PDF editor or editing capability

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Coolrat
Posts: 112
Joined: Wed Nov 30, 2011 9:52 am

PDF editor or editing capability

Post by Coolrat »

Hi
I was using Mendeley for a while for organizing academic papers- one of its main attractions to so many users is that it includes a built-in PDF reader/ editor that allows the user to mark-up PDFs with comments, notes, highlighting, underlining and bookmarks. These editing tools are really VERY useful to any researcher.

I rely on MyInfo as my primary tool for everything, and increasingly have been putting PDFs into MyInfo as well. Its just easier to have everything in one data-managment application. However, MyInfo currently lacks the ability to
perform any editing on PDFs.

Might I recommend contacting makers of Qoppa PDF Studio to see if they might be able to provide a PDF editor for MyInfo? Or perhaps the developers of DOCEAR academic referencing application who are trying to develop an open-source PDF editor.

The ability to edit PDFs inside of MyInfo would be very useful indeed!
johnt0244
Posts: 4
Joined: Thu Apr 26, 2012 11:02 pm

Post by johnt0244 »

I second the suggestion for built in PDF read/edit. It would be a very useful add on. I use FileCenter for document management. They, Lucion, Incorporated another makers PDF app. I'm sure they must pay to use the app and I'm sure they recover in the cost of FileCenter.
Coolrat
Posts: 112
Joined: Wed Nov 30, 2011 9:52 am

Post by Coolrat »

The ability to edit PDFs would greatly enhance MyInfo's usefulness to researchers. One of the key reasons Mendeley is so popular as a research tool is that it has a built-in PDF editor. Same thing with nearly all of the major QDA Qualitative Data Analysis (CAQDAS) applications- they all have (or are working hard to incorporate) the ability to edit PDFs.

I'm not sure whether DOCEAR has gone very far in their development of a cross-platform PDF editor. It would really be very worthwhile to contact them.
mfelix
Posts: 126
Joined: Mon Oct 18, 2010 8:54 pm
Location: Basel, Switzerland

Post by mfelix »

I don't think it would make sense to add a PDF editor as a standard addon for MyInfo. It would just make MyInfo more expensive and only help certains users. The best option here would be to make it a separately payable option in my opinion...

Or did you ever look to Redmond these days ? As far a I know the next version of MS Office will open pdfs and make them editable in MS Word. Save as PDF is there already today ....
Coolrat
Posts: 112
Joined: Wed Nov 30, 2011 9:52 am

Post by Coolrat »

Actually, I think the easiest solution would be just to allow the user to open a PDF using a text editor on our computer. Users could edit the PDF and save it back into the MyInfo database, and view it within MyInfo. Its a simple solution- if a user needs to edit (add highlighting, or add notes) to PDFs, she/he can simply do it using an external program.

This would be a very good compromise and a valuable feature I believe.
Petko
MyInfo Support
Posts: 3237
Joined: Sun Jul 25, 2004 4:33 pm
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Post by Petko »

Currently, it is possible for MyInfo to use a separate applications for viewing and editing embedded files.

You need an "edit" command set up in Windows for "pdf" files. Currently, you have "open" command (set by Adobe Acrobat Reader, FoxIt Reader or any other PDF reader you are using). You should create the "edit" command manually in most cases.

The process for creating the "edit" command depends on the Windows version you use. So, probably the best way to add it is to use a free third-party editor like DefaultPrograms editor (http://defaultprogramseditor.com/).

After you download and run it, you can add the "edit" command as follows:
1. Click File Type Settings.
2. Click Context Menu.
3. Find ".pdf" file extension in the list and click Next.
4. If the "edit" command does not exist yet, click Add.
5. Fill the "edit" command settings:
* Type "edit" in Command Name
* Browse for the "exe" file of your preferred PDF editor for Program Path
* Select Only This Extension in Item Scope.
Image
6. Click Next.
7. Click Save Context Menu and Save To Registry in the drop-down menu that will appear.

Now MyInfo should use this application when you use the Edit Embedded File command, but still will use the default PDF application for viewing PDF files.
Coolrat
Posts: 112
Joined: Wed Nov 30, 2011 9:52 am

Post by Coolrat »

Hi!
I followed the instructions you gave and it worked perfectly.
The only problem was finding in MyInfo exactly where is the commands that allow me to "View Attachment" or "Edit Attachment". I eventually found it by clicking on the PDF icon right beside the name of the PDF document at the top of the document panel.

As I understand the process, I click on Edit Attachment, and then can open the file in my pdf editor and make changes. After I press the "save button" in my pdf editor, I must again press save in the MyInfo dialogue box that remains open through this entire process. This seems somewhat redundant. Why must I press 'save' in MyInfo after I have already pressed 'save' in my pdf editor?
This is a minor point, however, and this is now a great feature and very useful to me.

Best Regards,
R.A.
Petko
MyInfo Support
Posts: 3237
Joined: Sun Jul 25, 2004 4:33 pm
Contact:

Post by Petko »

Maybe this will be simplified at some point in the future, but until then this dialog ensures that the changes in the file are properly saved back in MyInfo.
Coolrat
Posts: 112
Joined: Wed Nov 30, 2011 9:52 am

Post by Coolrat »

This is a very good solution! Thank you!
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