Edit a PDF

[Garless]

I have a form I need to print but my printer is in paper eating mode till I strip down and clean the paper track, a once every few month chore. So does anyone know how to save a PDF in an editable form, just text and tick boxes, on a latest iPad so I can email it back?

[mc2fool]

I have a form I need to print but my printer is in paper eating mode till I strip down and clean the paper track, a once every few month chore. So does anyone know how to save a PDF in an editable form, just text and tick boxes, on a latest iPad so I can email it back?

Acrobat Reader has File -> Save as Text...

However, that often ends up in a higgledy-piggledy result, as many PDFs aren't actually as they appear.

There are lots of (free) online PDF to xxx services around, including to Text, Doc, Word, JPG, etc, etc. Have a google.

I usually convert to JPG and then add in my answers to the form with Photoshop, and then print to PDF, but that's a bit of a learning curve if you aren't already familiar with an image editor......

[Garless]

Sorry but Adobe useless, I could view the file but I could with preview anyway, but Adobe reader when I selected edit sent me to a pay monthly option for tools. Guess the charity is going to have to post me a paper form

[GoSeigen]

I have a form I need to print but my printer is in paper eating mode till I strip down and clean the paper track, a once every few month chore. So does anyone know how to save a PDF in an editable form, just text and tick boxes, on a latest iPad so I can email it back?

People, please Read The Question. It's an iPad.

OP, first, try reading this help article about managing and marking up pdfs on your iPad. I think the article refers to IOS13 so hopefully you are up to date.

https://support.apple.com/en-za/HT205751

If it doesn't help, then come back and we can see what didn't work.

GS

[Garless]

The article just has one option missing edit the PDF as a simple text document. I can see the PDF and draw all over it but read as simple text seems to be missing.

[production100]

Word will open pdf documents, but sometimes messes up the formatting. Worth a try though.

P100

[GoSeigen]

The article just has one option missing edit the PDF as a simple text document. I can see the PDF and draw all over it but read as simple text seems to be missing.

If you don't mind my saying so, this is a fundamental misunderstanding of pdf.

PDF is a print and display format. It is not designed for editing. How could it be? PDFs represent images, spreadsheets, web pages, emails and a million other types of file, each created by its own specialist and proprietary application.

When a document created by an application is rendered as pdf it is only the look of the file that is captured at that moment. All the underlying styles, calculations, database, html code etc are lost. In fact some text documents are rendered as images within the pdf, so there is no text within them at all. Note that the way the pdf is rendered turns on how the pdf was created, not on the nature of the pdf format itself or the computer on which you as the pdf reader are working. Reversing the pdf process simply isn't possible.


Now if you just want the text that is incredibly easy: Select All, Copy, Paste. Assuming there is any actual text in the document.

But if you want something to pick up those boxes and pictures and render them sensibly so you can edit them you are asking the impossible and leaving the outcome to pure luck or a very specialist app.


If you're not satisfied with this answer, then please feel free to read up a bit about pdf files.

GS

[Garless]

You have proved my point, PDF is only suitable to send a printable document that can only filled in by print, fill in, print and post back.

Pete H

[servodude]

You have proved my point, PDF is only suitable to send a printable document that can only filled in by print, fill in, print and post back.

Pete H

Well there are bits in the protocol to handle overlaying of stuff without printing; so it works quite well as an electronic form format where you know the user cannot modify your content.
- this does avoid the need to use paper, but the principle is very much the same (you can add on top but not "edit" content)

-sd

[GoSeigen]

You have proved my point, PDF is only suitable to send a printable document that can only filled in by print, fill in, print and post back.

Pete H

Pete, you have again missed the point. The question was not whether you could only print it and fill: it was whether you could convert it to a format where it could be edited. My point was that editing pdf is problematic. But it is a stretch of logic to then say the only thing you can do is print.

I sent you a link to a beautifully composed help page on how to mark up a pdf document. Marking up is pretty much the same as printing and filling, with the difference that it is done electronically i.e. no need to print and post. What happens is that additional text, drawings or images can be added to the pdf as if it were a piece of paper being drawn or written on. This is then saved or re-rendered as pdf and sent by email or other means. No paper needed or stamp. The link above show how to do it.

I'm not saying you have to do this. If you prefer to print and fill the form in with a pen, be my guest. But to suggest that one is forced to do so is not true and misleading to anyone who might read this thread.


GS
P.S. And as I made clear, copying and pasting is a third alternative to printing and posting that I suggested, if it suits one's purpose.
P.P.S. Quite apart form the fact that you didn't make the point above, you just claimed it in a mean and thankless response to our attempts to help.

[johnhemming]

I use the Nitro PDF editor which does cost, but generally gets things right. PDFs can go a bit odd, however.