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How to edit forms created from Livecycle designer (AEM) in Adobe Acrobat Pro DC

This video will bypass some security settings set by Livecycle Designer. We can easily update these documents in adobe acrobat – but there is no going back to designer after this step!

Welcome to this enriching tutorial that dives into the realm of Updating Adobe LiveCycle Designer Metadata. Are you struggling to make changes in the Adobe LiveCycle Designer in Adobe Acrobat? Let me share with you a smart workaround that will save the day.

Why Can’t I Edit Metadata in Adobe LiveCycle Designer?

Adobe LiveCycle Designer is a brilliant tool for creating dynamic documents and forms with sophisticated graphical interfaces. But if you’ve ever tried to update the metadata of a file created in LiveCycle Designer, you may have been surprised to find the usually editable fields are locked away behind grey boxes. Even running the accessibility checker fails to allow changes such as setting the primary language. And it turns out, document security settings are the party pooper here, forbidding you from making the desired changes. This brings us to an essential question – how can we circumvent these restrictions?

The Brilliant Trick: Extracting the Page for Updating Adobe LiveCycle Designer Metadata

The solution is surprisingly simple: extract the page from the original document. Let’s delve into this neat trick.

  1. Extract the page: First, you need to navigate to the ‘Tools’ button, select ‘Organized Pages’, and finally hit ‘Extract’. Remember to mark the checkbox to extract it as a separate file. Choose your desired location to save this extracted file.
  2. Edit the Metadata: Now comes the exciting part. Open the extracted document, navigate to File Properties, and voila! The once uneditable areas are now open for you to tweak. Update the title, author, subject, and keywords as per your requirements.
  3. Run the Accessibility Checker: After updating the metadata, you can run the Accessibility Checker again. Now you can modify elements like the reading language and tab order by simply right-clicking the error and selecting ‘Fix’.

Remember to save your changes! And there you have it, the elegant solution to updating Adobe LiveCycle Designer Metadata – by extracting the page as an individual file. This simple step gives you the freedom to make any changes you desire, enhancing the accessibility of your document.

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Create Accessible PDF Forms with Abbyy FineReader PDF 16 and Adobe Acrobat

Introduction:

Welcome to our comprehensive guide on creating accessible PDF forms using Abbyy FineReader PDF 16 and Adobe Acrobat. In this blog post, we’ll walk you through the process of adding form fields, ensuring proper tagging, and making your PDFs accessible and compliant with WCAG 2.1 standards. By following these steps, you’ll provide an inclusive user experience for all.

Adding Form Fields with Abbyy FineReader PDF 16

Abbyy FineReader PDF 16 allows you to add various form fields to your PDFs, such as text fields, checkboxes, radio buttons, drop-down lists, list boxes, and signatures. To begin, select the Form Editor on the right side of the screen, which will bring up a drop-down menu where you can choose the appropriate form field.

For example, when adding a text field, drag and drop it to the desired location within the document. Right-click the text field to access its properties and adjust settings like field name, tooltip, maximum number of symbols, and appearance. You can also set the format for text or date and choose between single-line or multi-line input.

Making Your PDF Forms Accessible with Adobe Acrobat

After creating your PDF form using Abbyy FineReader PDF 16, it’s crucial to ensure its accessibility. Open your document in Adobe Acrobat and use the built-in accessibility tools to make necessary adjustments. Here are the key steps to making your PDF forms accessible:

  1. Set the proper reading language and ensure all images have alternative text (alt text).
  2. Use the Tags panel to adjust the document structure, such as headers and paragraphs.
  3. Ensure proper form field tagging, with appropriate nesting and parent tag types.
  4. Run the Accessibility Checker to identify and fix any issues.
  5. Use the PAC 2021 checker to ensure WCAG 2.1 compliance.

By following these steps, your PDF forms will be accessible and compliant with WCAG 2.1 standards.

Best Practices for Creating Accessible PDF Forms with Abbyy FineReader PDF 16 and Adobe Acrobat

To create accessible PDF forms that cater to all users, consider these best practices:

  1. Use clear and descriptive field names and tooltips to help users understand the purpose of each field.
  2. Set the proper tab order for form fields to enable easy navigation using the Tab key.
  3. Choose accessible fonts and colors, sticking to high-contrast color combinations and avoiding small font sizes.
  4. Test and validate your accessible PDF form using various accessibility checkers and real users.

By incorporating these best practices, you’ll provide an inclusive and compliant user experience for all.

Conclusion:

Abbyy FineReader PDF 16 and Adobe Acrobat make it simple to create accessible PDF forms that comply with WCAG 2.1 standards. By following the steps outlined in this guide and implementing the best practices, you can ensure an inclusive user experience that caters to everyone.

Creating Accessible PDF Forms: A Comprehensive Guide

In today’s digital age, ensuring that your documents are accessible to all users is a necessity. One particular area where accessibility can significantly improve user experience is in PDF forms. This blog post will walk you through the process of creating accessible PDF forms, which not only helps make your forms user-friendly but also aligns your documents with universal design principles.

Video overview:

Why Creating Accessible PDF Forms Matters

Accessibility in the world of technology ensures that everyone, regardless of their abilities or disabilities, can access, interact with, and benefit from the digital world. When you create accessible PDF forms, you are ensuring that your documents can be used by a wider range of people, including those with visual, auditory, motor, or cognitive impairments.

Steps for Creating Accessible PDF Forms

The process of creating accessible PDF forms involves several steps, each of which contributes to making your document more accessible and user-friendly. Here are some key steps:

Make the PDF accessible before adding the form fields

Before adding form fields, you should ensure that the base document is accessible. This includes adding headings and other important tags to the document.

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Step 1 – Get the form fields in the document

There are two ways to do this. You can use the Prepare Form option in the tools section. Acrobat will automatically detect form fields.

Or, you can manually add the form fields

In the “Prepare Form” tool, select on the type of field you want to add (e.g., “Add a Text Field”).

Prepare form options

Click and drag on the document where you want to place the field

Sample form field on a page

Step 2 – Tag all annotation (form fields)

Additional practice

Missing form annotations

I like to add a placeholder tag to add all of the annotations in one location.

  1. In the “Tags” panel, right-click where you want to add the placeholder.
  2. Click “New Tag” and create something that will stand out. In this example, I use the word PLACE

Now we need to find the actual annotation. Make sure to select that new tag you made

Options: Find Unmarked Annotations

In the tags menu > select the options button > select Find

Options > Find Unmarked Annotations.” Acrobat will identify and highlight any unmarked annotations.

unmarked annotations


Then, select tag element.

Step 3 – Moving the Form Objects to fix reading order

In the “Tags” panel, you can select and drag tags to rearrange them to the correct location. Move each Form-OBJR into the correct location. If you did it correctly, all the “annotations” will be in the placeholder tag you created.

Moving tags

Creating a Form Parent Tag

  1. In the “Tags” panel, right-click on the tag where you want to add the parent tag.
  2. Select “New Tag.” This creates a new tag under the selected tag.
  3. Select Form
  4. Click “OK.” The new parent tag has been created.

This is what the tags panel should look like

P tag with form container

Step 4 – Add Form Descriptions / Tool Tips

  1. Right-click on the form field in the document.
  2. Select “Properties.”
  3. In the “General” tab of the dialog box that opens, fill in the “Tooltip” field. This text will be read by screen readers to describe the form field.
The tool tip

Step 5 – Final step Test Reading Order with Keyboard

Ensure that the tab order is logical and matches the visual order:

  1. Click somewhere on the first page of your document.
  2. Press the “Tab” key repeatedly to navigate through the form fields and ensure the order makes sense.

Thats it!

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More Form Posts

PowerPoint Accessibility Practice

Do you need some hands-on PowerPoint accessibility practice? Below you will find a practice file and an answer key file. There is an introduction video and an answer key video to follow along with.

Practice Files and Introduction

Download the practice file and watch the introduction video.

Practice01 Download

Answer Key

Download the Answer Key file and watch the video.

Answer 01 Download

Order 508 documents

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