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APPEARANCE INTEGRITY REPORT

I am using adobe acrobat 8 pro. I have created a fillable form in live cycle designer. When the icon in the digital signature box is clicked a box opens containing password prompt. This box also contains a button "REVIEW" - next to the button it says "Click "REVIEW BUTTON" to see if document content may affect signing".
When the "REVIEW BUTTON" is clicked it brings up a box called the "APPEARANCE INTEGRITY REPORT" -This box contains a list of codes as follows:
4000 unrecognized PDF content
1001 comment or form field may silently change
1002 comment or form field may silently change
1008 document contains hidden behaviors
1008 document contains hidden behaviors
1005 the document contains an XFA based form

This is coming up when opened in acrobat pro 8 and adobe reader XI
Can anyone please tell me what this is and what it means?
I have used the process of elimination to test and see if any specific field type is causing this and it is still coming up even on a form with just a text field and signature field. I do have user rights enabled so end users can save data. This is a very basic form with date -text-dropdown and checkbox fields. Nothing outside the norm- No calculations or anything complex. I have set the form to lock all fields upon signing but these codes show up when this feature is removed also.
I am somewhat new to creating fillable forms and would appreciate any information or help you can provide
Thank You


Michelle Masters


Voted Best Answer

One requirement (in some countries, it is by law) with digital signatures is that the signer signs what he sees, and only what he sees (that would be the integrity of appearance). This is why there is a Review function… allowing the signer to see what he signs.

The review function you get looks to me to be tied to the signature system used. And it appears that this function analyzes the document and finds items and feature which have a possibility to alter the document behind the user's back.

I guess that the form you review is a dynamic XFA form, and only a PDF because a PDF wrapper has been placed around it so that it can be viewed in Acrobat and Reader. Dynamic XFA forms can change their appearance when used, and that's why the integrity of appearance is NOT ensured with that type of forms. And being consequent, for using with digital signatures, such forms are not legal.

What this report essentially says is that it can not be guaranteed that the user really and only sees what he signs.

How to avoid this? Use a PDF form which can assure the integrity of appearance…

Hope this can help.

Max Wyss.


By Max Wyss   

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