Forms From LiveCycle

A commonly asked question is, "Can CommonLook PDF remediate forms created in LiveCyle?" 

The short answer is no.  Here's why:

LiveCycle forms are not actually PDF.  They are XFA “wrapped” in a PDF “wrapper.”  So, they “look” like PDF, and “act” like PDF, but they aren’t really PDF.  Accessibility, then, is done a little bit differently than how it’s done in “real” PDF.

So, how do you know if your form was created in LiveCyle or is a "real" PDF? 

Check the metadata (Document Properties) in Acrobat.  Follow these steps:

1. Navigate to File in the toolbar and choose Properties (or use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+D), 
2. Go to the Description tab in the Document Properties window (it's the first tab),
3. From there, check the "Application" that created the document.  If it says "LiveCyle" you know its a LiveCycle form. If it doesn't, it's not.  In the screenshot below you'll notice that the  form came from Microsoft Word, for example. (Note: Adobe "LiveCycle" may have changed its name to "Designer" or "Forms Designer" so be on the lookout for either of those things, too!) 

Didn't find what you're looking for? Navigate to our "Forms" section for more related articles that may help!