[Douglashh]

I have a couple of PDF forms that I use a lot. Is there some application besides Adobe that will make the forms fillable? I'd like to just open the PDF and fill in the blanks rather than mess with creating text boxes etc. I can't see paying for Adobe for just 2 forms.

Thanks,

[larkost]

You could probably go somewhere like a Kinkos that might have computers with Adobe Acrobat (not just the free Adobe Reader) that you could rent time on. Other than that I don't know of a solution.

[Chuckit]

Pretty sure Adobe is the only game in town.

[Douglashh]

Anyone know if Adobe can convert any form to 'fillable', such as one created on my Mac, or only PDF forms originally created by Adobe?

thanks,

[Chuckit]

It doesn't "convert" a form, per se. The way it works is, Acrobat has a tool that lets you place text fields and other controls in a PDF. You can do it with any file Acrobat can open. You can even open a JPEG, draw form fields on there and save it as a PDF. (Obviously the JPEG parts of the file would look like crap when you zoom in too far, but it works.)

Oh, and yes, it can open PDFs created with the Mac's Print to PDF feature.

[EndlessMac]

I really don't understand why it hasn't become a standard practice to make PDF forms fillable by the user considering how much we use digital nowadays. The really good PDF forms even allow you to save the typed in text for forms you use very often but only change a few items.

Instead of trying to find a program that can make fillable PDFs it might be easier to just contact the company you got these PDF files from to make a fillable one for you. If the company personally created the PDF files then they can easily make them fillable.

If you really want to find a PDF editor then just do a search on Google for "PDF editors" but most of them don't seem to be free which seems to be the reason why you don't want to pay Adobe for its Acrobat PDF program. If you only need it for two forms then contacting the company you got them from would be the easiest and free way to make the forms fillable.

[larkost]

Two additional notes:

1) It looks like the open-source Adobe Illustrator-like (that is admittedly and odd statement) program Scribus allows you to create fillable PDFs:

http://wiki.scribus.net/index.php/Yo...m_with_Scribus

I think that Scribus is X11-only (no native feel, and things are not going to work as well) on MacOS X. It feels a lot better on Windows or Linux, but is still a bit rough. And it does not look like they are doing much better of a job than Acrobat in making Forms. I absolutely hate the interface in Acrobat and feel sorry for anyone who is trying to make a good form in that program.

2) From a quick read of the document above it does not look like Scribus-produced PDFs allow saving of the form by people who don't have Acrobat (so people with only Adobe Reader can only print forms once completed). Don't take this as writ though, because I have never tried it.

3) I have been suggesting that the folks over at OmniGroup add PDF forms ability to their product for some time. OmniGraffle would make the best form-creating software. If you think the same way I do, then send them a note saying so. If enough people ask for this then it might be included.

[Douglashh]

I took a quick look at Scribus and I think it's way above my pay grade. I think I will try to find someone locally with Acrobat that can help me out. I think I understand how it works so I don't think it should be too difficult just time consuming.

[Douglashh]

Found PDFClerk Pro and decided to buy that and do it myself. Seems very easy to use and way cheaper than Acrobat.