Almost all downloadable local, state, and federal government forms
I've seen are in pdf format. Apparently, the agencies who do this are
caught in a time warp where everyone prints out the forms and then
fills them out by using a typewriter. I would dearly love to be able
to add text to these forms *on my PC* and then print them out, but I
don't want to pay hundreds of dollars for Acrobat just to do this. I
often resort to printing the form, scanning it back in to my computer
as a tiff document, using an image app to add text, and then printing
it out again. What a waste of time, not to mention the image quality
degradation. What I need is an app that will allow annotating text
directly on to the pdf document, and then saving it with the
annotations made permanent. I can't make Acrobat Reader do this, even
with all plug-ins loaded. Anyone have any suggestions? Thanks.
--
schrodinger's cat

"schrodinger's cat" <schrodingers.cat@invalid> wrote in message
news:1118589317.e168cedc3afd227b2d3384fe7ec08fa3@teranews...
> Almost all downloadable local, state, and federal government forms
> I've seen are in pdf format. Apparently, the agencies who do this are
> caught in a time warp where everyone prints out the forms and then
> fills them out by using a typewriter. I would dearly love to be able
> to add text to these forms *on my PC* and then print them out, but I
> don't want to pay hundreds of dollars for Acrobat just to do this. I
> often resort to printing the form, scanning it back in to my computer
> as a tiff document, using an image app to add text, and then printing
> it out again. What a waste of time, not to mention the image quality
> degradation. What I need is an app that will allow annotating text
> directly on to the pdf document, and then saving it with the
> annotations made permanent. I can't make Acrobat Reader do this, even
> with all plug-ins loaded. Anyone have any suggestions? Thanks.
> --
> schrodinger's cat

This isn't a helpful answer to your problem, but to let you know that
all THOSE people aren't in a time warp, but they have secure passwords
with programs that allow these NEEDED forms to be completed. I haven't
seen a typewriter used in about fifteen years. THOSE agencies are far more
technologically advanced than might appear.

Helen wrote:
> "schrodinger's cat" <schrodingers.cat@invalid> wrote in message
> news:1118589317.e168cedc3afd227b2d3384fe7ec08fa3@teranews...
>
>>Almost all downloadable local, state, and federal government forms
>>I've seen are in pdf format. Apparently, the agencies who do this are
>>caught in a time warp where everyone prints out the forms and then
>>fills them out by using a typewriter. I would dearly love to be able
>>to add text to these forms *on my PC* and then print them out, but I
>>don't want to pay hundreds of dollars for Acrobat just to do this. I
>>often resort to printing the form, scanning it back in to my computer
>>as a tiff document, using an image app to add text, and then printing
>>it out again. What a waste of time, not to mention the image quality
>>degradation. What I need is an app that will allow annotating text
>>directly on to the pdf document, and then saving it with the
>>annotations made permanent. I can't make Acrobat Reader do this, even
>>with all plug-ins loaded. Anyone have any suggestions? Thanks.
>>--
>>schrodinger's cat
>
>
> This isn't a helpful answer to your problem, but to let you know that
> all THOSE people aren't in a time warp, but they have secure passwords
> with programs that allow these NEEDED forms to be completed. I haven't
> seen a typewriter used in about fifteen years. THOSE agencies are far more
> technologically advanced than might appear.
>
>
>
I think "the cat" was being sarcastic in regards to the typewriter
comment.
The question remains, though, why wouldn't they make the forms more
user-friendly and leave text boxes for people to use on the forms so
they can fill them out *conveniently*? It only makes sense - it's
easier for folks to fill them out, and it's easier for the people
receiving the filled-out forms to read: win-win situation.

Yeah, pdf is a horrible format. Adobe gets our tax-supported agencies to
adopt this junky format that often requires you to buy a product to use it.
Someone needs to develop an editable open source alternative and get
everyone to agree to use that!! It is interesting that the IRS forms are now
fillable and savable using Acrobat Reader. I wonder how they arranged that?
As far as a solution, I'm like you. I convert using screen shots normally
and then use a graphics program or Filloutaform (http://www.jdmcox.com/),
though that too requires converting to bitmap.

Sorry I don't have a solution, but this is one of my pet peeves. I hope
someone here posts back with something.


--
Regards,
Anthony Giorgianni

The return address for this post is fictitious. Please reply by posting back
to the newsgroup.

"Guido" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:dkZqe.919$(E-Mail Removed)...
> Helen wrote:
> > "schrodinger's cat" <schrodingers.cat@invalid> wrote in message
> > news:1118589317.e168cedc3afd227b2d3384fe7ec08fa3@teranews...
> >
> >>Almost all downloadable local, state, and federal government forms
> >>I've seen are in pdf format. Apparently, the agencies who do this are
> >>caught in a time warp where everyone prints out the forms and then
> >>fills them out by using a typewriter. I would dearly love to be able
> >>to add text to these forms *on my PC* and then print them out, but I
> >>don't want to pay hundreds of dollars for Acrobat just to do this. I
> >>often resort to printing the form, scanning it back in to my computer
> >>as a tiff document, using an image app to add text, and then printing
> >>it out again. What a waste of time, not to mention the image quality
> >>degradation. What I need is an app that will allow annotating text
> >>directly on to the pdf document, and then saving it with the
> >>annotations made permanent. I can't make Acrobat Reader do this, even
> >>with all plug-ins loaded. Anyone have any suggestions? Thanks.
> >>--
> >>schrodinger's cat
> >
> >
> > This isn't a helpful answer to your problem, but to let you know that
> > all THOSE people aren't in a time warp, but they have secure passwords
> > with programs that allow these NEEDED forms to be completed. I haven't
> > seen a typewriter used in about fifteen years. THOSE agencies are far
more
> > technologically advanced than might appear.
> >
> >
> >
> I think "the cat" was being sarcastic in regards to the typewriter
> comment.
> The question remains, though, why wouldn't they make the forms more
> user-friendly and leave text boxes for people to use on the forms so
> they can fill them out *conveniently*? It only makes sense - it's
> easier for folks to fill them out, and it's easier for the people
> receiving the filled-out forms to read: win-win situation.

Probably because there are so many ...er...what shall we say, "jokesters"
out there, that if they had access, they would also alter the forms. Ergo,
it is as it is. But there are programs and/or ways of doing what the OP
wanted. I am not, however, at liberty to discuss publicly lots of things.
Government forms and other documents have long been in pdf form to
prevent tampering with them. Some people would utilize them the way
they were intended, but some would not...and it only takes one teaspoon
of dog poop to contaminate gormet cookies!

schrodinger's cat wrote:
> Almost all downloadable local, state, and federal government forms
> I've seen are in pdf format. Apparently, the agencies who do this are
> caught in a time warp where everyone prints out the forms and then
> fills them out by using a typewriter. I would dearly love to be able
> to add text to these forms *on my PC* and then print them out, but I
> don't want to pay hundreds of dollars for Acrobat just to do this. I

http://www.adobe.com/support/techdocs/328647.html

"Many companies, organizations, and government agencies use Adobe
Acrobat or Adobe Acrobat Capture to convert their paper forms to PDF
(Portable Document Format) forms, which can be accessed over the
Internet or via e-mail. If a PDF form includes form fields (for example,
text fields, buttons, list boxes), you can fill the form on-screen with
an Acrobat product (such as Adobe Reader, Acrobat Professional, or
Acrobat Standard)."

Many just don't bother....

--
Regards,

Stephen

Well, Adobe Reader 6 & 7 can do this --- for .pdfs especially enabled
for this by Adobe Acrobat Professional 7.

This is a fairly new development though, so it'll take a while for
people to catch up.

William

On Sun, 12 Jun 2005 13:06:11 -0400 "Helen" <@abuse.roman.gov> wrote:

>
>"Guido" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>news:dkZqe.919$(E-Mail Removed)...
>> Helen wrote:
>> > "schrodinger's cat" <schrodingers.cat@invalid> wrote in message
>> > news:1118589317.e168cedc3afd227b2d3384fe7ec08fa3@teranews...
>> >
>> >>Almost all downloadable local, state, and federal government forms
>> >>I've seen are in pdf format. Apparently, the agencies who do this are
>> >>caught in a time warp where everyone prints out the forms and then
>> >>fills them out by using a typewriter. I would dearly love to be able
>> >>to add text to these forms *on my PC* and then print them out, but I
>> >>don't want to pay hundreds of dollars for Acrobat just to do this. I
>> >>often resort to printing the form, scanning it back in to my computer
>> >>as a tiff document, using an image app to add text, and then printing
>> >>it out again. What a waste of time, not to mention the image quality
>> >>degradation. What I need is an app that will allow annotating text
>> >>directly on to the pdf document, and then saving it with the
>> >>annotations made permanent. I can't make Acrobat Reader do this, even
>> >>with all plug-ins loaded. Anyone have any suggestions? Thanks.
>> >>--
>> >>schrodinger's cat
>> >
>> >
>> > This isn't a helpful answer to your problem, but to let you know that
>> > all THOSE people aren't in a time warp, but they have secure passwords
>> > with programs that allow these NEEDED forms to be completed. I haven't
>> > seen a typewriter used in about fifteen years. THOSE agencies are far
>more
>> > technologically advanced than might appear.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> I think "the cat" was being sarcastic in regards to the typewriter
>> comment.
>> The question remains, though, why wouldn't they make the forms more
>> user-friendly and leave text boxes for people to use on the forms so
>> they can fill them out *conveniently*? It only makes sense - it's
>> easier for folks to fill them out, and it's easier for the people
>> receiving the filled-out forms to read: win-win situation.
>
>Probably because there are so many ...er...what shall we say, "jokesters"
>out there, that if they had access, they would also alter the forms. Ergo,
>it is as it is. But there are programs and/or ways of doing what the OP
>wanted. I am not, however, at liberty to discuss publicly lots of things.
>Government forms and other documents have long been in pdf form to
>prevent tampering with them. Some people would utilize them the way
>they were intended, but some would not...and it only takes one teaspoon
>of dog poop to contaminate gormet cookies!

Your first reply was a non sequitur, and this "I know something you
don't know" response verges on being childish. These forms, including
tax returns, property filings, license applications, and other legal
documents, are posted on government web sites for the convenience of
the public, to make access to them easier, not for the benefit of
internal users with "secure passwords" for their "programs". There are
a number of formats which can be made tamper proof, but which would
allow the insertion of text in areas which are supposed to be filled
in by the user. There is no technological reason why pdf documents
could not be given similar capability without requiring the purchase
of Adobe Acrobat.
--
schrodinger's cat

On 12 Jun 2005 16:25:46 -0700 "William F. Adams" <(E-Mail Removed)>
wrote:

>Well, Adobe Reader 6 & 7 can do this --- for .pdfs especially enabled
>for this by Adobe Acrobat Professional 7.
>
>This is a fairly new development though, so it'll take a while for
>people to catch up.

I am using Reader 7.01, and I have yet to come across a pdf document
which can be annotated. If this requires that the document maker use
Acrobat 6 or 7, then you are correct, it may be years before Adobe
users upgrade from their current versions.
--
schrodinger's cat

"schrodinger's cat" <schrodingers.cat@invalid> wrote in message
news:1118667595.16dbc811669c5884153834ba05335c7b@teranews...
> On 12 Jun 2005 16:25:46 -0700 "William F. Adams" <(E-Mail Removed)>
> wrote:
>
>>Well, Adobe Reader 6 & 7 can do this --- for .pdfs especially enabled
>>for this by Adobe Acrobat Professional 7.
>>
>>This is a fairly new development though, so it'll take a while for
>>people to catch up.
>
> I am using Reader 7.01, and I have yet to come across a pdf document
> which can be annotated. If this requires that the document maker use
> Acrobat 6 or 7, then you are correct, it may be years before Adobe
> users upgrade from their current versions.
> --
PDF's can certainly be made to have fields that allow text. I use them at
work. The person I work with makes them in Acrobat, and he makes them
specifically so I can just fill in a form.

I do not have Acrobat, so I myself cannot change or annotate any PDF (I wish
I could, it would make my life easier). But once created in Acrobat? Yes,
fields can indeed be designated that way.