Bug 434639 - PDF form bug: dropdown form field not filled unless changed
Summary: PDF form bug: dropdown form field not filled unless changed
Status: CONFIRMED
Alias: None
Product: okular
Classification: Applications
Component: PDF backend (show other bugs)
Version: 1.11.2
Platform: Other Linux
: NOR normal
Target Milestone: ---
Assignee: Okular developers
URL:
Keywords:
Depends on:
Blocks:
 
Reported: 2021-03-19 20:44 UTC by t.schmittlauch
Modified: 2021-03-21 22:35 UTC (History)
3 users (show)

See Also:
Latest Commit:
Version Fixed In:
Sentry Crash Report:


Attachments
the problematic form with the supposedly-not-empty dropdowns (91.58 KB, application/pdf)
2021-03-19 20:44 UTC, t.schmittlauch
Details
screenshot of the PDF form in Okular, with the dropdown empty (191.62 KB, image/png)
2021-03-19 20:46 UTC, t.schmittlauch
Details
screenshot of the PDF form in pdf.js on Firefox, with options available in the dropdown (139.17 KB, image/png)
2021-03-19 20:48 UTC, t.schmittlauch
Details
The example file in Okular 201.12/poppler 20.12.0 (58.13 KB, image/png)
2021-03-19 20:53 UTC, Yuri Chornoivan
Details
File -> Properties -> Fonts (93.99 KB, image/png)
2021-03-19 20:58 UTC, t.schmittlauch
Details
screenshot of PDF with Poppler 21.02.0 (173.90 KB, image/png)
2021-03-19 21:04 UTC, t.schmittlauch
Details

Note You need to log in before you can comment on or make changes to this bug.
Description t.schmittlauch 2021-03-19 20:44:48 UTC
Created attachment 136858 [details]
the problematic form with the supposedly-not-empty dropdowns

SUMMARY
The PDF form in the attachment contains several dropdowns with options to be selected. Unfortunately, no dropdown entries are displayed and thus cannot be selected.
According to the metadata, the PDF has been created from Office 365 so I cannot guarantee it to be fully standard conformant. Put pdf.js in Forefox 86.01 for example manages to display the dropdown options and makes them selectable.

1. Open "problematic_form.pdf" from attachments in okular
2. Click "show forms" button
3. try to select on of the dropdown options, e.g "Degree programme"

OBSERVED RESULT
No dropdown options are displayed (see screenshot)

EXPECTED RESULT
dropdown options shall be displayed and selectable

SOFTWARE/OS VERSIONS
Linux: NixOS 21.05pre275822.916ee862e87  
KDE Frameworks Version: 5.73.0
Qt Version: 5.15.2
PDF backend version 0.6.5 using Poppler 20.08.0
Comment 1 t.schmittlauch 2021-03-19 20:46:23 UTC
Created attachment 136859 [details]
screenshot of the PDF form in Okular, with the dropdown empty
Comment 2 t.schmittlauch 2021-03-19 20:48:23 UTC
Created attachment 136860 [details]
screenshot of the PDF form in pdf.js on Firefox, with options available in the dropdown
Comment 3 Yuri Chornoivan 2021-03-19 20:53:35 UTC
Created attachment 136861 [details]
The example file in Okular 201.12/poppler 20.12.0

Works fine here with poppler 20.12.0. Can you inspect "File -> Properties -> Fonts" if some fonts are missing?

Thanks in advance for your answer.
Comment 4 t.schmittlauch 2021-03-19 20:58:57 UTC
Created attachment 136862 [details]
File -> Properties -> Fonts

Looks like all fonts are available, so I don't deem this to be the issue.

I can try rebuilding Okular against a more recent Poppler. Or is this more about the Okular version?
Comment 5 Yuri Chornoivan 2021-03-19 21:00:37 UTC
(In reply to t.schmittlauch from comment #4)
> I can try rebuilding Okular against a more recent Poppler. Or is this more
> about the Okular version?

Not sure. Let's wait for other people's opinions.
Comment 6 t.schmittlauch 2021-03-19 21:04:09 UTC
Created attachment 136863 [details]
screenshot of PDF with Poppler 21.02.0

Okay, it seems to have been a Poppler bug, it's working fine with Poppler 21.02.0
Comment 7 t.schmittlauch 2021-03-19 21:09:42 UTC
Although… There's one remaining quirk: While there are default dropdown entries, the corresponding form field is not filled until you change it to another entry and back:

1. click "show forms"
2. see the dropdown field already being filled with a default entry
3. click "show forms" again to leave edit mode
4. see the dropdown field still being empty
5. go to edit mode again via "show forms"
6. select another option from the dropdown and then the default one again
7. leave edit mode
8. see the field now being filled

Admittedly, pdf.js has a similar issue.
Comment 8 Albert Astals Cid 2021-03-21 22:35:31 UTC
Comparing to what Adobe Acrobat Reader does

We are doing it *right* that the field should be empty if the user hasn't choosen anything
We're doing it *wrong* that the combo should not have any of the 2 options selected.