Scripting support for HTML5 forms

Last update: June 24, 2024

Topics:
HTML5 Forms,Mobile Forms

CREATED FOR:

Admin
User
Developer

JavaScript, FormCalc properties, and methods supported in HTML5 forms are as listed below:

$event

Property	Description	Exception
`prevText`	Specifies the content of the field before it changes in response to the actions of a user. This value can be recalled, similar to an undo feature.	Does not work for drop-downs and list boxes. `PrevText` does not work correctly for the following cases: On typing some special character keys (for example, $ or , or & or @ and more) in Numeric fields on the iPad, and For the Date field (when date is entered through calendar). Setting value through script is not supported.
`target`	Specifies the object upon which the event is acting.	Setting value through script is not supported.
`newtext`	Specifies the content of the field after it changes in response to user actions.	The `newText` property does not work properly for following cases : On selecting-replacing texts On deleting, copying, and pasting texts. On typing some special character keys (for example, $ or , or & or @ and more) in Numeric fields On using shift+alphanumeric combination. On using date/time fields. Setting value through script is not supported.
change	Specifies the value that a user types or pastes into a field immediately after they perform the action.	The change property does not work properly for following cases: On selecting-replacing texts On deleting, copying, and pasting texts. On typing some special character keys (for example, $ or , or & or @ and more) in Numeric fields On using shift+alphanumeric combination. On using date/time fields. Setting value through script is not supported.
keydown	Determines whether a user is pressing an arrow key to make a selection. This property is available only for list boxes and drop-down lists.	None
modifier	Determines whether the modifier key (for example, Ctrl on Microsoft® Windows®) is held down when a particular event executes.	None

$host

Property	Description	Exception
`apptype`	Returns the application type of the host. Available only for client applications.	Returns `HTML 5`.
`name`	Returns the name of the current application.	Returns the browser name and its version. For example, in Chrome browser, the value returned is `Chrome <version>.`
`numPages`	Returns the number of pages in the document.	Pagination policy of HTML5 forms is not identical to PDF forms pagination policy. So the numPages API can return a different values in both the cases.
`platform`	Returns a string representing the platform of the computer running the script.	None
`title`	Specifies the title of the document. It is available only for client applications.	It returns title of HTML document in form, rather than the form metadata title as if there are PDF Forms.
`version`	Returns a string representing the version number of the current application.	It returns the version of the form.
`calculationsEnabled`	Specifies whether calculate scripts will execute.	None
`validationsEnabled`	Specifies whether validation scripts will execute.	None
`pageUp`	Goes to the previous page.	HTML5 forms do not follow the same pagination policy as PDF Form, so the previous page of an HTML5 form is different from previous page of a PDF Form.
`pageDown`	Moves to the next page of a form. Use the pageDown method at runtime.
`setFocus`	Sets the keyboard focus to the field specified. The field is specified as an object, or by the SOM expression of the field. It is available only for client applications.
`resetdata`	Resets the fields to their default values within a document.	Clears all data in a form with merged data, rather than restoring it to default values.
`messageBox`	Displays a dialog box on the screen. It is available only for client applications	Message box of type Yes/No is converted to OK/Cancel. Message box with three buttons is not supported.
currentPage	Sets the currently active page of a document at runtime. Page values are 0-based, so the first page of a document returns a value of 0. The currentPage property is available when layout:ready executes on a client. However, it is not available when layout:ready executes on the server because the property will not execute until the form layout executes.	None

field

Property	Description	Exception
`presence`	Controls the participation of the associated object in different phases of processing. If the object is a container, the contents of the container inherit whatever restrictions this control applies.	None
`access`	Controls user access to the contents.	Does not work for the exclusion group. Moreover, HTML5 forms gives same treatment to non-interactive and protected objects.
`name`	An identifier that is used to identify this element in script expressions.	HTML5 forms do not allow setting name property for objects. It is read-only property for HTML5 forms.
`value`	A content element that encloses a single unit of data content.	None
`rawValue`	Specifies the unformatted value for this field.	None
`formattedValue`	Specifies the formatted value for this field.	Setting `formattedValue` through script is not supported.
`editValue`	Specifies the edit value for this field.	Setting `editValue` through script is not supported.
`formatMessage`	Specifies the format validation message string for this field.	Setting `formatMessage` through script is not supported.
`fillcolor`	Specifies the background color value for this field. You need to set the border.fill.presence property to visible separately.	It does not correctly return default color of the field.
`border`	The border object describes the border surrounding an object.
`ui`	The ui object encloses the user interface description of a form object.
`mandatory`	Specifies the nullTest value for the field.
`borderColor`	Specifies the border color value for this field. You need to set the border.edge.presence property to visible separately.	It does not correctly return default border color of the field.
`length`	The number of items in the list.	None
`addItem`	Adds new items to the current field.	None
`clearItem`	Removes all the items from the field.	None
`boundItem`	Gets the bound value of a specific display item of a drop-down list or list box.	None
`execCalculate`	Executes the calculate script of the field.	None
`execValidate`	Executes the validate script of the field.	None
`execEvent`	Executes the event script of the object.	None
`getItemState`	Returns the selection state of the specified item	None
`setItemState`	Sets the selection state of the specified item.	None
`getDisplayItem`	Retrieves the item display text for the specified item index.	None
`getSaveItem`	Retrieves the data value for the specified item index.	None
`deleteItem`	Deletes the item at the specified index.	None
`setItems`	Sets the specified items in the current field. It replaces pre-existing items.	None
h	A measurement of the height for the layout.	None
w	A measurement specifying the width for the layout.	None
x	Specifies the x coordinate of the container's anchor point relative to the upper-left corner of the parent container when placed with positioned layout.	None
y	Specifies the y coordinate of a container's anchor point relative to the upper-left corner of the parent container when placed with positioned layout.	None
caption	The caption object describes a descriptive label associated with a form design object.	None
validate	The validate object controls validation of user-supplied data on a form. The validate object can be activated multiple times during the life of a form.	None
parentSubform	Specifies the parent subform (page) of this field.	Always returns parent subform instead of returning first non-scoping parent subform.
selectedIndex	The index of the first selected item.	None

Form

Property	Description	Exception
formNodes	Returns a list of all form model objects that are bound to a specified data object.

InstanceManager

Property	Description
`name`	An identifier that is used to identify this element in script expressions.
`occur`	Describes the constraints over the number of allowable instances for its enclosing container.
`min`	Specifies the minimum number of instances that can be instantiated.
`max`	Specifies the maximum number of instances that can be instantiated.
`count`	Specifies the current number of instances instantiated.
`setInstances`	Adds or removes the specified subforms or subform sets from this node.
`addInstance`	Adds a new instance of a subform or subform set to this node.
`removeInstance`	Removes a subform or subform set from this node.
`moveInstance`	Moves a child object of a form model object to another specified location within the form model. The corresponding data model information for the object is also relocated within the data model.
`insertInstance`	Inserts a new instance of a subform or subform set to this node.

list

Property	Description
`length`	The number of elements in the list.
`item`	A zero-based index into the collection.
`append`	Appends a node to the end of the node list.
`remove`	Removes a node from the node list.
`insert`	Inserts a node before a specific node in the node list.

node

Property	Description	Exception
createNode	Creates new node based on a valid class name.	None
`isContainer`	Specifies whether this object is a container object.	None
`isNull`	Indicates whether the current data value is a null value.	None
`resolveNode`	Evaluates the specified SOM expression, beginning with the current XML form object model object, and returns the value of the object specified in the SOM expression.	None
`resolveNodes`	Evaluates the specified SOM expression, beginning with the current XML form object model object, and returns the value of the object specified in the SOM expression.	None
oneOfChild	Creates new node based on a valid class name.	None
getElement	Returns a specified child object.	None
getAttribute	Gets a specified property value.	None
setAttribute	Sets the value of a specified property.	None

model

Property	Description	Exception
NA	NA	NA

Subform

Property	Description	Exception
instanceIndex	Specifies the index of the object, relative to the other instantiated instances.	None
execEvent	Executes the event script of the object.	None
getInvalidObjects	Returns a list of nodes contained within the subform (inclusive), that have failed the validation test.	None
border	The border object describes the border surrounding an object.	None
borderColor	Specifies the border color value for this field. You need to set the border.edge.presence property to visible separately.	None
h	A measurement of the height for the layout.	None
w	A measurement specifying the width for the layout.	None
x	Specifies the x coordinate of the container's anchor point relative to the upper-left corner of the parent container when placed with positioned layout.	None
y	Specifies the y coordinate of a container's anchor point relative to the upper-left corner of the parent container when placed with positioned layout.	None
validate	The validate object controls validation of user-supplied data on a form. The validate object can be activated multiple times during the life of a form.	None
name	An identifier that is used to identify this element in script expressions.	None
presence	Specifies an object's visibility.	None
access	Controls user access to the contents of a container object, such as a subform.	None
execValidate	Calculates the index of a subform or subform set based on where it is located relative to other instances of the same form object.	None
instanceManager	The instanceManager object manages the instance creation, removal, and movement of form model objects.	None

submit

Property	Description
target	The URL to which the data is submitted. Omission of this attribute implies the XFA processing application obtains the URI using a product-specific technique, such as accessing product-specific information in the config object.

tree

Property	Description	Exception
nodes	Returns a list of all child objects of the current object.	Not supported for xfa.nodes, desc Number of nodes reported for PDF and HTML are different.
name	Specifies the name of this node.	Setting the name using scripts is not allowed in HTML.
parent	Gets the parent for this node.	None
index	Returns the position of this node in its collection of like-named, in-scope, like-child relationship nodes.	None
somExpression	Gets the SOM expression for this node.	None
resolveNode	Evaluates the specified SOM expression, beginning with the current XML form object model object, and returns the value of the object specified in the SOM expression.	None
resolveNodes	Evaluates the specified SOM expression, beginning with the current XML form object model object, and returns the value of the object specified in the SOM expression.	None

subformset

Property	Description	Exception
instanceManager	The instanceManager object manages the instance creation, removal, and movement of form model objects.	None

content

Property	Description	Exception
isNull	Indicates whether the current data value is the null value.

dataValue

Property	Description	Exception
isNull	Indicates whether the current data value is the null value.

edge

Property	Description	Exception
color	The color property describes a unique color for the pattern object.	The default value cannot be retrieved. The changes are reflected in Model and are available for scripting but are not synced to HTML elements. Hence, the changes are not reflected in the UI.

fill

Property	Description	Exception
color	The color properties define a unique color of fill.	The default value cannot be retrieved. The changes are reflected in Model and are available for scripting but are not synced to HTML elements. Hence, the changes are not reflected in the UI.

linear

Property	Description	Exception
color	The color property describes a unique color for a linear gradient fill on a form.	The default value cannot be retrieved. The changes are reflected in Model and are available for scripting but are not synced to HTML elements. Hence, the changes are not reflected in the UI.

line

Property	Description	Exception
edge	The edge object describes an arc, line, or one side of a border or rectangle.	Attributes such as color, cap, and more are not supported.

pattern

Property	Description	Exception
color	The color property describes a unique color for the pattern object.	The default value cannot be retrieved. The changes are reflected in Model and are available for scripting but are not synced to HTML elements. Hence, the changes are not reflected in the UI.

radial

Property	Description	Exception
color	The color property describes a unique color for the radial object	The default value cannot be retrieved. The changes are reflected in Model and are available for scripting but are not synced to HTML elements. Hence, the changes are not reflected in the UI.

stipple

Property	Description	Exception
color	The color property describes a unique color for the stipple object.	The default value cannot be retrieved. The changes are reflected in model and are available for scripting but are not synced to HTML elements. Hence, the changes are not reflected in the UI.

draw

Property	Description	Exception
ui	The ui object encloses the user interface description of a form object.
caption	The caption object describes a descriptive label associated with a form design object.
presence	Specifies an object's visibility.
name	Specifies an identifier that may be used to specify this object or event in script expressions.	Setting the value at the runtime is not supported
value	The value object encloses a single unit of data content.

corner

Property	Description	Exception
color	The color property describes a unique color for the corner object.	The default value cannot be retrieved. The changes are reflected in model and are available for scripting but are not synced to HTML elements. Hence, the changes are not reflected in the UI.

checkButton

Property	Description	Exception
border	The border object describes the border surrounding checkButton object.	The changes are reflected in model and are available for scripting but are not synced to HTML elements. Hence, the changes are not reflected in the UI.

choiceList

Property	Description	Exception
border	The border object describes the border surrounding choiceList object.

dateTimeEdit

Property	Description	Exception
border	The border object describes the border surrounding dateTimeEdit object.

Image

Property	Description	Exception
contentType	Specifies the type of content in the referenced document, expressed as a MIME type.	None
name	An identifier that is used to identify this element in script expressions.	None

imageEdit

Property	Description	Exception
border	The border object describes the border surrounding imageEdit object.

numericEdit

Property	Description	Exception
border	The border object describes the border surrounding an object.	none

object

Property	Description	Exception
className	Determines the name of the class of this object.	none

rectangle

Property	Description	Exception
edge	The edge object describes an arc, line, or one side of a border or rectangle.	Attributes such as color, cap, and more are not supported.

textEdit

Property	Description	Exception
border	The border object describes the border surrounding an object.	None

exclGroup

Property	Description	Exception
layout	Specifies the layout strategy to be used by this object.	None
border	Specifies the border surrounding this field.	None
mandatory	Specifies the nullTest value for the field.	None
borderColor	Specifies the border color value for this field.A border must be defined before you can change the color by scripting.	None
borderWidth	Specifies the border width for this field.	None
h	A measurement of the height for the layout.	None
transient	Specifies whether the processing application must save the value of the exclusion group as part of a form submission or save operation.	None
w	A measurement specifying the width for the layout.	None
x	Specifies the x coordinate of the container's anchor point relative to the upper-left corner of the parent container when placed with positioned layout.	None
y	Specifies the y coordinate of a container's anchor point relative to the upper-left corner of the parent container when placed with positioned layout.	None
caption	The caption object describes a descriptive label associated with a form design object.	None
validate	The validate object controls validation of user-supplied data on a form. The validate object can be activated multiple times during the life of a form.	None
dataNode	Gets the data node to which a form node is bound after merge.	None
presence	Specifies an object's visibility.
access	Controls user access to the contents of a container object, such as a subform.	For individual items in the exclgrp, it always returns open.
name	Specifies an identifier that may be used to specify this object or event in script expressions.	None
members	Specify the members of exclusion group.	None
selectedMember	Returns the selected member of an exclusion group.	None
execCalculate	Executes any scripts on the calculate event of the specified object, and any child objects.	None
calculate	The calculate object controls the calculation of a field's value.	None

arc

Property	Description	Exception
edge	The edge object describes an arc, line, or one side of a border or rectangle.	Attributes such as color, cap, and more are not supported.

border

Property	Description	Exception
edge	The edge object describes an arc, line, or one side of a border or rectangle.	Attributes such as color, cap, and more are not supported.

$layout

Property	Description	Exception
h	Determines the height of a given form design object.	Height (h) property is not supported for page area and content area. Parameter 'Offset from first content area the XFA-Form object occurs on' is not supported.
w	Determines the width of a given form design object.	Width (w) property is not supported for page area and content area. Parameter 'Offset from first content area the XFA-Form object occurs on' is not supported.
x	Determines the x coordinate of a given form design object relative to its parent object.	x coordinate (x) property is not supported for page area and content area. Parameter 'Offset from first content area the XFA-Form object occurs on' is not supported.
y	Determines the y coordinate of a given form design object relative to its parent object.	y coordinate (y) property is not supported for page area and content area. Parameter 'Offset from first content area the XFA-Form object occurs on' is not supported.
pagecount	Determines the number of pages of the current form.	layout.pageCount() method returns different values for PDF and HTML forms. On decreasing page count by hiding an object, abspagecount method returns incorrect value.
pagecontent	Retrieves types of form design objects from a specified page of a form.	None
absPageCount	Determines the page count of the current form.	layout.pageCount() method returns different values for PDF and HTML forms. On decreasing page count by hiding an object, abspagecount method returns incorrect value.

items

Property	Description	Exception
presence	Specifies an object’s visibility.	None

FormCalc

FormCalc is an XFA-specific language for creating e-form centric logic and calculations roots. FormCalculation provides a powerful set of build functions.

FormCalc Supported Functions

FormCalc Expression Support

Category	Description	Sample
Simple Expression	Add, subtract, multiply, divide, and parentheses	(a+b)*3
Variable declaration	Define a variable	var a var a=3 a=3
Logical expression	Logic (and/or) Comparison (greater/less/ equal)	A or 1 1 <> 2 A NE B A or 1 1 <> 2 A NE B
If expression		if (a>b) then 2 endif
while		while (i lt 5) do i = i + 1 endwhile
for		for i = 100 downto 1 do s = s + i endfor
for each		for each i in (1, 2, 3) do s = s + i endfor
function declaration	Define a custom function in FormCalc	func foo(n) do var f = n endfunc

Acrobat API Support

Arithmetic Functions
1. Abs()
2. Avg()
3. Ceil()
4. Count()
5. Floor()
6. Max()
7. Min()
8. Mod()
9. Round()
10. Sum()
Scientific Functions
1. Acos()
2. Asin()
3. Atan()
4. Atan2()
5. Cos()
6. Sin()
7. Tan()
8. Exp()
9. Log()
10. Pow()
11. Sqrt()
12. Deg2Rad()
13. Rad2Deg()
14. Pi()
Financial Functions
1. Apr()
2. Cterm()
3. Fv()
4. Ipmt()
5. Npv()
6. Pmt()
7. Ppmt()
8. Pv()
9. Rate()
10. Term()
Logical Functions
1. Choose()
2. If()
3. Oneof()
4. Within()
String Functions
1. At()
2. Concat()
3. Left()
4. Len()
5. Lower()
6. Ltrim()
7. Replace()
8. Right()
9. Rtrim()
10. Space()
11. Stuff()
12. Substr()
13. Upper()
14. WordNum()
Date and Time
1. Date()
2. num2date()
3. DateFmt()

API	Description	Aberration
console.println()	This acrobat API dumps the output toJavaScript console.
app.alert()	This acrobat API sends out an alert message throughJavaScript popup.
app.beep()	Causes the system to play a sound.	No action is performed.
app.execDialog()	Presents a modal dialog box to the user. Modal dialog boxes must be closed by the user before the host application can be directly used again.	No action is performed.
app.launchURL()	Launches a URL in a browser window.
app.setInterval()	Specifies a JavaScript script and a time period. The script is executed every time the period elapses. The return value of this method must be held in a JavaScript variable. Otherwise, the interval object is subject to garbage-collection, which would cause the clock to stop. To terminate the periodic execution, pass the returned interval object to clearInterval.
app.setTimeOut()	Specifies a JavaScript script and a time period. The script is executed one time only, after the period elapses.The return value of this method must be held in a JavaScript variable. Otherwise, the timeout object is subject to garbage-collection, which would cause the clock to stop. To cancel the timeout event, pass the returned timeout object to clearTimeOut.
app.clearInterval()	Cancels a previously registered interval initially set by the setInterval method.	In HTML5 forms, the API does not function correctly.
app.clearTimeOut()	Cancels a previously registered time-out interval. Such an interval is initially set by setTimeOut.	In HTML5 forms, the API does not function correctly.
app.eval()	Runs a given script.
app.activeDocs	An array containing the Doc object for each active document. If no documents are active, activeDocs returns nothing; that is, it has the same behavior as d = new Array(0) in core JavaScript.	Returns an empty array for HTMl5 forms.
app.calculate	If true (the default value), calculations can be performed. If false, calculations are not permitted.	Always true for HTMl5 Forms.
app.constants	A wrapper object for holding various constant values. Currently, this property returns an object with a single property, align.	HTML5 forms return an empty align object.
app.focusRect	Turns the focus rectangle on and off. The focus rectangle is the faint dotted line around buttons, check boxes, radio buttons, and signatures to indicate that the form field has the keyboard focus. A value of true turns on the focus rectangle.	Always true for HTML5 forms.
app.formsVersion	The version number of the viewer forms software. Check this property to determine whether objects, properties, or methods in newer versions of the software are available if you want to maintain backward compatibility in your scripts.	11.001 always.
app.language	The language of the running Acrobat viewer.	Always "ENU" for HTMl5 forms.

Supported XFA events

The following client sided XFA events are supported:

Initialize
Validate
Calculate
Click
Enter
Exit
Change
ValidationState

NOTE

HTML5 forms are rendered on the client-side (browser). Use client side validate and calculate scripts instead of server-sided scripts.