# PyMuPDF Ignores Right-Alignment in Comb Text Fields - Bug?

**URL:** <https://forum.mupdf.com/t/pymupdf-ignores-right-alignment-in-comb-text-fields-bug/337>\
**Category:** PyMuPDF\
**Tags:** text-insertion\
**Created:** [April 13, 2026, 12:55am UTC](https://forum.mupdf.com/t/pymupdf-ignores-right-alignment-in-comb-text-fields-bug/337 "2026-04-13T00:55:01Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![flywire](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex004/user_avatar/forum.mupdf.com/flywire/32/212_2.png) [@flywire](https://forum.mupdf.com/u/flywire)\
**Post date:** [April 13, 2026, 12:55am UTC](https://forum.mupdf.com/t/pymupdf-ignores-right-alignment-in-comb-text-fields-bug/337/1 "2026-04-13T00:55:01Z")

</div>

**Issue** : PyMuPDF (fitz) fills right-aligned comb text fields as left-aligned, ignoring PDF alignment attributes.

**Expected** : LastName “Doe” right-aligned in comb field.

**Actual** : “Doe” left-filled, alignment ignored.  
I also notice both `Off` Gender radio buttons are filled.

Can anyone suggest a workaround other than left padding with spaces?

* * *

**Sample Files** :

- test\_filled.pdf (shows LEFT alignment bug)
- [sample\_template\_with\_comb\_text\_field\_right\_aligned.pdf](https://github.com/chinapandaman/PyPDFForm/blob/master/pdf_samples/sample_template_with_comb_text_field_right_aligned.pdf)
- test.fdf (sample data: LastName=Doe)
- PyMuPdf\_Fdf\_Loader.py (working FDF parser/filler)

[test\_filled.pdf](https://forum.mupdf.com/uploads/short-url/frdGdGDhTXOnBYhL1WxSqFWHKoi.pdf) (27.3 KB)

**test.fdf**

```auto
%FDF-1.4
1 0 obj
<< /FDF << /F (test.pdf) /UF (test.pdf) /Fields [
<< /T (Awesomeness) /V (Off) >>
<< /T (FirstName) /V () >>
<< /T (Gender) /V (Off) >>
<< /T (LastName) /V (Doe) >>
<< /T (MiddleName) /V () >>
] /ID [<ECB52F8A018ABD74B7CBCDFED9C3FB73> <3EF278CFEF2D81C0A157F92C3E37D336>] >> /Type /Catalog >>
endobj
trailer
<< /Root 1 0 R >>
%%EOF

```

**PyMuPdf\_Fdf\_Loader.py**

```python
import fitz # PyMuPDF
import re

# Step 1: Parse FDF to dict
def fdf_to_dict(fdf_path):
    with open(fdf_path, 'r') as f:
        fdf = f.read()
    pattern = r'<<\s*/T\s*\(\s*([^)]+)\s*\)\s*/V\s*\(\s*(.*?)\s*\)\s*>>'
    fields = {}
    for match in re.finditer(pattern, fdf, re.DOTALL):
        name = match.group(1).strip()
        value = match.group(2).strip()
        fields[name] = value
    print("FDF fields:", fields)
    return fields

# Step 2: Load PDF, fill forms
doc = fitz.open("test.pdf")
form_data = fdf_to_dict("test.fdf")

# Debug: PDF fields match FDF perfectly
pdf_fields = [w.field_name for page in doc for w in page.widgets()]
print("PDF fields:", set(pdf_fields))

filled = 0
for page in doc:
    for field in page.widgets():
        name = field.field_name
        if name in form_data:
            field.field_value = form_data[name] # Correct: direct assignment
            field.update() # Commit to PDF
            print(f"Filled {name}: {form_data[name]}")
            filled += 1

print(f"Filled {filled} fields")
doc.save("test_filled.pdf", garbage=4, deflate=True)
doc.close()
print("Saved test_filled.pdf")

```

Windows commands:

```auto
echo Y | copy "sample_template_with_comb_text_field_right_aligned.pdf" test.pdf
python PyMuPdf_Fdf_Loader.py

```

**PyMuPDF Code** (line 30 fills correctly but alignment broken):

```python
field.field_value = form_data[name] # Works, but ignores right-alignment
field.update()

```

**PDF Field Properties** (template has):

- **Comb: Yes** (n chars)
- **Alignment: Right** (explicit)
- PyMuPDF respects comb separation but **drops alignment**.

**Version** : PyMuPDF 1.24.10, Python 3.11, **Windows 11**

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![HaraldLieder](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex004/user_avatar/forum.mupdf.com/haraldlieder/32/14_2.png) [@HaraldLieder](https://forum.mupdf.com/u/HaraldLieder)\
**Post date:** [April 14, 2026, 12:26am UTC](https://forum.mupdf.com/t/pymupdf-ignores-right-alignment-in-comb-text-fields-bug/337/2 "2026-04-14T00:26:03Z")

</div>

This is **_not_** a bug! Alignments other than the implicit default “left” are against the “COMB” intention and thus make no sense: all popular PDF viewers ignore it.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![flywire](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex004/user_avatar/forum.mupdf.com/flywire/32/212_2.png) [@flywire](https://forum.mupdf.com/u/flywire)\
**Post date:** [April 14, 2026, 1:54am UTC](https://forum.mupdf.com/t/pymupdf-ignores-right-alignment-in-comb-text-fields-bug/337/3 "2026-04-14T01:54:01Z")

</div>

???

I use Brave, a chromium browser.

> [@flywire](#):
>
> [test\_filled.pdf](https://forum.mupdf.com/uploads/short-url/frdGdGDhTXOnBYhL1WxSqFWHKoi.pdf) (27.3 KB)

Open the file, delete Last name entry, put your cursor in Middle name field (or any other) The enter a new Last Name. The alignment setting is honoured.

Adobe Acrobat Reader Version 2026.001.21411 - same  
PDF-XChange Editor - same  
Microsoft Edge Version 146.0.3856.109 - same

> [@HaraldLieder](#):
>
> …all popular PDF viewers ignore it.

For example?

btw, right aligned is important when entering amounts.