PDF file - can you alter

[Ivykaty44]

I am scanning, it is various different documents, I have to scan and it comes in as a pdf file. Now I want to change permently the pdf file - can I do this somehow and if I can how?

No, you can't. A pdf is almost like a photocopy of a document. Sometimes you can copy or select text from it, but you can#t physically change the text within it.

Thank you for that - this is what I was thinking.

if I save as a jpeg, the file is to big and I tryed to print and it printed 15 pages - how do I make a jpeg smaller?

(I put the jpeg into paint and altered the document and then printed)

I think if you change the jpeg you can save it again as a pdf. (In the drop down bit of the save as box). Hope you're not doing anything dodgy

No - nothing dodgy! It is actually at work and is driving me mad, I am not even trained for it (as you will have guessed) it is a nightmare project and I think will take me years.....

There is some software you can buy which has OCR (optical character recognition).

Basically, it scans a document and then "reads" the text, and saves the document as a text document which you can amend. The quality of the "reading" depends on the quality of the original document, and whether it's in tables etc.

Would your work consider buying some OCR software?

I can't recommend any particular software as I haven't worked with it for about 10 years, and can't even remember the name of the software I used back then!

There are some freeware programmes that do this for you. Not sure which one we have but DH did this for me once. OR you can sign up for a free trial of converter software.

Freeware discussion

No, can't spend any money!!

my manager wants it one and wants it done well - but doesn't know how to do it - which is great cause I am trying to do something that will reflect badly on me if it isn't done well.

I would rather take photographs of the documents and then down load them as they would them be as I wanted rather than having to alter them - as I would take the photograph accordingly - then print as an A4. But have been tolf to scan not photograph

I am not allowed to downlaod free soft ware either, it would be great if I could.

Sorry you are all being really helpfull and I am having a rant. I do apperciate your help really.

OK.

What format does the document arrive in (is it a PDF or a hard copy on a piece of paper)

• what do oyou ACTUALLY want to change about the document? Do you want the whole document? Do you want to change the text? Do you want to move things?

Maybe we can be more helpful if we know a bit more about the situation (although appreciate you may not be able to talk about it)

The document can be scanned (I am doing the scanning) and I can scan it as a tiff, jpeg or pdf file.

Once I have it on my pc I wanted to change/block some text, so put it into paint shop and changed the text - fine then tryed to print , it was a jpeg, and it tryed to print 15 pages. I need it on one page.

As pdf file it prints on one page (I scanned for a second time as a pdf file) and that is fine one page but cant change the text!

If I could make the jpeg smaller to fit one page that would be fine - but I dont know how?

(If I was at home I would probably be ok using down load stuff to reduce the size of the jpeg but at work I am restraint to use just the stuff they have which isn't much)

Do you have powerpoint or word?

And I assume that you now have a jpeg which visually has the content you want?

I have word

on some pc's (we have to move all the time0 there is camera wizard

I have a jpeg with the document I want to print out in A4 and have blocked out the text I need to using paint.

You need Adobe Acrobat Pro - if the company want this done then they should by it.

Just thought - the scanning software might have different output format options????

OK.

Next bit is fairly easy (although instructions are from memory).

Open Word.
Insert menu
Picture
From file
Browse to the jpeg
This will put in the jpeg.
drag the handles to resize it - basically make it a full page (hold shift whilst you do and it will keep the proportions).

Then save and print from Word.

You may need to fiddle with teh margin settings (drag them on the print preview) so you don't have too big a border around hte jpeg.

I think you are saying:

• you are scanning a text document, turning it into a digital picture file
• you are then editing that picture file and blanking out some text

Is that right?

If so, then the issue I think is when you are printing that picture file... it's been scanned at a high resolution and is being printed on a device which can't handle that resolution. So you need to get the printer to print it on just one page - this may be an option in the Printer Driver software (in Word, try selecting File... Print Properties).

As the resulting document is an image file... you could try Previewing the image and printing it from the Preview setting within WinNT/WinXP/Vista. To see if that is possible, right click on the document's icon and see if Preview comes up as an option.

Right thank you for all your help.

I am going in in the morning and I am going to try both and see how I get on.

Thank you, it really is of great help to me

The sticking the bit of paper - hmm thing is the paper moved and the text above and below needs to be seen!! tryed that one

I nearly pulled my hair out this avero

(blue tack)

You should be able to copy the text from a pdf & paste it into word, where you can edit it & print it out.

Not from a scanned document though Rusty as the text will technically be a image?

Not allowed blue tack - full stop, no cant put blue tack on document not allowed!

It would be so easy with acrobat pro and you can get a 30 free trial as well. spit in your manager's coffee, it won't help but it will make you feel better