Free PDF Editor for Mac

01-05-2008, 03:38 PM

I was wondering if anyone knows of a free program for the Mac OS X that will allow you to type and save information on PDF formats.

Lutin · 01-05-2008, 06:41 PM

Have a look at Skim.

You can do basic editing on existing files.
Very useful to take notes on a file you have been sent.

Jay Carr · 01-08-2008, 02:37 AM

There was an excellent thread on this a while ago, I'm sure that you could find it if you used to search function...

johngpt · 01-09-2008, 09:09 PM

I haven't tried this app, it's open source. Perhaps those with experience with Scribus could speak about it.

specter · 01-10-2008, 08:32 AM

Is there PDF-editor for PC, be it free or not?
That would save pdfs as text files/format the text in pdf? I've got a huge need for it. My girlfriend is writing her diploma and needs to use lots of .pdf files

johngpt · 01-10-2008, 10:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by specter


	Is there PDF-editor for PC, be it free or not? That would save pdfs as text files/format the text in pdf? I've got a huge need for it. My girlfriend is writing her diploma and needs to use lots of .pdf files

Last night, googling this brought up a page with lots of pdf editors, almost all of which are for the pc. I'm at work and not at the computer from which I'd been googling. When I'm home I'll look back for it if you haven't already had success.

Scribus is ported for win, mac, and linux their website said.

specter · 01-10-2008, 10:17 AM

Thanks! I'll google for them. I just didn't try, frankly speaking=)

johngpt · 01-11-2008, 08:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by specter


	Thanks! I'll google for them. I just didn't try, frankly speaking=)

In case you haven't found, here's the url of the list of apps.

http://www.cogniview.com/convert-pdf...adobe-acrobat/

johngpt · 01-12-2008, 12:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by johngpt


	I haven't tried this app, it's open source. Perhaps those with experience with Scribus could speak about it.

Further reading about Scribus suggests that it isn't a pdf editor, just that as a layout app, it can create PDFs.

In another thread on this topic, PDFpen is mentioned.

vecchio · 08-26-2008, 10:29 AM

I just downloaded this to annotate and save a contract on the fly and it saved my bacon - but it wouldn't save my file, at least not directly. Not sure if that is a limitation or what - I had to print it to PDF, and give it a new name, and then - WHAM! File with changes saved to disc, able to email, etc. Tidy product, nice fast d/l and install. I will definitely throw them a few quid for Skim.

Peace,
~V.

Takeoffthe5 · 07-20-2009, 05:16 PM

I've gone through the same crazy search for a good PDF editing program for my G5, but never found a free one that could really help. Ended up going with PDF Studio, and it has definitely been a good move. Pretty cheap at $60 compared to Acrobat's $450!! Unlike Scribus and Skim, this is an actual PDF Editor that I like to use to type text into PDF documents. I've also used it to add internal links back into my documents that didn't take when I convert word documents to PDF. They do a free trial version so you can test it out before you buy it, and it seems to be compatible with both intel and PPC macs. Website is http://www.qoppa.com/psindex.html. Good luck!

johngpt · 07-21-2009, 05:13 PM

Good to know.

I've been wondering what might work to add internal links back into documents that had been converted to PDF from Word via the mac's native Print dialog.

Thank you for posting this info.

TigerMarc · 09-22-2009, 01:29 PM

File Juicer can turn simple PDF's into RTF files that word processors, like MS Word or Apple Pages, can load.

benwiggy · 09-22-2009, 01:47 PM

You can probably use a vector artwork editor, like Inkscape.

Note that PDFs saved with a particular setting in Acrobat will allow forms to be filled in and saved in Adobe READER.

Also, Preview in Snow Leopard has Annotation capabilities. I can't remember if it does in 10.5. (Never used annotation!)

You can also use shell commands in the Terminal to access OS X facilities, such as converting files to PDF, or switching between HTML, DOC, TXT, RTF.
Use textutil and pstopdf.

Several PDF utilities have been broken by Snow Leopard, such as PDFLab, CocoaBooklet.

It is worth saying that Acrobat does an incredible amount of stuff with PDFs, so if you do use, edit, manipulate or work with PDFs in a major way, it is an excellent tool -- and nothing matches its complete range of functions.

09-23-2009, 01:27 AM

Preview rocks for this.

diverjason · 10-22-2009, 02:18 PM

I just used Preview for the first time to fill out a PDF form and it worked great except for one problem. When I printed out the form there were yellow highlighted text boxes. I don't really mind the text boxes, but does anyone know how to get rid of the yellow?

04-19-2010, 01:42 AM

Lost one night to find it but it was worth it:

Formulate Pro!

http://code.google.com/p/formulatepro/downloads/list

Ideal to fill out forms, insert text and pics, etc.
Simple and effective, and FREE

05-17-2010, 10:02 AM

How do I use the text editor in Formulate Pro? It's not exactly intuitive like some of the other programs I've seen. I tried PDF Studio, but the free version imprints "Demo Version" on each page which isn't exactly professional looking. Please help!

05-31-2010, 10:41 PM

I don't think Preiview can help you do that work well, because it is just a PDF Reader like we use in Windows OS. You can never do any editing about the PDF file.

According to my comprehension, you wanna edit some contents in your PDF file? If that, you can take PDF Pen or Adobe Acrobat for reference. The problems is that both of the editors are too expensive to afford and I am not sure the trial version can do that work well. Also, there is another way you may have a try is to convert PDF to word using AnyBizSoft PDF to Word for mac, which is designed for mac users to help them save PDF as Word and then editing. You can get the resource from the Apple Download. Here is the link.
http://www.apple.com/downloads/macos...pdftoword.html
Maybe there are some other applications. Just get a try!

carson67 · 06-04-2010, 09:37 PM

Yeah I got real stoked when I figured out I could use Preview to pull the text from some PDF files. One great utility for unlocking password protected PDF files is PDF Key Pro. It's shareware and costs about $25 to license, but you can demo it. It's at http://pdfkey.com/. It was really useful for me at work.

01-05-2008, 03:38 PM	#1
khamlet Guest Posts: n/a	Free PDF Editor for Mac I was wondering if anyone knows of a free program for the Mac OS X that will allow you to type and save information on PDF formats.

01-08-2008, 02:37 AM	#3
Jay Carr Hall of Famer Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Springfield, MO, USA Posts: 3,110	There was an excellent thread on this a while ago, I'm sure that you could find it if you used to search function... __________________ ~ Long ago I was called Zalister, keep that in mind when reading responses to my old posts.

01-09-2008, 09:09 PM	#4
johngpt MVP Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Albuquerque, NM Posts: 1,093	I haven't tried this app, it's open source. Perhaps those with experience with Scribus could speak about it. __________________ John My Flickr

08-26-2008, 10:29 AM	#10
vecchio Registered User Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 1	Skim under OSX 10.5.x I just downloaded this to annotate and save a contract on the fly and it saved my bacon - but it wouldn't save my file, at least not directly. Not sure if that is a limitation or what - I had to print it to PDF, and give it a new name, and then - WHAM! File with changes saved to disc, able to email, etc. Tidy product, nice fast d/l and install. I will definitely throw them a few quid for Skim. Peace, ~V.

07-21-2009, 05:13 PM	#12
johngpt MVP Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Albuquerque, NM Posts: 1,093	Good to know. I've been wondering what might work to add internal links back into documents that had been converted to PDF from Word via the mac's native Print dialog. Thank you for posting this info. __________________ John My Flickr

01-05-2008, 06:41 PM	#2
Lutin Major Leaguer Join Date: May 2006 Location: Paris, France Posts: 311	Have a look at Skim. You can do basic editing on existing files. Very useful to take notes on a file you have been sent.

01-10-2008, 08:32 AM	#5
specter All Star Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 578	Is there PDF-editor for PC, be it free or not? That would save pdfs as text files/format the text in pdf? I've got a huge need for it. My girlfriend is writing her diploma and needs to use lots of .pdf files

01-10-2008, 10:17 AM	#7
specter All Star Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 578	Thanks! I'll google for them. I just didn't try, frankly speaking=)

07-20-2009, 05:16 PM	#11
Takeoffthe5 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 1	I've gone through the same crazy search for a good PDF editing program for my G5, but never found a free one that could really help. Ended up going with PDF Studio, and it has definitely been a good move. Pretty cheap at $60 compared to Acrobat's $450!! Unlike Scribus and Skim, this is an actual PDF Editor that I like to use to type text into PDF documents. I've also used it to add internal links back into my documents that didn't take when I convert word documents to PDF. They do a free trial version so you can test it out before you buy it, and it seems to be compatible with both intel and PPC macs. Website is http://www.qoppa.com/psindex.html. Good luck!

09-22-2009, 01:29 PM	#13
TigerMarc Prospect Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 14	File Juicer can turn simple PDF's into RTF files that word processors, like MS Word or Apple Pages, can load.

09-22-2009, 01:47 PM	#14
benwiggy League Commissioner Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: London Posts: 5,843	You can probably use a vector artwork editor, like Inkscape. Note that PDFs saved with a particular setting in Acrobat will allow forms to be filled in and saved in Adobe READER. Also, Preview in Snow Leopard has Annotation capabilities. I can't remember if it does in 10.5. (Never used annotation!) You can also use shell commands in the Terminal to access OS X facilities, such as converting files to PDF, or switching between HTML, DOC, TXT, RTF. Use textutil and pstopdf. Several PDF utilities have been broken by Snow Leopard, such as PDFLab, CocoaBooklet. It is worth saying that Acrobat does an incredible amount of stuff with PDFs, so if you do use, edit, manipulate or work with PDFs in a major way, it is an excellent tool -- and nothing matches its complete range of functions.

09-23-2009, 01:27 AM	#15
ramen Guest Posts: n/a	Preview rocks for this.

10-22-2009, 02:18 PM	#16
diverjason Registered User Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 1	I just used Preview for the first time to fill out a PDF form and it worked great except for one problem. When I printed out the form there were yellow highlighted text boxes. I don't really mind the text boxes, but does anyone know how to get rid of the yellow?

04-19-2010, 01:42 AM	#17
DonGiovanni Guest Posts: n/a	Insert images into PDF Lost one night to find it but it was worth it: Formulate Pro! http://code.google.com/p/formulatepro/downloads/list Ideal to fill out forms, insert text and pics, etc. Simple and effective, and FREE

05-17-2010, 10:02 AM	#18
aharbison Guest Posts: n/a	How do I use the text editor in Formulate Pro? It's not exactly intuitive like some of the other programs I've seen. I tried PDF Studio, but the free version imprints "Demo Version" on each page which isn't exactly professional looking. Please help!

05-31-2010, 10:41 PM	#19
HedeNelson Guest Posts: n/a	I don't think Preiview can help you do that work well, because it is just a PDF Reader like we use in Windows OS. You can never do any editing about the PDF file. According to my comprehension, you wanna edit some contents in your PDF file? If that, you can take PDF Pen or Adobe Acrobat for reference. The problems is that both of the editors are too expensive to afford and I am not sure the trial version can do that work well. Also, there is another way you may have a try is to convert PDF to word using AnyBizSoft PDF to Word for mac, which is designed for mac users to help them save PDF as Word and then editing. You can get the resource from the Apple Download. Here is the link. http://www.apple.com/downloads/macos...pdftoword.html Maybe there are some other applications. Just get a try!

06-04-2010, 09:37 PM	#20
carson67 Prospect Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 3	Yeah I got real stoked when I figured out I could use Preview to pull the text from some PDF files. One great utility for unlocking password protected PDF files is PDF Key Pro. It's shareware and costs about $25 to license, but you can demo it. It's at http://pdfkey.com/. It was really useful for me at work.