How to Filter Acrobat Drop-Down Options with Radio Buttons
Question details
The user needs to dynamically update the available options in a PDF drop-down menu based on the selection of a specific radio button.
- Product
- Adobe Acrobat
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Creating interactive and dynamic PDF forms where field options depend on previous user selections.
- Observed behavior
- To achieve conditional logic, the user must implement a JavaScript calculation in the form to clear or populate drop-down items when a radio button state changes.
Ensure you are using Adobe Acrobat Pro or a similar advanced PDF form editor that supports custom JavaScript calculations for interactive fields.
Use a Hidden Text Field with a Custom Calculation Script
By utilizing a hidden text field, you can trigger a custom JavaScript that monitors the radio button's value and updates the drop-down list accordingly.
Acrobat forms do not natively support conditional drop-downs without code. A hidden text field is required because calculation scripts in text fields run automatically whenever any field in the form changes.
Create your radio button group (e.g., named 'Issue') and your drop-down list field (e.g., named 'Options') in your Acrobat form.
Add a new Text Field to the document. Open its Properties, navigate to the General or Appearance tab, and set the field to 'Hidden' so it does not appear to the final user.
Go to the Calculate tab in the hidden text field's properties. Select 'Custom calculation script' and click the 'Edit' button.
Input the conditional logic to read the radio button and set drop-down items. For example: var issue = this.getField('Issue').valueAsString; var options = this.getField('Options'); if (issue == 'Quality') { options.setItems(['Item 1', 'Item 2']); }
Close the form editing mode and click through your radio buttons to ensure the drop-down list updates correctly.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why isn't my drop-down list updating when I click the radio button?
This usually happens if the calculation script isn't triggered. Make sure your script is placed inside a calculation field (like a hidden text field) rather than the drop-down itself, and verify that the exact field names in your JavaScript match the names of your form fields.
Can I use this method to filter multiple drop-down menus at once?
Yes. Within the same hidden text field's calculation script, you can define variables for multiple drop-down fields and apply the setItems() method to each one independently based on the radio button's current value.
Will this dynamic JavaScript work if the user fills out the PDF in a web browser?
Browser-based PDF viewers often have limited support for JavaScript. For dynamic features like conditional drop-downs to work reliably, advise users to open the PDF form in a dedicated desktop application like Adobe Acrobat Reader or WPS Office.
