PDF editor?

[Santilli]

HI
I have a bunch of forms that are PDF's, and, I'd like to be able to use a computer to fill them out, rather then my horrible handwriting. Does anyone have a PDF program that allows you:

copy an original
then fill in the original, or edit it,
then save the copy, and print it?

Something that is NOT made by Adobe, or, Adobe at a cheap price?

 

[Mercutio]

Foxit PDF Editor is fairly inexpensive and works well.

 

[mubs]

I have Acrobat 8 and have been amazed at how primitive it is at working with existing PDFs. Maybe I just don't know how to use it.

 

[sechs]

Foxit PDF Editor is fairly inexpensive and works well.

Seriously, FoxIt is crap.

My complaint is that it doesn't work properly with security. Like, it can't open some secured files at all. PDF is an open standard now; there's no excuse for this.

The complaint of the people at Adobe who work on the open-file code for Acrobat is that, except for the simplest document, its output is garbage. There is special code to recognise and attempt to fix the errors.

If PDF forms are setup properly, they can be filled-in and saved by Reader. That's free.

 

[sechs]

I have Acrobat 8 and have been amazed at how primitive it is at working with existing PDFs. Maybe I just don't know how to use it.

What are you trying to do? Realise that PDF is a display format; you're supposed to edit your original document.

 

[Mercutio]

My complaint is that it doesn't work properly with security. Like, it can't open some secured files at all.

I have never encountered a PDF file that Foxit could not open. I have found secured PDFs. Fortunately, I have other software for stripping that protection if need be.

For that matter, I think I've needed to do THAT a grand total of twice. But Foxit opened the protected files both times.

The complaint of the people at Adobe who work on the open-file code for Acrobat is that, except for the simplest document, its output is garbage. There is special code to recognise and attempt to fix the errors.

Given the choice to trust Adobe, which makes a program I now consider to be the second most likely vector for malware infection on Windows PCs, a company that's so unfriendly to its customers that even people who own legal copies of its software frequently pirate it anyway, and a company that is just as well known for stifling competition through acquisition as Microsoft is, I have a really hard time giving a rat's ass what they say about any topic whatsoever.

Foxit could be snorting cocaine off an altarboy's ass during high mass for all I care. It displays and edits PDF files just fine, and it keeps Adobe's shitty software off my Windows computers.

 

[ddrueding]

Foxit could be snorting cocaine off an altarboy's ass during high mass for all I care.

Damn, that is awesome. Thanks for that.

 

[sechs]

Merc, are you gay?

 

[Mercutio]

Merc, are you gay?

Not that I know of. How is that germane to this particular discussion?

 

[Santilli]

I never thought of Mercutio as a happy person...

Now, that said,
Anyone tried:
Bluebeam PDF Revu Standard Edition?

 

[Handruin]

Not that I know of. How is that germane to this particular discussion?

Maybe he's interested in you and wants to find out? His name is sechs after all...

 

[Santilli]

Is there a program that allows you to click on an area of the PDF document, fill it in, and save it, quickly, easily without 8-10 clicks?

Thanks

GS

PS trying to fill out a PDF, print it, or save and email back.

 

[ddrueding]

Depending on the number of fields to fill in and how often you have to do it? Photoshop, Acrobat, or a typewriter.

 

[Santilli]

DD:
Tried AA 9.2 Pro. It pretty much sucks.

Not easy on this.

Thinking the best way to go on this is to print the documents, scan with Omni Form Filler, and fill them out.

See how it works.

GS

 

[ddrueding]

OmniForm's detection isn't any better than Acrobat's; they both suck. Really, for a one-off form, use a typewriter.

 

[Mercutio]

Why the hell would anyone fuck up their computer with Acrobat software? I don't understand it. It's like asking the Haitian bisexual hemophiliac IV drug addict if he'll take off the condom before he gives you the good time you just paid for.

 

[Bozo]

Merc, you definitely have a way with words! :rofl:

 

[Santilli]

Why the hell would anyone fuck up their computer with Acrobat software? I don't understand it. It's like asking the Haitian bisexual hemophiliac IV drug addict if he'll take off the condom before he gives you the good time you just paid for.

Great thing about having the server with 7 Ultimate. I can try stuff on it, and, if it screws the pooch, I can, and have reinstalled the OS.

Do not want to do this on the beast. Odd as it may seem, those old Xeons keep working, and, keep being plenty for this kind of work.

 

[LunarMist]

You have to reinstall for one app? Never use Ghost or True Image? I try all sorts of things and restore images on average at least 5 times per week.

 

[timwhit]

Or do it in a VM and take a snapshot prior to installing said application. Then restore your snapshot.

 

[Santilli]

I guess. Using a restore point is an easy fix, without leaving junk in the registry...

 

[sechs]

Is there a program that allows you to click on an area of the PDF document, fill it in, and save it, quickly, easily without 8-10 clicks?

The typewriter tool in Acrobat?

 

[time]

At the risk of upsetting Sechs ...

Greg, stop mucking about and install Foxit Reader 4.1.1. It not only has a typewriter tool like Acrobat (select tool, click to start typing, drag to align), but the form detection seems pretty good to me.

Just be aware when installing Foxit, that you only want the free components and you probably don't want to install the Ask toolbar/ad portal addons etc.

 

[Santilli]

Thanks Sechs. Worked just fine. Haven't mucked around to really look for features, just installed it.

 

[Adcadet]

no surprize, GnuPDF is listed as a high priority project.
http://www.fsf.org/campaigns/priority-projects/

 

[CougTek]

I saw this on betanews : Nitro PDF Reader. It let you see and create/modify PDF for free. Available in 64-bit and retarded 32-bit versions.

 

[Mercutio]

NitroPDF is really nice. It has a nicer UI than Foxit and doesn't install crap. One of my clients has a site license for it.

Since the UI for Nitro looks like Office 2007, the fact that it's better than Foxit might say something about how retarded Foxit has gotten.

Either way it's still better than Adobe.

 

[Handruin]

I saw this on betanews : Nitro PDF Reader. It let you see and create/modify PDF for free. Available in 64-bit and retarded 32-bit versions.

Thanks for the tip. I like it so far, it's quick unlike the Adobe POS Reader.

 

[time]

Foxit lifted their game a lot with version 5-5.1 (they badly needed to). It's still the fastest and uses by far the least memory. I haven't tried their authoring tool though (PDF Creator has been flawless for me - you just need to sidestep the 3rd party crapware in the installation).

 

[Mercutio]

The most aggravating part about Foxit is the ongoing UI changes.