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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think you cant cut and paste from a pdf?

30 replies

firefly78 · 28/09/2015 14:02

do i win for most boring thread title ever!! work are telling me this is possible but its not is it? especially from a scan in document?!!

OP posts:
winchester1 · 28/09/2015 14:04

It is possible with some pdfs but not scanned docs unless they mean do a print screen and insert it as an object.

nottheOP · 28/09/2015 14:04

You can. Just highlight, ctrl+c to copy and then ctrl+v to paste.

littleducks · 28/09/2015 14:04

You can from a typed pdf but not a scan I don't think

nottheOP · 28/09/2015 14:05

I just checked with a scanned pdf and it worked btw

chrome100 · 28/09/2015 14:05

yes, it is possible. just as you would a word doc. but best to paste it into notepad first to strip out the formatting.

Scarydinosaurs · 28/09/2015 14:06

Certain PDFs you can, but not from a scan.

Can you screen shot instead?

BikeRunSki · 28/09/2015 14:06

Or use the snipping tool to cut and paste.

Theycallmemellowjello · 28/09/2015 14:07

Depending on what pdf reading software you have, you may be able to. Some software will just allow you to 'cut out' a little piece of the pdf - like a little photograph of the highlighted part - and stick it in the other document. You can't edit this text - it's just a picture iyswim. Also some software has text recognition, so it will allow you to copy and paste the text as text. Normally I find that you have to go back and edit the text, as sometimes there will be slight mistakes in it. I think even the most basic version of adobe acrobat lets you do this.

noblegiraffe · 28/09/2015 14:07

There's a snipping tool in windows you can use to take a bit of a scanned document and insert it as an image.

OurBlanche · 28/09/2015 14:08

Not from a protected version. Something like this (from memory so apologies if it isn't quite right)

Open PDF, press Ctrl-D. Go to the Security Tab. Under Security Method select Password Security. In the lower-half of the Window, select Restrict Editing and Printing of the document. A password will be required in order to change these permission settings.

Under Printing allowed and Changes allowed leave these at None. Put in your password and click OK. At the next window click OK again. Type in your Permissions Password and click OK. Click OK one more time and then remember to save your PDF.

OurBlanche · 28/09/2015 14:09

Ah! You weren't asking how to, were you Blush

Theycallmemellowjello · 28/09/2015 14:09

Xpost - it shouldn't matter whether the file was scanned or converted from another doc as I think it is read by the software package recognising the shapes of the letters. A less clear scan will make this harder of course and there will be more errors.

DrDreReturns · 28/09/2015 14:12

You won't be able to copy the text from a scanned document, but you will be able to copy the image of the scanned document as pp have said. If you do need the text then you will need to use OCR (text recognition) software or type it by hand.

BertieBotts · 28/09/2015 14:14

DrDre is right. Some scanners have OCR built in which is why work might think it's possible.

Mistigri · 28/09/2015 14:18

If the document isn't protected, then you can use the photo tool to take a shot of a part of a document which you can the paste as an image.

hellsbellsmelons · 28/09/2015 14:21

Or you can do a 'snapshot'.
Top left - Edit
From the menu choose 'take a snapshot'
Click and drag the bit you want to copy.

It will tell you the selected area has been copied then it's ready to paste
Then open a word doc or similar and right click and paste.
Done!

mellicauli · 28/09/2015 14:45

FN +print screen (top right of your keyboard)
Open Paint
Right click and Paste
snip out the bit you want
copy and paste again into your doc (or whatever)

Ptarmiganbaggage · 28/09/2015 14:46

I've got software on my computer (extra Adobe software) that makes it possible to do from almost all PDFs, but before I had that software it was much more difficult to copy something and then edit it.

mellicauli · 28/09/2015 14:47

also if you google convert pdf to text there are free programs out there

hannibalismisunderstood · 28/09/2015 19:39

Pixclip is ace for copying anything.... but copy and paste from off depends on content and version of pdf reader/writer

Girlwhowearsglasses · 28/09/2015 20:09

You can get text from a scan. You can upload to a site that extracts the text for you. The text recognition software isn't 100% though - you need to check through. Google 'extract text pdf upload'

whatwhatinthewhatnow · 28/09/2015 20:13

Adobe professional should let you. Adobe reader has far fewer functions.

Ubik1 · 28/09/2015 20:17

It's a PITA as you lose the formatting so have to adjust all the rest once it's pasted into Word.

If you use the snipping tool for pasting into an online document be aware that screen readers won't be able to read it as it will present as an image

CocktailQueen · 28/09/2015 20:20

You can choose to copy document to clipboard then you can paste it into Word. But you can also select text and copy it from many PDFs too, using the text selecting tool.

PegsPigs · 28/09/2015 20:20

You can with Adobe X and Adobe Pro not Adobe Reader.