Adobe Acrobat 8 Professional

PDF Forms: Inserting an Automatic Date Field

You may want to know the date that a user completes a form. You can insert a text field in your PDF form that will automatically insert the current date. This field uses a simple JavaScript at the page level. Adding an automatic date field is a two-step process: First you must add the Date field. Then, you must add the JavaScript to the Page Properties.

Inserting the Date Field
Adding the JavaScript

Inserting the Date Field

Open the PDF form you would like to add a date to
From the View menu, select Toolbars » Forms
The Forms toolbar appears.
Click TEXT FIELD TOOL
Position the cursor where you want the form field to begin
Click and drag the mouse until the form field is of desired size
Release the mouse button
The Text Field Properties dialog box appears.
On the General tab
1. In the Name text box, type Today
2. In the Common Properties section, select Read Only
  NOTES:
  It is selected when a check appears in the box next to it.
  This is necessary for calculated fields such as a date.
On the Format tab
1. From the Select format category pull-down list, select Date
2. From the Date Options scroll box, select a date format option
  NOTE: This representation of the date format will be used when adding the JavaScript. An example of the date format is shown below the list.
Click CLOSE

Adding the JavaScript

From the Navigation pane, click PAGES
NOTES:
The Pages pane opens.
This action toggles between hiding and displaying the Pages pane.
Right click the page thumbnail of your form that contains the Date field » select Page Properties...
The Page Properties dialog box appears.
Select the Actions tab
In the Add an Action section, from the Select Trigger pull-down list, select Page Open
From the Select Action pull-down list, select Run a JavaScript
Click ADD...
The JavaScript Editor dialog box appears.
Type the text shown here:
var f = this.getField("Today");
f.value = util.printd("mmm/d/yyyy", new Date());
NOTES:
Improper spacing in the text may affect results.
The date format must match the format you selected in step 8a of Inserting the Date Field.
Click OK
Click OK