<\/strong>, or\u00a0text field<\/strong>: select font family, font type, and font size.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n

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    Specify PDF options:<\/p>\n

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    • Description\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/strong>– Entered value is displayed as the tool tip and is used for creating accessible forms<\/li>\n
    • Button Value<\/span><\/strong><\/strong> – this value corresponds to the export value in Acrobat and can also be used to identify a radio button in a group in an accessible form<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

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      More:<\/h3>\n