Bug 155838 - PDF Conversion Removing Dropdown and Checkbox Input values
Summary: PDF Conversion Removing Dropdown and Checkbox Input values
Status: RESOLVED INSUFFICIENTDATA
Alias: None
Product: LibreOffice
Classification: Unclassified
Component: Printing and PDF export (show other bugs)
Version:
(earliest affected)
unspecified
Hardware: All All
: medium normal
Assignee: Not Assigned
URL:
Whiteboard:
Keywords:
Depends on:
Blocks:
 
Reported: 2023-06-14 17:31 UTC by Steph
Modified: 2024-04-05 03:15 UTC (History)
5 users (show)

See Also:
Crash report or crash signature:


Attachments
A document to use while troubleshooting (21.13 KB, application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document)
2023-06-14 20:18 UTC, Steph
Details

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Description Steph 2023-06-14 17:31:31 UTC
Description:
We have some files (which have some dropdowns or checkboxes with selected/inserted values) where after we attempt to convert from a docx to a pdf we lose the inputed data.

Steps to Reproduce:
1.Create a word doc (.docx) with a dropdown and checkbox, and be sure to select a value in dropdown and check a checkbox
2.Run this command in command prompt window libreoffice --headless --invisible --convert-to pdf:writer_pdf_Export:PDFUACompliance=True <filename> 
3.Look at newly made pdf, and see if inputted values are present

Actual Results:
New pdf does not have selected values in the dropdown and checkbox

Expected Results:
New pdf should have selected values in the dropdown and checkbox (from before pdf conversion).


Reproducible: Sometimes


User Profile Reset: No

Additional Info:
This happens with and without the Universal Accessibility flag
Comment 1 Steph 2023-06-14 20:18:49 UTC
Created attachment 187915 [details]
A document to use while troubleshooting

Use this as the newly created document (from step 1), and continue with the step 2 and on with the steps to reproduce.

I believe the dropdowns and checkboxes, in this doc, may be from an older version of word (perhaps 2016).
Comment 2 m_a_riosv 2023-06-14 23:41:34 UTC
It uses the same options from the last export, opening LibreOffice.
Do one export opening LibreOffice selecting 'Create PDF form'
Then it will be used by the command line.
Comment 3 Steph 2023-06-15 13:08:10 UTC
Unfortunately our tool that uses LibreOffice does not have the ability to open the UI for Libreoffice, and relies on the command line.

I am bit confused by your suggestion because it does not seem to relate to what I am running in to for this defect. I am running into this issue in the command line, not the UI. Is there a flag I should be adding for this "Create PDF Form" option you are suggesting?

Some other useful information
-this didnt seem to be a problem in an older version (7.0.4)
-I would also suggest using the document I have provided, because this seems to be a problem with older dropdowns and checkbox(I believe from Word 2016)
Comment 4 Steph 2023-06-15 13:24:41 UTC
Updating Status
Comment 5 m_a_riosv 2023-06-15 21:20:20 UTC
I think you don't need to open LibreOffice, only export once opening LibreOffice, the option is saved and used after with the command line.
Comment 6 Steph 2023-06-16 17:55:52 UTC
Thank you for getting back to me! I tried what you suggested from your message on 2023-06-14. I am still experiencing the problem. Below I have listed the steps I took based on what you suggested, what I saw, and what I would of expected to see.

1) I opened the document (the one I have provided inside of the report) inside of LibreOffice
	-this file has the value "A" selected in the drop down, first checkbox is checked, and the second checkbox is not checked
2) I clicked File > Export As > Export As PDF, was sure that the "Create PDF form" is checked in the "PDF Options" pop up, and clicked "Export"
3) A file explorer window pops up, which prompts me for a name for the new pdf. I ensure it has a name, and click "Save" in the file explorer pop up
4) From here I go to the file location where I saved the new pdf, and open it
	-the new pdf looks to have no value selected in the dropdown, and neither of the checkboxes checked
	-I would expect the file to have the value "A" selected for dropdown, the first checkbox to be checked, and the second checkbox to be unchecked
Comment 7 Justin L 2023-07-13 20:50:45 UTC
Please re-check with version 7.5.5, because it might have been fixed with bug 153040.
Comment 8 Justin L 2023-07-13 21:15:58 UTC
In my personal testing when "exporting as a form", I see the same problem as mentioned in the other bug report - that the "A" is partially cut off. This bug report could be redirected to that problem if you want.

To work around the issue, you should be able to set LO to not "save as form", which can be done from the UI as mentioned by comment 2 (where when he talks about "selecting" I think he meant "toggling it off" since it defaults to on).

It could also be done by searching for "ExportFormFields" in advanced settings and turning it off. If UI access to configure LO is simply not possible, you could probably configure it with a configuration extension. (I'll be giving a talk about that at the LibreOffice conference in September, and this setting was one of my examples...)

(In reply to Steph from comment #6)
> 2) I clicked File > Export As > Export As PDF, was sure that the "Create PDF
> form" is checked in the "PDF Options" pop up
Nope - you wanted to make sure this was unchecked - so that it creates plain text PDF instead of a form.
Comment 9 QA Administrators 2024-03-05 03:13:37 UTC Comment hidden (obsolete)
Comment 10 QA Administrators 2024-04-05 03:15:41 UTC
Dear Steph,

Please read this message in its entirety before proceeding.

Your bug report is being closed as INSUFFICIENTDATA due to inactivity and
a lack of information which is needed in order to accurately
reproduce and confirm the problem. We encourage you to retest
your bug against the latest release. If the issue is still
present in the latest stable release, we need the following
information (please ignore any that you've already provided):

a) Provide details of your system including your operating
   system and the latest version of LibreOffice that you have
   confirmed the bug to be present

b) Provide easy to reproduce steps – the simpler the better

c) Provide any test case(s) which will help us confirm the problem

d) Provide screenshots of the problem if you think it might help

e) Read all comments and provide any requested information

Once all of this is done, please set the bug back to UNCONFIRMED
and we will attempt to reproduce the issue. Please do not:

a) respond via email 

b) update the version field in the bug or any of the other details
   on the top section of our bug tracker

Warm Regards,
QA Team

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