Videos/Create a fillable form in Writer

Foreword
This description refers to the version LibreOffice 6.

The video ″Ein ausfüllbares Formular erstellen V6″-[DE] ("Create a fillable form V6") links to this page here for more information and details.

The document used in the video can be downloaded here.

Link to the video
Link to the video [in German DE]:

"Ein ausfüllbares Formular erstellen in Writer - LibreOffice 6"

Create a sales contract form
LibreOffice 6 - Create a purchase contract as a fillable form in Writer as ODT and export to PDF for use.

Use existing document for the form
To show how to create a fillable form, we take a ready-made ODT file [[Media:Bill of sale about used item_V6.odt|Bill of sale about used item_V6.odt]].

The captions and required text passages have already been created in this file.

The contained "framed boxes" are all tables.

Controls (fillable fields) insert


In Writer we can now insert so-called controls in the open file.

To do this we select the menu and get the toolbar, see picture right:

Here the text field is often used - [[Media:2016 HB LO Beispiel-Textfeld.png|Beispiel: Textfeld]].

Draft mode
The Form Controls toolbar has the Design Mode Switch icon.

This switches to the "Edit form fields" or "View form fields" work mode.

If the control icons are greyed out, click on "Design Mode" toggle.

Text box(es)
To insert a text field into the form, click on the "Text field" icon.

The cursor changes its appearance, becomes a [[Media:201905_ENLOHB_Writer_Fadenkreuz.png|crosshair with a small rectangle]] next to it.

We position the crosshairs on the imaginary upper left corner of the text field to be created.

Holding down the left mouse button, we open a text box and let go.

The sidebar should be visible (Menu [[Media:201905_ENLOHB_Menu_View_Sidebar.png|]] should have a checkmark), otherwise click on it.

In the sidebar, click the [[Media:201905_ENLOHB_Sidebar properties.png|"Sidebar Settings"]] icon to make the properties sidebar visible).

There the width and height of the text field can be adjusted, if the text field was raised and marked.

Double-clicking on the text field opens the Dialog [[Media:201905_ENLOHB_Properties_Text_box.png|"Properties: Text Box"]].

Here also the width and height can be set, as well as further specifications for the text field are made.

For our form we set the height of all text fields to 0.60 cm.

The width is adapted to the circumstances.

For the given height of 0.60 cm the font "Calibri" and a font size of 9 pt are set.

In order to avoid having to adjust all values for the text fields, we copy the inserted text field and insert the next placeholder.

For a clear assignment of the text fields, the name of the text field should be changed (for example: text field 1, text field 2, text field 3, etc.).

So now all required text fields are inserted and possibly even in width still adapted.

Here are the entries for the text fields:

Numeric Field(s)
We'll click on the "Form Controls" toolbar on the symbol "Numeric Field".

This is required for the stated EURO amounts (shown in numbers, for example 200.00).

This excludes that a text is entered from provided.

We also adjust the numerical fields in height, width and font, like the text fields in the Dialog box: [[Media:201905_ENLOHB_Properties_Numeric_Field.png|"Properties: Numeric Field"]].

Here the orientation is set to "Left".

Here are the entries for the numerical fields:

Date field(s)
Furthermore, we still need three date fields.

Dazu klicken wir auf das Symbol "Date field" and pull up a field.

The further adjustments in the dialog box: [[Media:201905_ENLOHB_Properties_Date_Field.png|"Properties: Date Field"]] we take, as stated above, before.

Alignment here also "left".

For the "date format" we indicate in the dialog box "DD/MM/YYYY".

Here are the other entries for the date fields:

Simultaneous change to multiple form fields


You can also change the properties of multiple form fields at the same time.

Select from the menu.

In the Form Navigator dialog, select the form fields you want to change.

You can do this with, each time on a form label.

Then right-click on one of the form labels and select "Properties" from the context menu.

In the "Properties: Multiselection" dialog, you can now change the desired properties.

For example, set the background color to orange.

Save document
After all fields have been inserted, the document must now be saved under a new name if possible, for example: "Bill of sale about used item_V6 - fillable.odt".

Create PDF form
In the next step, we conclude with Writer.

In the Dialog that opens [[Media:201905_ENLOHB_Dialog_box_PDF_Options.png|"PDF Options"]] be careful that at a check mark is placed.

We click on.

In the following Dialogue box "Export" we select our storage location, enter a name and click on.

Now we can close Writer.

Create a hybrid PDF
To create a hybrid PDF

Fill out the PDF form
We now open the exported PDF file (see: Used working documents) and can now fill out the form.

After the completed filling it is essential to save the PDF file under a new name, e.g. "My completed form".

Possible controls








The Form Controls and Other Controls toolbars let you choose from a variety of controls:


 * Label
 * Text Box
 * Check Box
 * Option Button
 * List Box
 * Combo Box
 * Push Button
 * Image Button
 * Formatted Field
 * Date Field
 * Numeric Field
 * Group Box

Select from the Form Controls toolbar the Symbol "More Controls". You have in the "More Controls"-toolbar any other choses "▼".


 * Time Field
 * Currency Field
 * Pattern Field
 * Navigation Bar
 * Imagel Control
 * File Selection

And select from the "More Controls" toolbar, click the down arrow. And you have any other choses "▼".


 * Spin Button
 * Scrollbar

working document used
[[Media:Bill of sale about used item_V6.odt|Bill of sale about used item_V6.odt]]

[[Media:Bill of sale about used item_V6 - fillable.odt|Bill of sale about used item_V6 - fillable.odt]]

[[Media:Bill of sale about used item_V6 - fillable.pdf|Bill of sale about used item_V6 - fillable.pdf]]

Notes on the forms used here
Note As the basis of this form the form "Allgemeiner Kaufvertrag von privat" of markt.de was used and can be downloaded for free by anyone.

Please refer: http://www.markt.de/contentId,AllgemeinerKaufvertrag/inhalt.htm there at "Allgemeiner Kaufvertrag von privat - Muster zum Download".

The form used here is only a demonstration of how fillable forms can be created in LibreOffice.

The Document Foundation and the editor Hrbrgr (talk) 2018-03-06T19:22:22 (UTC) of these forms are not responsible for the use of these contract forms, this is at their own responsibility.

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Dependence of the height of the fields on the font size
When using the control fields, make sure that there is a dependency between font size and type with the field height.

In our example of use, the font "Calibri" and font size of "9 point" were used for the "Text fields", "Numeric fields" and "Date fields".

Some combinations with font size and type and field height
Examples, see picture:  [[Media:2016_HB_LO_Kombinationen_für_Textfeld.png|Size combinations for text fields]]

The values do not always agree 100%.

If in doubt, a test with the desired combination of font, size, etc. should be carried out beforehand.

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Documentation / Manuals
Here you will find the Documentation / Manuals:

Documentation / Manuals

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