Re: PDF forms and field issues

[Joel Rees <joel.rees@gmail.com>]

On Sat, Jan 31, 2015 at 5:50 AM, Bruce Ward <bmward@orcon.net.nz> wrote:
> I created (LibreOffice) a PDF document with user-entry fields. Sent it to a
> friend with a Mac to check that it worked. He filled in fields and returned
> it to me saying it worked fine.
>
> There is a problem in that the fields appear blank (except for the one
> checkbox). Having now tried a number of PDF 'viewers' on the document, I can
> report:
> Evince (Gnome 'Document Viewer') - fields are blank until you click in the
> field. Click to another field and the first goes blank.
> xpdf - fields are blank
> GIMP - fields are blank (not surprised)
> Inkscape - fields are blank (not surprising)
> LibreOffice with pdfimport - fields are blank
>
> imagemagick - shows fields properly!!!
>
> Evince, GIMP, and xpdf when run from command-line all give
>    Error: Unknown font in field's DA string
>
> Any ideas on work-around?

A font issue could definitely cause fields to not display.

Imagemagick is probably doing some sort of substitution. The rest seem
to be pickier.

Or, imagemagick can find fonts on your system the rest can't find.

Since Evince shows the contents while you are focused, I might guess
that evince is falling back to a default font for data entry. (I might
be guessing wrong, of course.)

I'd lean towards looking for a way to get the PDF viewers on your
system to figure out a good substitute for the (possibly Macintosh
specific) font that your friend's system seems to have used for the
data entry.

(I want to raise Cain with the US government for deciding that PDF
with forms should be the only way to submit certain kinds of
documents. When is the government of the "land of the free" going to
recognize that formats from companies that claim to own the
intellectual property used in the formats cannot be compatible with
freedom?)

-- 
Joel Rees

Be careful when you look at conspiracy.
Look first in your own heart,
and ask yourself if you are not your own worst enemy.
Arm yourself with knowledge of yourself, as well.