Any freeware app that will enable text annotation on a pdf document?

[schrodinger's cat]

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.

 

[Helen]

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.

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.

 

[Guido]

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.

 

[Anthony Giorgianni]

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.

 

[Helen]

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!

 

[Stephen]

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....

 

[William F. Adams]

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

 

[schrodinger's cat]

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]

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.

 

[RPBeara]

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.

 

[Euthymenes]

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.
--

You can convert PDF to JPG. Then Word or Excel can load JPG + manual text or
annotations ...

 

[Euthymenes]

You can convert PDF to JPG. Then Word or Excel can load JPG + manual text or
annotations ...

Word can also Insert - Objet - PDF document
Definition is not too bad.
And put image behind the text.

 

[socrtwo]

Word can also Insert - Objet - PDF document

Definition is not too bad.
And put image behind the text.

I like this solution. I came up with a way of doing it in PowerPoint
which involves downloading Ghostscript and GhostView:

http://www.socrtwo.info/pdf_form.htm

Just inserting it as an object in Word is much easier. My suggested
steps are below:

1. Insert Menu -> choose "Object."
2. Choose "Create from file."
3. Find PDF file.
4. Right click on the image of the PDF file that appears in Word and
choose "Format Object."
5. Choose the "Layout" Tab.
6. Make the object/image to reside behind text. OK out of the
Properties.
7. Resize the image/pdf object/form to take up the whole 8.5" X 11"
Page.
8. For each answer on your form use a Text Box (Insert -> "Text Box").
9. Right click on the border of each text box and choose "Format Text
Box."
10. Choose the "Color and Lines" Tab and for Line Color, choose "No
Line."

I'm with Mr. Giorgianni though, the whole PDF thing is needlessly
difficult and it's strange that there are no free PDF editors of any
use.