PDF Forms

The Minnesota State Arts Board creates its electronic publications in PDF format to be accessible via a variety of computer systems and platforms. Some of these documents (e.g. applications) can be completed on a computer using Adobe's Acrobat Software. These documents also ensure printing and formatting consistency on different computers.

When you see this icon next to a document, it means means the document is saved in a PDF format.

COMMON PDF PROBLEMS

This guide has been created to answer some of the more common problems encountered when trying to use our forms. You can find additional information about Adobe Acrobat and PDF forms from Adobe's Customer Support web site.

The following solutions may help solve your PDF problem.

One of the most common solutions to PDF related problems is outdated software.
Check your version of Adobe Acrobat through Acrobat's Help menu, by selecting "About Adobe Reader". If your version is older than 5.0, it may be neccesary to download the latest version from Adobe's web site.

Problem: When I try to view the document in my web browser I get a blank document.
This is a common problem that arises when the Acrobat plug-in and your browser (i.e. Internet Explorer, Netscape, Mosaic) are not completely in sync. The simple solution is to first save the PDF file to your hard drive and then open it in Acrobat. To save a file from the web, right click (Mac users: hold down the mouse button) on the blue underlined link to the file and select the option to save the link. Be sure to save the file to an easy-to-remember location.

If you would like to repair your Acrobat plug-in, you can first reinstall the newest version of your browser software and then reinstall the newest version of Acrobat.

Problem: I can view the document, but I cannot type into the fields
This problem is another symptom of an incorrectly configured Acrobat plug-in. Please follow the solution listed for the problem above.

Problem: I am unable to save PDF forms after I have entered data, or I lose my data when I do save.
The free version of Adobe Acrobat (Acrobat Reader) does not allow users to save a modified PDF. If you would like the ability to save completed or in-progress PDF forms you can purchase Adobe Acrobat Approval for $40 by downloading it from Adobe's web site.

Problem: When I print a PDF document some of the text is displayed in a different font.
If the font appears to be normal on-screen, try selecting the "Print as Image" option within Acrobat. This should ensure that what you see on-screen is what is printed. If this still does not work, it is likely that you have an older or corrupted printer driver. Reinstall the proper driver from disk or by visiting the manufacturer's web site.

If you have any other problems to report, feel free to contact the Arts Board's webmaster at webmaster@arts.state.mn.us.