<< Click to Display Table of Contents >> Navigation: Tabs Guide > Form Tab > Add Radio Buttons to Documents |
Radio buttons enable the selection of a single choice from several options, such as in answers to multiple choice questions:
Figure 1. Example Radio Buttons
The functionality of PDF-XChange Editor enables a wide range of dynamic customization for radio buttons. Click the dropdowns below for further information:
1. Click the Form tab, then click Radio Button. A blue square will be displayed beneath the pointer. This square represents the radio button:
Figure 2. Active Radio Button Tool
2. Move the square to the desired location and then click to add the radio button to the document. Added radio buttons appear as detailed below:
Figure 3. Added Radio Buttons
•Click and drag the yellow control points to resize radio buttons. •Use the options in the Format Tab to determine the style and appearance of selected radio buttons:
Figure 4. Format Tab, Radio Buttons
•Click Select Fields to select and edit form fields. •Click the options in the Form Fields group to enable alternative form field formats. •Click Keep Mode to create multiple radio buttons consecutively. If this option is disabled then PDF-XChange Editor will revert to the designated default tool after the creation of a single radio button. •Click Tab Numbers to show/hide the tab order numbers of form fields. •The Calculation Order setting is not available for radio buttons. •Click Grid to enable/disable the grid, which is used to assist in the accurate placement of form fields, as detailed in (figure 4). •Click Create Multiple Copies to create multiple copies of selected form fields, as detailed here. •Click Fields to show/hide the Fields pane, which is used to view/edit form fields. •Click Fill Color to determine the fill color of the radio button. •Click Stroke Color to determine the border color of radio buttons. •Click Width to determine the width of radio button borders. •Click Border to determine the style of radio button borders. •Use the Text Color dropdown menu to determine the color of the check mark used in radio buttons. •Click Properties to open the Radio Button Properties pane, which enables the customization of additional elements of radio buttons and is detailed in the section below. |
The Radio Button Properties pane can be used to determine a range of style and functionality options for radio buttons. For example, it is possible to use the Actions properties to add multiple dynamic actions to radio buttons, such as running JavaScript, launching web links and opening files on the local computer. (JavaScript is a high-level programming language that can be used to perform custom operations. See here for an index of existing JavaScript operations that the PDF-XChange Editor forms can use, as well as additional information about JavaScript). Click Select Fields to select form fields, then click the desired field and click Properties in the Format tab to open the Radio Button Properties pane:
Figure 5. Radio Button Tool, Radio Button Properties Pane
The options detailed below are available in the Radio Button Properties pane:
The General properties determine the general parameters of radio buttons: •Read Only determines whether or not the radio button can be edited. •Locked determines whether or not the radio buttons can be moved, and whether or not their properties can be modified. •Field Name determines the name of the radio button. This name is present when the Select Fields tool is enabled, and when radio buttons are listed in the Fields pane. •Tooltip determines the information displayed when the pointer is hovered over the radio button. •Mapping Name determines the mapping name that the radio button uses. This name is used to reference interactive form data when the form is exported, and does so without affecting the appearance of the name in the original document. •Orientation determines the orientation of the radio button. •Visibility determines the visibility of the radio button. •Required determines whether or not the radio button is a required field. Required fields must be filled before documents that contain them can be submitted. •Exportable determines whether or not the radio button data can be exported from the form. •Layer determines the optional content layer to which the radio button belongs. When a field belongs to an optional content layer, it displays only when the layer is enabled. Use the Layers pane to view/create/edit layers, as detailed here.
The Style properties determine stylistic elements of radio buttons. They are detailed beneath (figure 4).
The Position properties determine the position and dimensions of radio buttons: •Left determines the distance of the radio button from the left margin. •Top determines the distance of the radio button from the bottom of the page. •Width/Height determine the width/height of the radio button.
The Default Text Format properties determine the default properties when text is entered into the radio button: •Font Size is always set to auto for radio buttons. This is because the font size refers to the size of the mark when radio buttons are selected, and the mark must be proportionate to the size of the radio button. •Text Color determines the color of the tick when radio buttons are selected.
The Options properties determine additional options for radio buttons: •Radio Button Style determines the icon used when radio buttons are selected. •Button Choice is a unique identifier for the radio button and differentiates it from other radio buttons that have the same name. •In Unison enables single-click selection for all radio buttons that share the same name and content as the selected radio button. •Checked by Default determines whether or not the radio button is checked by default.
The Actions properties determine the action taken when users interact with the radio button: •Mouse Down initiates an action when the left mouse button is pressed (without being released). •Mouse Up initiates an action when the left mouse button is clicked (pressed and released). •Mouse Enter initiates an action when the pointer moves into the radio button. •Mouse Leave initiates an action when the pointer moves out of the radio button. •On Focus initiates an action when the radio button is selected. •On Blur initiates an action when the radio button is deselected. •Click the ellipsis icon on the right of actions to add/edit radio button actions:
Figure 6. Radio Button Properties Pane, Action Ellipses
The process of adding actions is detailed here. |
The following example will detail how to create a radio button list of countries:
1. Click the Form tab, then click Radio Button.
2. Click the Format tab, then click Keep Mode:
Figure 7. Format Tab, Keep Mode Highlighted
3. Press Ctrl+# to enable the grid in order to assist in the accurate placement of radio buttons, then click to place radio buttons in the document:
Figure 8. Adding Radio Buttons
The next step is to add text labels for the radio buttons:
4. Click the Add dropdown menu in the Home tab, then click Text and add text labels for the desired countries:
Figure 9. Text Boxes and Names Added |