Transparent Form Controls

[Rudy B]

I'm trying to create a form that I wish to be fillable as a pdf, or, be printed and filled out by hand as the user desires.

So I'm trying to create some ruled guidelines that the user can reference when filling out the form by hand.

The problem is, text box form controls obscure all graphics placed in or around them.

I wish they could have transparent backgrounds or could be pushed back to the background so the intended graphics could be visible.

Thanks,
Rudy Beuc

[Zizi64]

In my opinion, a graphic on the fill area disturbs the perspicuity, clarity of your fillable form.


Workaround:
Do not use images on the filleable area.

[JeJe]

Try a drawing textbox - available from the drawing toolbar.

[JeJe]

Or use a text frame - Insert menu/Frame. Right click on the frame and wrap to the backgound.

[Rudy B]

Try a drawing textbox - available from the drawing toolbar.

Please understand, the idea is to have this exist as a pdf form and a paper form. This is for a volunteer organization and needs to be adaptable to both electronic and paper or manual formats.

Thanks,
Rudy Beuc

[Rudy B]

In my opinion, a graphic on the fill area disturbs the perspicuity, clarity of your fillable form.


Workaround:
Do not use images on the filleable area.

Thanks you for your answer, but this is not helpful.

Thanks,
Rudy Beuc

[JeJe]

Please understand, the idea is to have this exist as a pdf form and a paper form. This is for a volunteer organization and needs to be adaptable to both electronic and paper or manual formats.

Thanks,
Rudy Beuc

Did you try the Text frame?

[Zizi64]

Workaround:
Do not use images on the filleable area.

Thanks you for your answer, but this is not helpful.

It is helpful - in some cases. It spares some time for you.

When they have B&W printer only, the visibility of the printed version will be extremly decreased if any image is in the background of the Form control elements. It is better to use white or a light color background for them.

Othervise I can not found any Form Control element in the office suite what can work in the PDF export, but it would have the Transparency property.
Only the Visibility property is changeable in the ODF format: (Yes/No). You can make it dinamic by a macro. But it can not work in a PDF export.

[JeJe]

Another way to do it might be with a table or tables where you have no table borders and protect some of the cells - leaving some cells which are editable and with paragraph borders so they look like textboxes.

Okay, I get it... only form controls are editable when exported to pdf and I can't see a way to make them transparent either.