XML Forms Data Format (XFDF) Specification - Adobe Partners

Introduction to XFDF
XML Forms Data Format Specification Implementation Notes 27
Implementation Notes
This section contains implementation specific notes:
● Importing and exporting XFDF
● Double byte characters
● String encoding conventions
● The border element
● Rich text strings
● The contents and contents-richtext elements in annotations
● The value and value-richtext elements in fields
● Stream encoding
● XML content model syntax
Importing and exporting XFDF
XFDF files can be imported to and exported from Acrobat 6.0 using the following menu items.
● To import and export XFDF annotations, use the Document > Import Comments... and Export
Comments... menu items.
● To import and export XFDF form fields, use the Advanced > Forms > Import Forms Data... and Export
Forms Data... menu items.
Double byte characters
Although XFDF is encoded in UTF-8, double byte characters are encoded as character references when
exported from Acrobat.
For example, the Japanese double byte characters , , and are exported to XFDF using
three character references. Here is an example of double byte characters in a form field:
...
Here are 3 UTF-8 double byte
characters: あいう
...
Acrobat can import an XFDF file with double byte UTF-8 characters. The characters do not have to be
encoded as character references:
...