Add commenting tools: Insert Text and Replace Text

[CelticValley]

I love PDF-XChange Viewer. What it is missing are the commenting tools: Insert Text and Replace Text, the same that Adobe Reader has (if commenting is turned on). I would rather use your tool when reviewing technical documents for my job, but these particular comment tools are so handy I end up using Adobe Reader instead.

Thanks!

[John - Tracker Supp]

Hi,

If you mean opening a an existing PDF file and then modifying the existing document, by being able to edit or insert text in the existing document within the current text flow, adjusting spacing etc ... then this is an editing feature - rather than commenting feature and for now at least we do not offer such functionality. The PDF-XChange Viewer is just that - not an editor.

The closest we come is to allow you to place in a text box over existing text (with a common background set) and to type new text using the same existing fonts etc - and replace the text that way. You can then 'flatten' the the newly added text to make it appear as though it were in the original document. But this is not true editing and we do not purport to currently offer this.

Note you must also be modifying a document does not have security/encryption set do exclude such an option.

Hope that helps

[CelticValley]

Thank you kindly for your reply. You ask a good question. No, I was not talking about editing a document, but about reviewing and commenting in the document. So, in the case of Insert Text, I would not really be inserting the text, but the comment tool would indicate to the author of the PDF to "insert the following text here" though not in so many words: Adobe Reader does it by showing a special icon which one can hover over to view requested text, or can click to open the text box that has the requested text in it. For me, the reviewer, when I use the Insert Text commenting tool, a text box pops up and allows me, the reviewer, to add the text I am requesting to be inserted.

It is similar to the replace text tool. After I sent my initial request to you, I realized later that you too have a replace text commenting tool. If I use the cross-out tool, then I can double-click the cross-out bar to bring up a text box where I can put in the requested replacement text. Perhaps this cool feature could be made more obvious and intuitive in your product.

The way Adobe does it is sort of intuitive. As long as Text Edits button is on, then I merely have to highlight some text and press delete to cross it out, or start typing to both cross it out and pop up a text box where I write the replacement text. In the case of Replace Text, the cross out bar is a different color to indicate that it is not merely striking out the existing text, but that there is replacement text to look at (by hovering over it or clicking it.) To insert I merely place my cursor where I want and start typing and the text box pops up.

I have uploaded a JPG of Adobe's description of this feature for you to look at.

Again, I think your product is superior to Adobe Reader, especially since I can't add any comments to an Adobe Acrobat-generated PDF using Adobe Reader unless the feature is turned on first by the Author. Too restrictive! Your product feels faster and is simply richer in cool features. Thanks!

[John - Tracker Supp]

Thanks for your considered and detailed reply - very much appreciated !

I note your points about the different way Adobe approaches the comments editing and we will take a look at this as time allows and see what can be done as the points made are very valid and deserve consideration.

Also very much appreciate the kind words

[Ivan - Tracker Software]

Thanks for clear description. We will try to make such tool and intuitive handling of them into new build of the viewer (42.2).

[Fred11]

Hi,

may I inquire about the status of this report?

My main use of pdf xchange is to comment documents created by others. If I want to strike through some text and replace it, I need to click on the red strikeout-bar. This costs me a move to the mouse and a double click -- too much, if done over and over again, and not necessary (cf. adobe).

This is one of my top two desiderata, the other being split windows or some equivalent functionality.

I am very happy with your product otherwise.

[Vasyl - PDF-XChange]

If I want to strike through some text and replace it, I need to click on the red strikeout-bar. This costs me a move to the mouse and a double click -- too much, if done over and over again, and not necessary (cf. adobe).

Please enable the "Keep Tool Selected" feature on the "Properties" toolbar.
The "Properties" isn't visible by default. To show it go to [Menu/View/ToolBars/Properties Bar] OR press Ctrl+E shortcut...
"Keep Tool Selected" - keeps the selected tool active after usage.

[neil-k]

I agree with Fred11 – I'm a proofreader and I use PDF-XChange mainly for commenting on pdfs.

In Acrobat, if I want to replace some text, I can simply highlight the text in question and type the new, replacement text. Acrobat creates a comment box with the new text automatically.

But in PDF-XChange, I have to highlight the text, go up to the top and click 'replace text', which creates a blank comment box and 'replace text' mark in the document, then go and click on the replace text mark in the document to open the comment box, then click in the comment box and finally type the text to replace. It's very long-winded.

I'd love it if this could be streamlined!

[Daniel - PDF-XChange]

Hello, neil-k

There are already two ways to streamline this currently.

1. The first method is to simply right clicking on the selection offers you the following options which will apply the respective text markup:
   image.png
2. The second method takes some more setup, but you can also add hotkeys to these commenting tools, then simply push your desired key to quickly apply the markup to the current selection. https://www.pdf-xchange.com/knowledgeba ... nge-Editor

In either case, By default you then only need to double click the comment to open the popup, however, you can change this setting in the preferences to make that step automatic. This is of course optional as different users markup handling needs may vary:

image(1).png

You also do not need to click inside the popup box when doing this, the text cursor automatically focuses there:
(Gif animation, click to view)

PDFXEdit_E0CBUyIHUV.gif

As you see, you can start to type immediately after opening the popup.

I will also raise the suggestion once again, to allow direct text entry with the select text tool enabled and activate the last used of these tools, but I cannot promise it will be implemented.

Kind regards,