How to Submit a PDF Form to a Selected Email Address from a Dropdown List
Question details
The user needs to configure an interactive PDF form so that clicking a submit button dynamically sends the document to an email address chosen by the user from a dropdown list.
- Product
- PDF Forms
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Creating an interactive PDF form intended for multiple departments, where the user selects the destination (e.g., Sales, Support) and submits the form directly to the corresponding email address.
- Observed behavior
- The user is unsure how to properly configure the Acrobat form actions, export values, and document-level JavaScript required to link the dropdown selection to the submit action.
Before editing your form, ensure you are using a dedicated desktop PDF editor that supports interactive form fields and JavaScript, as most web browser PDF viewers restrict automated email submissions.
Use Dropdown Export Values and a Custom JavaScript Button
By storing email addresses as hidden export values in a dropdown menu, you can use a short JavaScript code on your submit button to route the form dynamically.
This method involves setting up a dropdown field where the visible choices are user-friendly names (like departments) and the underlying values are the email addresses. A custom script then reads this value to construct the mailto: command.
Add a dropdown menu field to your form and name it 'EmailList'. Open its Properties and navigate to the Options tab. Add your list items (e.g., 'Customer Support') and enter the corresponding email address (e.g., 'support@example.com') in the 'Export Value' box. Click Add for each item.
Insert a Button field into your PDF document. Double-click the button to open its Properties dialog, then navigate to the Actions tab.
In the Actions tab, choose 'Mouse Up' as the trigger. From the 'Select Action' dropdown menu, choose 'Run a JavaScript' and click Add.
In the JavaScript Editor, type the following code: var cEmail = this.getField('EmailList').value; this.submitForm({cURL: 'mailto:' + cEmail, cSubmitAs: 'PDF'}); Click OK to save the script.
Close the form editing mode, save your document, and test the button. When you select an item from the dropdown and click submit, your default email client should open with the selected address in the 'To' field.
Easily Create and Fill PDF Forms with WPS Office
WPS Office provides a comprehensive PDF toolkit that allows you to effortlessly design interactive forms, insert dropdown menus, and configure text fields without writing complex scripts.
- 1. Open your PDF in WPS Office: Launch WPS Office on your desktop and open the PDF document you want to convert into an interactive form.
- 2. Access the Form tools: Navigate to the 'Form' tab on the top ribbon to reveal the interactive form controls and editing tools.
- 3. Add interactive fields: Select the Dropdown, Text Field, Checkbox, or Push Button controls and click on your document to place them exactly where needed.
- 4. Configure properties: Double-click any inserted field to adjust its appearance, name, and export values to ensure your data is collected accurately.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why doesn't the submit button work when viewing the PDF in Google Chrome?
Most modern web browsers (like Chrome, Edge, and Firefox) use built-in, lightweight PDF viewers that restrict advanced interactive features, including document-level JavaScript and mailto: commands, for security reasons. Users must download the file and open it in a dedicated desktop application to submit it.
Can I send the form data as a smaller data file instead of the entire PDF?
Yes. In your JavaScript submitForm configuration, you can modify the cSubmitAs parameter. Changing it from 'PDF' to 'FDF', 'XFDF', or 'XML' will extract only the data entered into the fields, resulting in a significantly smaller email attachment.
How do I hide the actual email addresses from the user filling out the dropdown?
When creating your dropdown list, enter the user-friendly name (e.g., 'Human Resources') into the 'Item' field and the actual email address into the 'Export Value' field. The dropdown will only display the item names, while the script automatically processes the hidden export value behind the scenes.
