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Author Topic: PDF converters so one can edit a PDF  (Read 3216 times)

Offline dolphin

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PDF converters so one can edit a PDF
« on: August 29, 2008, 02:11:34 PM »
I have done this before but seem to have a brain freeze.  How can I type into a PDF file.  May be a key sequence error or something... dntknw.gif wallbash.gif unsure.gif huh.gif    

Nothing seems to be working.

TIA for any suggestions

PS: I googled PDF converters and found many for Windoze...and some for Mac OS X, but found them not to work when I tried them. I'm talking about FREE ones here!
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Offline Paddy

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« Reply #1 on: August 29, 2008, 04:38:36 PM »
Dolphin, as far as I know there are no FREE options that retain the formatting etc. and convert a PDF into something editable. You can copy and paste the entire document into Word (for instance), edit and then save the result as a PDF, but you cannot maintain the formatting by doing this. There are only a few options that allow you to maintain the format: Adobe Acrobat Pro (full version - expensive) and DeskUnPDF, which is $69.95.

If you're talking about filling out a PDF form, then the form itself has to have been created with form fields in Acrobat Pro - if the person who created the form in the first place didn't do that, then you cannot fill it out on your computer.

Most converters (on all platforms) are intended for creating PDFs from some other format - not the reverse. It is generally assumed that the creation of the PDF takes place AFTER the editing has been done. Since the advent of OS X, Mac users have been able to create PDFs easily within the operating system; Windows users still cannot do that and need external converters, which is why there are so many available for Windows and so few for OS X.
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Offline dolphin

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« Reply #2 on: August 29, 2008, 08:35:51 PM »
Thanks Paddy...after trying several online...I surmised as much. Thanks for your informative response.
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Offline jb

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« Reply #3 on: August 29, 2008, 10:20:35 PM »
I use Formate to fill PDF forms. It allows filling of PDF forms whether they have been locked or not.
29.95 from Whitewolf.

jb

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Offline krissel

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PDF converters so one can edit a PDF
« Reply #4 on: August 30, 2008, 04:01:22 AM »
Just got an ad for a lower price on PDF Pen. Usually $49, special deal for $29.  

Never used it so I can't advise.

http://smileonmymac.com/PDFpen/

http://shop.smithmicro.com/dr/v2/ec_Main.E...&API5=Empty
« Last Edit: August 30, 2008, 04:02:06 AM by krissel »
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Offline sluggo

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« Reply #5 on: August 30, 2008, 06:10:58 AM »
QUOTE(jb @ Aug 29 2008, 10:20 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I use Formate to fill PDF forms. It allows filling of PDF forms whether they have been locked or not.
29.95 from Whitewolf.

jb


I also purchased and use FormMate. Although I didn't think it was the easiest thing to learn and navigate in the beginning, I've gotten used to it. I still think that for $30 bucks it should be a little easier to use and have more comprehensive instructions with it.
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Offline RobW

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« Reply #6 on: August 30, 2008, 06:22:38 AM »
I wasn't sure in reading this if you were trying to fill out a form, or do much more in the way of editing.

If you needed to do editing, here's a workaround that I recently used for my daughter who needed to edit a rather large PDF file of addresses, phone numbers, etc. We used an inexpensive shareware program (with a free demo period) File Juicer to extract the text from the PDF file. (As shown here.) It will place all of the different files from the PDF file in a folder for you. Open the folder with the "rtf" file in it. You'll see the text of the PDF in RTF format. My daughter copied it into AppleWorks, which she prefers to use. She edited as needed, and then resaved that as a PDF file again.

Not sure if this helps or not, but thought I'd throw it out there as an option.
« Last Edit: August 30, 2008, 06:24:07 AM by RobW »
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Offline Xairbusdriver

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PDF converters so one can edit a PDF
« Reply #7 on: August 30, 2008, 06:22:45 AM »
QUOTE
How can I type into a PDF file.
Of course, if it was from a Mac, you could use Preview to  "Annotate" with text and/or a rectangle and/or an ellipse.
[attachment=1040:Annotati..._Preview.jpg]

Otherwise, you could still use Preview to draw the rectangle and/or an ellipse and print (as a file to send back)  that page, as a PDF. Any notes, corrections, suggestions would have to be in another PDF.

I can't verify that these 'notations' will appear in Acrobat, however. I don't even have that installed, anymore!
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Offline krissel

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« Reply #8 on: August 30, 2008, 11:17:02 PM »
Rob, that app looks pretty good.  If nothing else it can help someone who has missing photos on their flash card.  clap.gif

http://echoone.com/filejuicer/flashcards


Jim, just to see what would happen, I took a pdf downloaded off the net, opened it in Preview and added some text, annotations, colored the backgrounds, etc. Then saved the pdf and opened it in Acrobat 5. Everything I added was there and editable.

Cool!  smile.gif
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Offline RobW

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« Reply #9 on: August 31, 2008, 07:57:13 AM »
QUOTE(krissel @ Aug 31 2008, 12:17 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Rob, that app looks pretty good.  If nothing else it can help someone who has missing photos on their flash card.  clap.gif

http://echoone.com/filejuicer/flashcards
Cool!  smile.gif ...


Wow, I didn't even catch that--or most of the other features. I was only looking for a way to help my daughter edit a huge directory of addresses, etc that was in a PDF file. I haven't had the time to really look closely at everything else it does. thumbup.gif
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Offline Xairbusdriver

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PDF converters so one can edit a PDF
« Reply #10 on: August 31, 2008, 02:45:52 PM »
QUOTE
Jim, just to see what would happen, I took a pdf...added some text, annotations, colored the backgrounds, etc. Then saved the pdf and opened it in Acrobat 5. Everything I added was there and editable.
Cool!
coolio.gif Indeed! Preview seems a bit underrated! Especially since every Mac owner has it! I'll try to remember this the next time my wife gets a PDF she needs to edit/annotate! Certainly beats asking to have the thing re-sent as a text or rtf file! clap.gif And thanks for your testing! salute.gif
« Last Edit: August 31, 2008, 02:46:23 PM by Xairbusdriver »
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Offline jb

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« Reply #11 on: August 31, 2008, 06:36:55 PM »
krissel.

PDF Pen is one of those PDF Form Filling software that DOES NOT allow filling if the PDF form is locked.

sluggo.

I agree with you that Formate is not that user friendly and should be for the price. But it works.

jb
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Offline krissel

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« Reply #12 on: August 31, 2008, 10:12:26 PM »
jb, thanks, that can make a difference.  wink.gif


Jim, just a mention that Preview in Tiger and above has that ability. Panther version doesn't annotate.
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Offline FLASH1296

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« Reply #13 on: September 04, 2008, 04:56:30 PM »
I think that PDF Clerk Pro is what you want.

Of course if you have Adobe Acrobat Pro 9  then this becomes a non-issue.
« Last Edit: September 04, 2008, 08:54:37 PM by chriskleeman »
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Offline Paddy

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« Reply #14 on: September 04, 2008, 09:39:04 PM »
Never seen that one before - looks interesting.

http://sintraworks.com/
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