Opening a PDF 1

[leahloy1973]

What program do I need to use to open and manipulate PDF files? Someone sent me a PDF file and there is a graphic and article I need from it...can I open it and just copy and paste those items into PageMaker? If so, what program would I use?

 

[tgreer]

Acrobat. Illustrator. Photoshop. InDesign. I don't know about PageMaker.

Note that PDFs aren't supposed to be editable documents, in the manner of Word files, for example. I mean, originally that was the intent, although Adobe has apparently changed courses on that. Meandered. Wandered without clear direction or purpose. But, I too, digress.



Thomas D. Greer

http://www.tgreer.com

Providing PostScript & PDF
Training, Development & Consulting

 

[leahloy1973]

I think I understand what you are saying...but, if I have one of those programs that you listed first, then I should be able to open the PDF and copy and paste stuff from within the document? Is this correct? Just want to make sure I am clear before I let the person know.

Thank you so much!!!

 

[tgreer]

It completely depends on the nature of the original PDF. For example, when you say you want to copy&paste an article, well, what is the article? Is it really text? And you want it to remain editable text? Then don't use Photoshop, because it rasterizes everything.

I would suggest you start with Acrobat 6.0 Professional. It has text and graphic selection tools, and allows you to extract such pieces to other programs.

You can only paste into the PDF images that replace current images. In other words, you can't use Acrobat to "place" new images or dramatically alter the document layout, like you can with a Page Layout program.

But just to reiterate, if the PDF contains actual text (not a scan or a "picture" of text"), and some graphic images, and your goal is to extract those to other programs where they go off and live happy lives outside of the PDF, then Acrobat 6.0 Professional should do the job.



Thomas D. Greer

http://www.tgreer.com

Providing PostScript & PDF
Training, Development & Consulting

 

[Eggles]

>>your goal is to extract those to other programs where they go off and live happy lives outside of the PDF,<<