How Do I Find The Form I Need?
Official electronic forms are available on this website on the Forms List page. Each posted form is listed by ANSC designation, CG number (if applicable), and form name.

How Do I Download Files?
Files are downloaded by clicking on the underlined name. On Windows systems, use your *right* mouse button (NOT the *left* button you usually use). On Mac systems, use "Option" click. Depending on your browser, a dialogue box will appear, with an available choice of "Save this file to disk" or "Save link as". Choose one of these, and you will be prompted for a location on your machine to save the form file, and the option to change the file name. This action will enable your web browser to enter a file transfer mode. Once you complete answering the questions, the form will be automatically copied from this website to the selected location on your computer.

How Are Form Files Used?
The forms library is made available for members to use on their own computers. It is not intended that members use form files while on-line, except for those on the Email Forms page. Doing so causes numerous problems, including password errors, not to mention the fact that on-line time charges are incurred while just trying to fill out a form and print it (not very efficient!). What is intended is for the user to download (or, to say it another way, copy) the form file from our library to their own computer. Then, while off-line, Acrobat Reader can be started, and the form file opened and used.

What Is A PDF File?
Adobe Systems Incorporated developed the Portable Document Format (PDF) file format as a protocol to provide cross computer platform compatibility. This format provides a means to generate extremely high quality document images and reproductions from relatively small size files. In addition, the exact same file may be used on PCs with WIN95, WIN 98, WIN NT, WIN2K, and WIN XP or on Apple Macintosh and Power Macs running OS-9 or OS-X and on UNIX and SUN systems. Adobe provides Acrobat Reader, as a free software package, to enable users to view and print PDF formatted documents.

How Do I Get Adobe Acrobat Reader?
A free copy of Adobe Acrobat Reader is available directly from the Adobe. Follow the instructions posted to download the appropriate version for your machine.

What Is The Difference Between Standard and Fill-In Forms?
Two types of PDF forms are currently being posted. Both formats may be accessed using the free Adobe Acrobat Reader. Standard Forms are provided in a very compact format, which allow the user to view the form on their computer screen, and print out a copy on their printer. The printed form will be an exact duplicate of the version available from ANSC. Fill-In forms provide the same features as Standard forms. In addition, the user is given the ability to electronically fill out the displayed form. Either a blank form or the form with user data can be printed. The user is guided through the data entry process by use of help boxes.

How Can I Tell If A Form File Format is Standard Or Fill-In?
The structure of all form file names follows a standard 8.3 format. That is, eight alphanumeric characters for the file name, a period, and three characters for file type. The file name will be representative of the actual file name, abbreviated in such a way that it fits into the eight character length. All Fill-In file names will end in the letter "f", while Standard file names may end in any alphanumeric character except "f".

How Do I Open PDF Files Downloaded From The Web With Mac Systems?
When a PDF file is downloaded from the web, the Mac Resource Fork is not included with the file. Therefore, the PDF icon will not be associated with the file, and you will not be able to double-click the file and have Reader automatically load and open the file. Simply double-click the Reader program to begin Reader and then open the file from within Reader.

Can I Save Copies Of Filled In Forms?
Reader has no capability to save your completed form for editing or viewing*. This feature is included when the complete Acrobat program is purchased.

*Okay, so you are technologically "hip" and know that Acrobat 8 allows a form to be enabled to save form data when using Adobe Reader 7 and higher. Well, there is a catch: The End User License Agreement that governs this capability, Section 14.13.3, states that there is a limit of either nor more than 500 recipients of the form or 500 hardcopy representations of the form with filled form fields, or 500 extractions of the form data. So, we would obviously be in violation of the license if we enabled our forms. If you want to verify this, visit the Adobe web site and search for Gen_WWCombined-Acro8-20060724_1500.pdf

How Can I Print A Form Without Printing The Instructions?
Forms posted on this website include any instruction pages that are included with the original paper form. Repeated printing of the instruction pages is often unnecessary. Acrobat Reader provides a printing option that allows the user to print only selected pages .To do so, select FILE and then PRINT, from the menu bar. A printing option box will be displayed. Check the PAGES option, and enter the starting and ending page numbers that are to be printed. If only the first sheet of a form is desired, enter a "1" in the FROM box, and "1" in the TO box. Only the selected range of pages will be printed.

Why Do I Receive A Password Protection Error When Opening Form Files?
Some combinations of computers and operating systems result in a password protection error when trying to access form files. This error has been reported to occur on PCs running Windows and Adobe Acrobat Reader, when trying to access form files. It occurs when the user clicks on a form's file name from the Windows 3.xx File Manager, or from MyComputer and Explorer in WIN95. If you experience this problem, your form files can be accessed directly through the file menu in Adobe Acrobat Reader. To do so, run the Reader program as you normally do. Select the File icon from the menu bar, select open and navigate to the PDF file you wish to open.

Printing Tips for Miscellaneous Documents (Make sure you are using at least Reader 5.0.5!)

1. Make sure "shrink to fit" is turned off. This prevents Acrobat from shrinking the file based on different unprintable areas on different printers.

2. In Acrobat 5, check "rotate and center on page". This appears to center the image on the page, which minimizes the variability. By default, it registers at the top of the page, so if the printer is not printing at exactly "size as" (ie 100% of the nominal size), this helps ensure that the bottom of the page doesn't vary too much. Be sure to read any help boxes and text on setup pages before trying to print on purchased blanks.

3. If you want to print the letterhead in black only, on Acrobat's Print Dialogue check the "Print colors as black" box. It is located just below the "Print to file" box in the upper right.

When I "Submit" Using The Email Forms, Nothing Happens.

The likely culprit is an installation problem. Although you should be able to install a new version of either Reader or Acrobat without uninstalling an existing version, in every case the following routine has solved the problem for those who have asked for technical help.

1. Make sure you have at least version 5.0.5 of the Adobe Acrobat (or Reader) installation file on your computer. If you aren't sure if you have an installation file, go to Adobe's Reader site or the Acrobat 5.0.5 update site and select the 5.0.5 version (no features in our forms require any feature needing 5.1 or 6).

2. Uninstall (using the program installer/uninstaller located in the Control Panel) all versions of Reader (or Acrobat) on your computer. If you successfully uninstall all versions, the icon for all pdf files will not have the familiar "A".

3. Install Reader (or Acrobat).

No problems have been reported by Mac users.

My SO Doesn't Receive My Information From Email Forms.

Antispam measures imposed by the recipient's email provider at the ISP level can prevent receipt, although it also could be an improper setting at the user level (filter set too high).  The best solution is for the member (the intended recipient) to contact their ISP tech services and explain they are blocking their authorized mail.  Their techs can then advise the best means of solving their problem.

Often it's simply a matter of putting the email address of the sender in their address book which makes it a trusted sender.  Or the user may have to adjust their local spam settings.  Other times the ISP makes the change at their level.  It really depends on the individual ISPs, as they all vary in how they treat their mail.