Why I still use PDF Annotator 3 for my medical school notes

[superkrups20056]

PDF XChange Viewer looks very promising, but there are a couple of little features that I still it wish it had. I take my notes using a laptop, not a tablet, and I find PDF Annotator 3 more useful to take notes with for the following reasons:

1) When a text box it put down using the typewriter tool, it should have a certain limit to its width so that multiple lines can be typed without having the press "enter" at the end of every line. In fact, one of the main problems with the typewriter tool has no problem typing way off the page. Before you say the text box tool can give me a specified width I am looking for, the text box tool is a pain to use because you have to select the whole area in which you want to type. The teacher talks too fast to have to do that multiple times.

BOTTOM LINE: Make a tool that's "Click and type" like the typewriter tool that has a specified width limit to the text box.

2) I use shortcuts for the line tool ("L"), typewriter tool ("T"), etc, to quickly change between different tools. Make an option so that when you click on the page AFTER you've made a typewriter box, it deselects the typewriter box you've just made WITHOUT making a new typewriter box so that you can use your keyboard shortcuts to quickly switch to another tool. Currently, the only way to deselect the typewriter box you've just made (with the mouse) is to click outside the page in the zoomed out view, which is something that isn't possible when the teacher is talking fast or when you are zoomed in so that the page borders are at the edges of your window.

3) PDF XChange Viewer 2.0 had a major problem saving to Dropbox. Error was always "Invalid Access Mode" even when syncing is paused. I haven't tried 2.5 yet, so this issue may be fixed. This is probably Dropbox's problem, but if it can be fixed on future versions on XChange Viewer's side, its worth listing here

I love your product and I use it on a daily basis. These improvements are suggestions I have after having deep usage of multiple PDF Annotator programs. These fixes would make XChange Viewer so much more useful and efficient.

[Paul - PDF-XChange]

Hi superkrups20056

thanks for the comments and feature suggestions. I have passed this on to the dev team to see what they think of this and what may be something that they will implement.

One question that comes up for me on point 2) is to ask if you have tried de-selecting the "Keep Tool Selected" option on the properties Toolbar.

The Properties Toolbar is context sensitive and the "Keep Tool Selected" state can be unique to each tool so you should try selecting the Line Tool with your keyboard short cut then de-select "Keep Tool Selected". Doing this each time you use the Line tool with our shortcut it will draw one tool then revert to the Hand Tool. In V3 we are expecting to be able to choose the Hand Tool or Select Tools as the default Tool and I believe this will also be what is reverted to after using another tool and not keeping it selected.

I'd be interested to know if this helps in your case.

hth

[superkrups20056]

Hi Paul,

Deselecting the Keep Tool Selected option is indeed the closest thing to PDF Annotator 3, but the fact that it reverts back to the hand tool instead of staying on the tool I were already using makes it a little redundant (like you said). If I want to draw multiple lines, after every line, I have to hit "L" to draw another one, and after every typewriter box, I have to hit "T" again for another typewriter box. Instead of being able to change the "default tool" in version 3, how about making an option to keep the last tool used as the "default" tool? It is the system that PDF Annotator 3 uses, and it is by far the most efficient way to take notes with a keyboard and trackpad, in my opinion.

Thank you for reporting the text box width issue to the programming team. I hope they implement a solution, or at least give user the option to change the default behavior of the setting in the next version.

One final question I have is about the Auto Update Wizard included in the software. Why does it always says PDF XChange is up to date when I run it, even when a new version can be found on the web site immediately afterwards? My internet connection is working properly.

Thank you for your time

[Paul - PDF-XChange]

Hi superkrups20056,

this thread is refered to in the Feature Request ticket so your comments will be noted.

Regards the Update - one nagging issue with Live Update is the need to restart the PC for the new version to be properly reported. If you are seeing an update available compare the version available to the one reported in Help --> About PDF-XChange Viewer. If they differ and you believe you have already installed the latest try restarting your PC and try again. We will add a notice to this effect in a future version of Live Update.

If you are seeing a new version reported as available despite the same version being reported in Help --> About PDF-XChange Viewer let me know, we may need to investigate further.

hth

PS. If you used the MSI based installer to install originally - this cannot use Live Update as this uses the 'EXE' installer and Microsoft has problems if this is the case - so we reccomend if you are not a Sys Admin with specific installer needs - always use the EXE based installer

[Paul - PDF-XChange]

HI superkrups20056,

3) PDF XChange Viewer 2.0 had a major problem saving to Dropbox. Error was always "Invalid Access Mode" even when syncing is paused. I haven't tried 2.5 yet, so this issue may be fixed. This is probably Dropbox's problem, but if it can be fixed on future versions on XChange Viewer's side, its worth listing here

It appears that your Dropbox allows you to read files but blocks saving them. Look through the settings in Dropbox and see if you can find a setting to allow file modification by external programmes. Does it work with some other application you have?

regards

[superkrups20056]

Hi Paul,

It appears that I have updated to 2.5 and the problem solved itself. I am still receiving the problem with PDF Annotator 3 but that is a problem they will have to fix. Thank you for all your help!

[John - Tracker Supp]

Excellent - pleased all is well