# Changing PDF file so it can be edited



## wacor (Feb 22, 2005)

I need to edit a document in PDF and I know PDF wont allow that. Isn't there a way to save it as a different type of file or do something where i can than edit it? I have not figured out if there is a way how to do that.

this is the first draft of some rules revision for my industry and it is 116 pages long so it is not very practical to just retype it. It will make it easier if i can find a way to treat it like a Word document where i can highlight, edit, delete etc.

any ideas??

Thanks


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## kiwiguy (Aug 17, 2003)

Is the document editable (look in Document Properties -Security when opened in Adobe Reader)?

If the creator has allowed extraction then a program such as SolidPDF would convert it to Word. It's not free though.

Such revision documents should never be issued in PDF if people are expected to return marked-up copies.


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## wacor (Feb 22, 2005)

kiwiguy said:


> Is the document editable (look in Document Properties -Security when opened in Adobe Reader)?
> 
> If the creator has allowed extraction then a program such as SolidPDF would convert it to Word. It's not free though.
> 
> Such revision documents should never be issued in PDF if people are expected to return marked-up copies.


When i went into security it indicated that content copying or extaction is allowed.

yet when when i did Accessibility Quick Check it indicated there was no text and that it may have been scanned.

so i am guessing this can not be copied and then marked up.

You said such revisions should never be issued in PDF if people are expected to mark up copies. Well you would have to understand that I am dealing with a state government and they have no willingess to have these rules marked up. There intent is to cram these down our throat. and so they would not do anything to make this easy and reasonable.

Thanks


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## kiwiguy (Aug 17, 2003)

If it was scanned it would be very easy to check, in a scanned PDF you cannot select a section of text in Adobe reader, only a "rectangle" as an image, for pasting.

I am on the other side of the fence here, as I create such regulatory documents, but anything designed for consultation is in a form that allows it. But I have indeed witnessed what you now see and agree it's very frustrating.


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## wacor (Feb 22, 2005)

kiwiguy said:


> If it was scanned it would be very easy to check, in a scanned PDF you cannot select a section of text in Adobe reader, only a "rectangle" as an image, for pasting.
> 
> I am on the other side of the fence here, as I create such regulatory documents, but anything designed for consultation is in a form that allows it. But I have indeed witnessed what you now see and agree it's very frustrating.


I think it is scanned as you can not select any text. You can use the snapshot tool to copy sections as you indcate with the rectangle that can be stretched. I

I tried going into file with it opened and it gave an option to copy text which appears to copy it to a clipboard but get nothing showing up.

Alas it appears there is not much more i can do.

But thanks for the help anyway.


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## kiwiguy (Aug 17, 2003)

The problem seems to be rife, as most new photocopiers now output as a scanned image PDF, so many industries use that as a quick and dirty conversion for emailing.

But as an image only it's sodding useless.


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