Write the value of a single form field of a PDF document, identified by its name, generating a
new file with that value applied. It is the symmetric functionality to
GetField: while GetField reads a single field directly from the file, SetField
writes it directly into the file, without needing to go through a full collection
(GetFields / SetFields).
| Parameter |
Required |
Description |
| Source path |
Yes |
PDF (template) file whose form is filled. |
| Destination path |
Yes |
Path where the PDF file with the filled field will be generated. |
| Field |
Yes |
PDFToolsFormField item (field name / value) to fill. Its Key (field name) and Value (value to write) properties are used; Options is ignored. |
Operation status (Error / ErrorMessage) via PDFToolsStatus.
-
A non-existent field is an error: if the indicated name does not exist in the document, the
operation fails and no destination file is generated.
-
An invalid value is also an error: for fields with a closed set of valid values (checkbox,
radio button, list/combo — see GetField), if Value is not one of those possible
values, the operation fails and no destination file is generated. Text fields (and any other
type without a closed set of values) accept any Value.
-
To validate beforehand which values a field accepts (for example, in a checkbox or a list/combo),
first query GetField and check its possible values.
-
Case-sensitive: the field name (for example Country vs. country) is case-sensitive. If
the indicated name does not exactly match the one defined in the document, it is treated as a
non-existent field.
-
There is no native "date" type: the PDF forms standard only defines four field types: text,
checkbox/radio button, list/combo, and signature. What often looks like a "date field" with a
calendar picker in tools like Adobe Acrobat is actually a plain text field with JavaScript
embedded in the document itself; this component treats any field of this kind as plain text,
without validating or interpreting date formats.
-
The source file cannot be password-protected.
&PDFFileSource = "C:\Documents\emptyForm.pdf"
&PDFFileTarget = "C:\Documents\filledForm.pdf"
&PDFToolsFormField.Key = "Country"
&PDFToolsFormField.Value = "AR"
&PDFToolsStatus = &PdfToolsUtils.SetField(&PDFFileSource,&PDFFileTarget,&PDFToolsFormField)
| Situation |
Type |
Message / behavior |
| The indicated field name does not exist in the document |
Error |
Message indicating the field does not exist; no destination file is generated. |
| Value is not one of the field's possible values (checkbox, radio button, list/combo) |
Error |
Message indicating the value is invalid, including the list of valid values; no destination file is generated. |
| The source file does not exist, is corrupted, or is protected |
Error |
Message describing the problem reading the file. |