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PDF Form Builder

GcExcel Templates provide the ability to build PDF forms with various form fields using Excel as the designer. The form fields can be defined using the proper syntax while creating template layouts. After the template is processed, the result can be exported to a PDF document that includes the pre-defined form fields.

The "form" property can be used to define a PDF form field. The value of this property is in JSON format and a JSON string can be used to describe all settings of the form field. For example:

  • {{ds1.Name(form={"type": "textbox", "name": "username", "value": "Input your name!","font":{"size":15, "color": "#ff0000", "bold": true}, "required": true})}}

  • {{(form={"type": "listbox", "name": "cities", "value": ["Xi'An", "BeiJing"],"font":{"size":11, "color": "#ff00ff", "bold": true}, "required": true})}}

Note: The property name and enum values are case insensitive.

The following standard PDF form fields are supported:

  • Check box

  • Combo box

  • List box

  • Button

  • Radio button

  • Signature

  • Text box

Note: The form fields are visible only in PDF documents and not in Excel.

Bound PDF Form

Consider an example for generating a bound PDF form by using GcExcel Templates. In this case, an address book is generated in PDF by defining textbox fields in template cells. The textbox fields are defined in a way that they relate to common details of an address book, like:

Name : {{ds.Name(form={"type": "textbox", "name": "name","font":{"color": "#000000", "bold": true}})}}Email: {{ds.Email(form={"type": "textbox", "name": "Email","font":{"color": "#EC881D"}})}}

These textbox fields are bound fields, whose data is populated from the data source and is displayed in the PDF form after template processing. You can also download the Excel template layout from here.

TextFields[Template].xlsx

Excel template layout of a bound PDF form displaying an address book


After GcExcel processes the template and exports it to a PDF document, the PDF form will look like below:

A bound PDF form displaying an address book

Unbound PDF Form

Consider an example for generating an unbound PDF form by using GcExcel Templates. In this case, a wage and tax statement is generated in PDF by defining textbox and checkbox fields in template cells, like:

Textbox field:

{{(form={"type": "textbox", "name": "tips","backgroundcolor": "#ffabab"})}}

Checkbox fields:

{{(form={"type": "checkbox", "name": "Retirement","border": {"color": "#ff0000"}})}}

{{(form={"type": "checkbox", "name": "Statutory","border": {"color": "#ff0000"}})}}

These fields are unbound fields, and their data should be filled directly in the PDF form after template processing. You can also download the Excel template layout from here.

TextFields[Template].xlsx

Excel template layout of an unbound PDF form displaying a wage and tax statement


After GcExcel processes the template and exports it to a PDF document, the PDF form will look like below:

A bound PDF form displaying a wage and tax statement


Various settings can be applied on form fields to enhance and customize their appearance. These are explained as below:

1. Common Settings

type
  • Value Type

    • Enum string

    • Standard Form Fields

      • checkbox

      • textbox

      • listbox

      • combobox

      • radiobutton

      • pushbutton

      • signature

    • Custom Form Fields

      • text

      • date

      • time

      • tel

      • email

      • url

      • password

      • month

      • week

      • number

      • search

  • Example

    • {"type": "listbox"}

  • Description

    • Indicates the type of form field.

      (Mandatory field)

alternateName
  • Value Type

    • String

  • Example

    • {"alternateName": "The alt name"}

  • Description

    • Displays text which is helpful for a user while filling in the form field. Tooltips appear when the pointer hovers briefly over the form field.

backgroundcolor
  • Value Type

    • String

  • Example

    • {"backgroundcolor": "#ffff00"}

      {"backgroundcolor": "rgb(255, 178, 0)"}

      {"backgroundcolor": "rgba(188, 100, 0, 255)"}

  • Description

    • Indicates background color of the form field.

border - width
  • Value Type

    • Yes

  • Example

    • {"border":{"width": 120}}

  • Description

    • Indicates width, color and style settings of the border for the form field.

border - color
  • Value Type

    • String

  • Example

    • {"border":{"color": "#ffff00"}

      {"border": {"color": "rgb(255, 178, 0)"}}

      {"border": {"color": "rgba(188, 100, 0, 255)"}}

  • Description

    • Indicates width, color and style settings of the border for the form field.

border - style
  • Value Type

    • Enum string

      • none

      • solid

      • dashed

      • beveled

      • inset

      • underline

      • unknown

  • Example

    • {"border": {"style": "dashed"}}

  • Description

    • Indicates width, color and style settings of the border for the form field.

font - size
  • Value Type

    • Number

  • Example

    • {"font": {"size": 18}}

  • Description

    • Indicates various font settings which can be used in the form field.

font - color
  • Value Type

    • String

  • Example

    • {"font": {"color": "#ffff00"}}

      {"font": {"color": "rgb(255, 178, 0)"}}

      {"font": {"color": "rgba(188, 100, 0, 255)"}}

  • Description

    • Indicates various font settings which can be used in the form field.

font - name
  • Value Type

    • String

  • Example

    • {"font": {"name": "sans-serif"}}

  • Description

    • Indicates various font settings which can be used in the form field.

font - bold
  • Value Type

    • Boolean

  • Example

    • {"font": {"bold": true}}

  • Description

    • Indicates various font settings which can be used in the form field.

font - italic
  • Value Type

    • Boolean

  • Example

    • {"font": {"italic": true}}

  • Description

    • Indicates various font settings which can be used in the form field.

locked
  • Value Type

    • Boolean

  • Example

    • {"locked": true}

  • Description

    • Indicates whether the user can change the properties of field or not.

name
  • Value Type

    • String

  • Example

    • {"name": "The field name"}

  • Description

    • Indicates the unique name of field.

readOnly
  • Value Type

    • Boolean

  • Example

    • {"readOnly": true}

  • Description

    • Indicates whether the user can change the value of field or not

required
  • Value Type

    • Boolean

  • Example

    • {"required": true}

  • Description

    • Indicates whether the field must have a value.

printed
  • Value Type

    • Boolean

  • Example

    • {"printed":false}

  • Description

    • Indicates whether to print the field when page is printed.

hidden
  • Value Type

    • Boolean

  • Example

    • {"hidden":true}

  • Description

    • Indicates whether to display the field or not.

mouseUp
  • Value Type

    • JsonObject

  • Example

    • {"mouseUp":{"script":"fBox1 = this.getField(\"checkbox\");

      fBox1.display = display.hidden", "submit":"http://localhost:80//myscript#FDF", "reset":{"fieldNames":["checkbox", "textbox"]}}}

  • Description

    • Indicates background color of the form field.

mouseDown
  • Value Type

    • JsonObject

  • Example

    • {"mouseDown": {"script":"fBox1= this.getField(\"checkbox\");

      fBox1.display = display.hidden", "submit":"http://localhost:80//myscript#FDF","reset":{"fieldNames": ["checkbox","textbox"]}}}

  • Description

    • Indicates the actions to be performed in sequence when the mouse button is pressed in the active area of the field.

mouseEnter
  • Value Type

    • JsonObject

  • Example

    • {"mouseEnter":{"script":"fBox1= this.getField(\"checkbox\");

      fBox1.display =display.hidden", "submit":"http://localhost:80//myscript#FDF","reset":{"fieldNames": ["checkbox","textbox"]}}}

  • Description

    • Indicates the actions to be performed in sequence when the mouse button enters the field's active area.

mouseExit
  • Value Type

    • JsonObject

  • Example

    • {"mouseExit":{"script":"fBox1= this.getField(\"checkbox\");

      fBox1.display =display.hidden", "submit":"http://localhost:80//myscript#FDF","reset":{"fieldNames": ["checkbox","textbox"]}}}

  • Description

    • Indicates the actions to be performed in sequence when the mouse button exitsthe field's active area.

onFocus
  • Value Type

    • JsonObject

  • Example

    • {"onFocus":{"script":"fBox1 = this.getField(\"checkbox\");

      fBox1.display =display.hidden", "submit":"http://localhost:80//myscript#FDF","reset":{"fieldNames": ["checkbox","textbox"]}}}

  • Description

    • Indicates the actions to be performed in sequence when the annotation receives the input focus.

onBlur
  • Value Type

    • JsonObject

  • Example

    • {"onBlur":{"script":"fBox1= this.getField(\"checkbox\");

      fBox1.display =display.hidden", "submit":"http://localhost:80//myscript#FDF","reset":{"fieldNames": ["checkbox","textbox"]}}}

  • Description

    • Indicates the actions to be performed in sequence when the annotation loses the input focus.

format
  • Value Type

    • String

  • Example

    • {"format":"event.value = (event.value * 100) + \" % \";"}

  • Description

    • Indicates a JavaScript action to be performed before the field is formatted to display its current value. This action can modify the field’s value before formatting.

validate
  • Value Type

    • String

  • Example

    • {"validate":"if (event.value < 0

      || event.value > 100)

      {\r\n" +"app.beep(0);\r\n"

      +"app.alert(\"Invalid value for field \"

      +event.target.name);\r\n" +

      "event.rc = false;\r\n" +"}"}

  • Description

    • Indicates a JavaScript action to be performed when the field’s value is changed. This action can check the new value for validity.

calculate
  • Value Type

    • String

  • Example

    • {"calculate":"var oil =

      this.getField(\"Oil\");\r\n"+

      "var filter = this.getField(\"Filter\")

      ;\r\n"+"event.value

      (oil.value + filter.value) * 1.0825;"}

  • Description

    • Indicates a JavaScript action to be performed to recalculate the value of this field when that of another field changes.

keystroke
  • Value Type

    • String

  • Example

    • {"keystroke":"if (!event.willCommit)

      {\r\n"+"var f =this.getField

      (\"myPictures\");\r\n"+"var i =this.getIcon(event.change)

      ;\r\n"+"f.buttonSetIcon(i);\r\n"+"};"}

  • Description

    • Indicates a JavaScript action to be performedwhen the user types a keystroke into a text field or combo box or modifies the selection in a scrollable list box. This action can check the keystroke for validity and reject or modify it.

autofocus
  • Value Type

    • Boolean

  • Example

    • {"type": "password", "autofocus": true}

  • Description

    • Indicates whether a date field should automatically get focus when the page loads.

disabled
  • Value Type

    • Boolean

  • Example

    • {"type": "password", "disabled": true}

  • Description

    • Indicates whether a field is disabled or not.

autocomplete
  • Value Type

    • Enum String

      • on

      • off

      • name

      • honorific-prefix

      • given-name

      • additional-name

      • family-name

      • honorific-suffix

      • nickname

      • email

      • username

      • new-password

      • current-password

      • one-time-code

      • organization-title

      • organization

      • street-address

      • address-line1

      • address-line2

      • address-line3

      • address-level4

      • country

      • country-name

      • postal-code

      • cc-name

      • cc-given-name

      • cc-additional-name

      • cc-family-name

      • cc-number

      • cc-exp

      • cc-exp-month

      • cc-exp-year

      • cc-csc

      • cc-type

      • transaction-currency

      • transaction-amount

      • bday-day

      • language

      • bday

      • bday-day

      • bday-month

      • bday-year

      • sex

      • tel

      • tel-country-code

      • tel-national

      • tel-area-code

      • tel-local

      • tel-local-prefix

      • tel-local-suffix

      • tel-extension

      • impp

      • url

      • photo

  • Example

    • {"type": "date", "autocomplete": "bday"}

  • Description

    • Let web developers specify if any user needs to provide assistance for automated filling of form field values, as well as guidance to the browser about what type of information is expected in the field.

      The behavior of this property depends on the browser implementation.

2. JsonObject Settings

Name

Value Type

Example

Description

script

String

{"script":"fBox1 = this.getField(\"checkbox\");\r\nfBox1.display = display.hidden"}

Indicates an action which causes a script to be compiled and executed by the JavaScript interpreter.

submit

String

{"submit":"http://localhost:80//myscript#FDF"}

Indicates an action to transmit the names and values of selected interactive form fields to a specified uniform resource locator (URL), presumably the address of a Web server that will process them and send back a response.

reset

fieldNames

Yes

{"fieldNames": ["checkbox", "textbox"]}

Indicates the list of names of fields that should be processed (or excluded from processing)by this action. If empty then all fields will be processed.

exclude

Boolean

{"exclude":true}

Indicates whether to exclude the fields specified in fieldNames from processing (by default, this property is false and the specified fields are included).

type=warning

Note: Snippets of JavaScript code needs to be escaped.

3. Checkbox Form Field Settings

Name

Value Type

Example

Description

checkStyle

Enum string:

  • check

  • circle

  • cross

  • diamond

  • square

  • Star

{"checkStyle": "circle"}

Indicates the style of check mark.

value

Boolean

{"value": true}

Indicates the value of Checkbox.

(If the value is missing, GcExcel automatically tries to convert the cell's value to Boolean, and then, set it to the property after processing the template.)

defaultValue

Boolean

{"defaultValue": false}

Indicates the default value of Checkbox.

4. Textbox Form Field Settings

Name

Value Type

Example

Description

value

String

{"value": "Hunter"}

Indicates the value of Textbox.

defaultValue

String

{"defaultValue": "Input your name!"}

Indicates the default value of Textbox.

combo

Boolean

{"combo":true}

Indicates whether the new value is committed as soon as a selection is made with the pointing device.

password

Boolean

{"password":true}

Indicates whether the field is intended for entering a secure password that should not be visible on the screen.

spellcheck

Boolean

{"spellcheck":false}

Indicates whether the text entered in the field is spell-checked.

scrollable

Boolean

{"scrollable":false}

Indicates whether the field is scrollable to accommodate more text than it fits within its annotation rectangle.

maxlength

Integer

{"maxlength":10}

Indicates the maximum length of the field’s text, in characters.

multiline

Boolean

{"multiline":true}

Indicates whether the field can contain multiple lines of text.

justification

Enum string:

  • left

  • center

  • right

{"justification": "center"}

Indicates the justification to be used while displaying the field’s text.

type=warning

Note: GcExcel also supports custom form fields like date, email, password, month etc. which are inherited from Textbox form field. To know more about these, refer Custom Form Fields.

5. Listbox Form Field Settings

Name

Value Type

Example

Description

value

String Array

{"value": ["US", "UK"]}

Indicates the value of Listbox.

defaultValue

String Array

{"defaultValue": ["US", "UK"]}

Indicates the default value of Listbox.

commitOnSelChange

Boolean

{"commitOnSelChange": true}

Indicates whether the new value is committed as soon as a selection is made with the pointing device.

selectedIndex

Integer

{"selectedIndex": 0}

Indicates the indexes of selected item.

sort

Boolean

{"sort": true}

Indicates whether the field’s option items should be sorted alphabetically.

spellCheck

Boolean

{"spellCheck": true}

Indicates whether the text entered in the field is spell-checked.

selectedIndexes

Integer Array

{"selectedIndexes": [0, 2, 5]}

Indicates the indexes of selected items.

multiSelect

Boolean

{"multiSelect": true}

Indicates whether more than one of the field’s option items may be selected simultaneously.

exportValue

String

{"exportValue": "TheResult"}

Indicates the export value of Li

6. Combobox Form Field Settings

Name

Value Type

Example

Description

value

String Array

{"value": ["US", "UK"]}

Indicates the value of Combobox.

defaultValue

String Array

{"defaultValue": ["US", "UK"]}

Indicates the default value of Combobox.

commitOnSelChange

Boolean

{"commitOnSelChange": true}

Indicates whether the new value is committed as soon as a selection is made with the pointing device.

selectedIndex

Integer

{"selectedIndex": 0}

Indicates the indexes of selected item.

sort

Boolean

{"sort": true}

Indicates whether the field’s option items should be sorted alphabetically.

spellCheck

Boolean

{"spellCheck": true}

Indicates whether the text entered in the field is spell-checked.

editable

Boolean

{"editable": true}

Indicates whether the Combobox includes an editable text box as well as a drop-down list.

7. Radiobutton Form Field Settings

Name

Value Type

Example

Description

checkStyle

Enum string:

  • check

  • circle

  • cross

  • diamond

  • square

  • Star

{"checkStyle": "circle"}

Indicates the style of check mark.

groupName

String

{"groupName": "Teams"}

Indicates the name of radio button group.

Radio buttons with the same group name are added in the same group.

(If the value is missing, GcExcel automatically adds radio buttons expanded from the same template cell to the same group after processing the template)

radiosInUnison

Boolean

{"radiosInUnison": true}

Indicates whether a group of radio buttons within a radio button field that use the same value for the on state will turn on and off in unison.

If one is checked, they are all checked. If clear, the buttons are mutually exclusive (the same behavior as HTML radio buttons).

checkedChoice

String

{"checkedChoice": "Team5"}

Indicates the value of checked option.

defaultCheckedChoice

String

{"defaultCheckedChoice": "Team1"}

Indicates the value of checked option when the user first opens the form.

8. Pushbutton Form Field Settings

Name

Value Type

Example

Description

highlighting

Enum string:

  • none

  • invert

  • outline

  • push

{"highlighting": "outline"}

Indicates the annotation’s highlighting mode.

caption

String

{"caption": "Push"}

Indicates the button's caption.

image

Base64 String

{"image": "The base64 image data."}

Indicates the button’s image.

captionImageRelation

Enum string:

  • captionOnly

  • imageOnly

  • captionBelowIcon

  • captionAboveIcon

  • captionAtRight

  • captionAtLeft

  • captionOverlaid

{"captionImageRelation": "captionBelowIcon"}

Indicates the positioning of button's caption relative to image.

downCaption

String

{"downCaption": "Push Down"}

Indicates the button's caption when user presses the button.

downImage

Base64 String

{"downImage": "The base64 image data."}

Indicates the button’s image when user presses the button.

rolloverCaption

String

{"rolloverCaption": "Rollover"}

Indicates the button's caption when the user rolls the cursor into its active area without pressing the mouse button.

rolloverImage

Base64 String

{"rolloverImage": "The base64 image data."}

Indicates the button’s image when the user rolls the cursor into its active area without pressing the mouse button.

imageScale

mode

Yes

{"imageScale": {"mode": "bigger"}}

Indicates the scaling mode.

proportional

Boolean

{"imageScale": {"proportional": true}}

Indicates whether an image should be scaled proportionally.

x

Float

{"imageScale": {"proportional": true, "x": 0.6}}

Indicates the position of an image.

The two numbers between 0.0 and 1.0 indicates the fraction of leftover space to allocate at the left and bottom of an image. A value of (0.0, 0.0) positions the image at the bottom-left corner of the button rectangle. A value of (0.5, 0.5) centers it within the rectangle.

This value is used only if the image is scaled proportionally.

y

Float

{"imageScale": {"proportional": true, "y": 0.8}}

ignoreBorder

Boolean

{"imageScale": {"ignoreBorder": true}}

Indicates whether a button's appearance should be scaled to fit fully within the bounds of the annotation without taking into consideration the line width of the border.

9. Signature Form Field Settings

Name

Value Type

Example

Description

lockType

Enum string:

  • all

  • specifiedOnly

  • allButSpecified

{"lockType": "specifiedOnly"}

Indicates the type of locked fields.

fieldNames

String Array

{"fieldNames": ["signerName", "time"]}

Indicates the list of field names which should be included or excluded from processing depending on lockType property.

LockedFields

Boolean

{"LockedFields": true}

Indicates whether to lock the fields when SignatureFormField is signed or not.

type=warning

Note: GcExcel Template generates only digital signature fields in PDF documents. If you want to add signatures on signature fields, you need to use GcPDF or PDFBox to process.

Apart from the above mentioned standard PDF form fields, GcExcel also supports custom form input types to generate PDF forms. Refer to Custom Form Input Types for more information.