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Thread: PAWS? and forms
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From: Donna Lettow
Date: Mon, Nov 14 2011 12:36PM
Subject: PAWS? and forms
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Currently, I decide whether to create a Word form or PDF form on a case-by-case basis. (Please, spare me lectures on why "they should all be HTML!" until you can get me out of the ancient CMS that won't allow HTML forms.) If there's a lot of non-form-field-related explanatory or bureaucratic text, it needs to be a PDF form. If it needs flexible text fields that can accommodate essay answers of non-pre-determined length, it gets a Word form. If there is a lot of bureaucratic text AND essay answers, I throw up my hands in despair.
Researching something else in the Forum archives, I came upon this response to a thread:
From: Ryan E. Benson
Yes usually form fields get stripped out using a converter, however
PAWS keeps the controls as long as they are that legacy type vs the
new one. PAWS runs your doc through a checklist and the controls too,
letting you check/see what a screen reader will speak. Then it
converts it to a PDF.
While I've heard of PAWS, I've never checked it out. Can anyone tell me how it handles a legacy text field when it's converting a Word form to PDF? Does it become a fixed length? (Or a scrolling box, which is the same thing for my purposes, because many of the completed forms must be printed out and legally signed by multiple parties.) It can't possibly retain the size flexibility of a Word text field, can it?
Cautiously hopeful, but realistic,
Donna Lettow
Staff Specialist, Electronic Accessibility & Internal Communication
MD Division of Rehabilitation Services
2301 Argonne Drive
Baltimore, MD 21218
www.dors.state.md.us<;blocked::http://www.dors.state.md.us/>;
410-554-9402
888-554-0334
410-554-9411 (TTY)
IMPORTANT NOTICE: This e-mail may contain confidential or privileged information. If you are not the intended recipient, please notify the sender immediately and destroy this e-mail. Any unauthorized copying, disclosure or distribution of the material in this e-mail is strictly forbidden.
From: Ryan E. Benson
Date: Mon, Nov 14 2011 3:33PM
Subject: Re: PAWS? and forms
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Hi Donna,
PAW recognizes "legacy" controls that can be carried over to the PDF.
While I don't have a link I can give you, it seems like the new type
of controls are not actual controls but rather place holders in a Word
doc.
>Does it become a fixed length?
I don't have PAW computer I am on currently, I believe you can set max
characters via PAW. If you can't you can in acrobat via properties. Or
did you mean physical size? The text boxes extend to the width of the
page, unless you set the width in PAW. If you don't set the width, and
you have multiple fields on the same line, the results are hit and
miss in my experience. You will need to play with the form in Acrobat.
>(Or a scrolling box, which is the same thing for my purposes, because many of the completed forms must be
> printed out and legally signed by multiple parties.) It can't possibly retain the size flexibility of a Word text
> field, can it?
Like stated above, unless the specs are defined within PAW, it fills
the page width. In Acrobat, you can check a box within properties to
make the form control multi-lined for typing purposes. If you need to
print it, you have to play with it. I usually have to make the PDF a
few times to make the spacing correct. It isn't usually an one-shot
deal in my experience.
--
Ryan E. Benson
On Mon, Nov 14, 2011 at 2:37 PM, Donna Lettow < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = > wrote:
> Currently, I decide whether to create a Word form or PDF form on a case-by-case basis. (Please, spare me lectures on why "they should all be HTML!" until you can get me out of the ancient CMS that won't allow HTML forms.) If there's a lot of non-form-field-related explanatory or bureaucratic text, it needs to be a PDF form. If it needs flexible text fields that can accommodate essay answers of non-pre-determined length, it gets a Word form. If there is a lot of bureaucratic text AND essay answers, I throw up my hands in despair.
>
> Researching something else in the Forum archives, I came upon this response to a thread:
> From: Ryan E. Benson
> Yes usually form fields get stripped out using a converter, however
> PAWS keeps the controls as long as they are that legacy type vs the
> new one. PAWS runs your doc through a checklist and the controls too,
> letting you check/see what a screen reader will speak. Then it
> converts it to a PDF.
>
> While I've heard of PAWS, I've never checked it out. Can anyone tell me how it handles a legacy text field when it's converting a Word form to PDF? Does it become a fixed length? (Or a scrolling box, which is the same thing for my purposes, because many of the completed forms must be printed out and legally signed by multiple parties.) It can't possibly retain the size flexibility of a Word text field, can it?
>
> Cautiously hopeful, but realistic,
>
> Donna Lettow
> Staff Specialist, Electronic Accessibility & Internal Communication
> MD Division of Rehabilitation Services
> 2301 Argonne Drive
> Baltimore, MD 21218
> www.dors.state.md.us<;blocked::http://www.dors.state.md.us/>;
> 410-554-9402
> 888-554-0334
> 410-554-9411 (TTY)
>
>
>
> IMPORTANT NOTICE: This e-mail may contain confidential or privileged information. If you are not the intended recipient, please notify the sender immediately and destroy this e-mail. Any unauthorized copying, disclosure or distribution of the material in this e-mail is strictly forbidden.
>