[OT] Editing pdfs

[James McMurray]

Ok, I have Adobe acrobat (not the viewer). I also have a pdf I bought from WotC (Battlesystem) but want to modify. What I want to do is go in and change it to 3e. This isn't for sale or distribution (excpet to my gaming group). My problem is that if I open it in Acrobat, I can't seem to get it to let me edit anything. Any of you folks know how I can do that?

Thanks for the help!

 

[A2Z]

In order to edit PDFs you need the full version of Acrobat. Which is pretty pricey. I think there are other PDF editors out there though. I'm not too sure. maybe someone else will know.

 

[James McMurray]

I've got Adobe Acrobat 5.0, not Adobe Reader. I should be able to edit pdfs, but I can't seem to figure out how. I would like to just be able to edit like it was a word document or something like that. You know, type over current text. However, since I got the software from work, and they certainly wouldn't approve of personal use of it, I can't really contact IT for a tutorial.

All I need to know how to do is get a cursor on the page where I can backspace and type. It certainly seems like an easy request, but I'm stuck!

 

[Blacksad]

If you really want to edit a WotC pdf I think that you'll need a small hack (ie not legal) program.

Many pdf have a built in feature that prevent them from being edited by anyone outside of the publisher (who is supposed to have a password that allow it).

 

[Moon_Goddess]

Firstly it doesn't work in all PDFs, most official one are locked, most of the warez ones you download are not actual text and are nothing but images of the page.

If you do have a PDF that is editable, there is a little button on the toolbar with a picture of the letter "T"

That will change your cursor to the I beam and you can click to edit a line. Editing a PDF is not like a Word Doc, you edit each line by line. and word wrap will not happen.

 

[James McMurray]

Thanks! I found it. The doc is from WotC, but apparently they didn't lock it, since I'm having no trouble updating text.

 

[bloodymage]

Editing pdf

I have an option under my "File" Menu selection that reads "Edit with Microsoft Word." Almost all the pdf's that I've downloaded I've converted to rtf. Another alternative may be to scan the docs into Word.

 

[Cergorach]

James open the document you want to edit with AA5.
Make sure the toolbar is visible, now select the "T" tool (white center, black border), which is acctually called "TouchUp Text Tool".
Go to a line you want to edit and click on it, you can now edit (only) that line.
If you are editing text, but just can't see the change, it's probably due to "Image over Text" (there's a picture above the text your editing). If this is the case there isn't much for you to edit in the pdf (very annoying).
You could try and use the column select tool and select any text behind the image, and copy that tex to Word...

 

[James McMurray]

Dang! No Edit with Word option here. Is that a plugin you downloaded? If not, looks like I'm stuck with the old line by line stuff. Oh well, it'll get the job done.

 

[bloodymage]

Bummer!

I think the Edit w/ Word option may be part of XP. If so, I'm lucky to have a new computer.