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Tip - Selecting Text in A PDF

This document provides tips for selecting text in PDF documents using different PDF viewers. It discusses how to select text that spans columns or a single page, all text in the PDF, and text across multiple pages. It then evaluates several popular free PDF viewers based on their ability to correctly select text in these scenarios.

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vijay123in
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© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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34 views3 pages

Tip - Selecting Text in A PDF

This document provides tips for selecting text in PDF documents using different PDF viewers. It discusses how to select text that spans columns or a single page, all text in the PDF, and text across multiple pages. It then evaluates several popular free PDF viewers based on their ability to correctly select text in these scenarios.

Uploaded by

vijay123in
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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9/27/13

Tip: Selecting Text in a PDF | Talking PDF

T he Place for PDF Information

Tip: Selecting Text in a PDF


Pos ted on A ugus t 10, 2010 by Duff Johns on in T alking PDF

T h er e a r e m a n y w a y s t o ex t r a ct t ex t fr om a PDF file for u se in ot h er docu m en t s. Ch oose ca r efu lly ; n ot a ll PDF v iew er s a r e a lik e! Her e w e pr ov ide a qu ick r ev iew of h ow t h e lea din g fr ee PDF v iew er s g et t h e job don e.

To select text that spans columns


PDF files som et im es seem REA LLY st u pid beca u se a PDF file h a s n o con cept of a colu m n . If t h e file is t a g g ed, a t a g s-a w a r e v iew er is a ll set . If t h e file isn t t a g g ed, it s u p t o t h e soft w a r e t o a t t em pt t o fin d t h e colu m n s. Som et im es it w or k s, som et im es n ot . 1 . Open a PDF file w it h a t lea st t w o colu m n s of t ex t . 2 . Pla ce y ou r m ou se (or cu r sor in ser t ion poin t ) a t t h e en d (or beg in n in g ) of t h e t ex t y ou w a n t t o copy on on e colu m n . 3 . Sw ipe t h e m ou se (or u se t h e a r r ow -k ey s) t o select t ex t fr om bot h colu m n s. T h e h ig h lig h t t h a t sh ow s y ou r select ion pr og r ess w ill in dica t e w h et h er y ou r Rea der is select in g t ex t in cor r ect or der . For a fin a l ch eck , copy a n d pa st e t h e r esu lt in g t ex t in t o a t ex t -edit or , a n d see w h et h er it m a k es a n y sen se. A dobe Rea der : Pa ss A ppl e Pr ev i ew: Pa ss Foxi t Rea der : Fa il (select s t ex t a s zon ed by t h e m ou se, n o a w a r en ess of colu m n s) gDoc Fu si on : Fa il (select s t ex t a s zon ed by t h e m ou se, n o a w a r en ess of colu m n s) Googl e V i ewer : Fa il (select s t ex t a s zon ed by t h e m ou se, n o a w a r en ess of colu m n s) Ni t r o PDF Rea der : Pa ss Nu a n ce PDF Rea der : Pa ss PDF X-Ch a n ge V i ewer : Pa ss

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9/27/13

Tip: Selecting Text in a PDF | Talking PDF

To select all the text on a single page


PDF files m a y be displa y ed in a n u m ber of differ en t w a y s t o su it a v a r iet y of r ea din g ex per ien ces. On e of t h ese ch oices is w h et h er t o displa y a sin g le pa g e a t a t im e or t o pr esen t a con t in u ou s st r ea m of pa g es. T h e Pa g e Displa y m ode m a t t er s w h en y ou g o t o select t ex t , a n d k n ow in g h ow it w or k s ca n sa v e y ou som e t im e. 1 . Pla ce t h e v iew er in Sin g le Pa g e m ode. 2 . Con t r ol-A (or Com m a n d-A on t h e Ma c) 3 . Con t r ol-C t o copy (or Com m a n d-C on t h e Ma c) A dobe Rea der : Pa ss A ppl e Pr ev i ew: Pa ss Foxi t Rea der : ~ (Select s a ll t ex t in t h e docu m en t ) gDoc Fu si on : ~ (Select s a ll t ex t in t h e docu m en t ) Googl e V i ewer : ~ (No w a y t o select a ll t ex t on t h e pa g e ex cept v ia a m ou se-sw ipe) Ni t r o PDF Rea der : Pa ss Nu a n ce PDF Rea der : Pa ss PDF X-Ch a n ge V i ewer : ~ (Select s a ll t ex t in t h e docu m en t )

To select all the text in the PDF


1 . Pla ce t h e v iew er in a n y m ode ot h er t h a n Sin g le Pa g e. 2 . Con t r ol-A (or Com m a n d-A on t h e Ma c) 3 . Con t r ol-C t o copy (or Com m a n d-C on t h e Ma c) A dobe Rea der : Pa ss A ppl e Pr ev i ew: Pa ss Foxi t Rea der : Pa ss gDoc Fu si on : Pa ss Googl e V i ewer : Fa il (a llow s t ex t -select ion on ly fr om cu r r en t ly -v isible con t en t ) Ni t r o PDF Rea der : Fa il (Select s con t en t fr om on ly on e pa g e a t a t im e) Nu a n ce PDF Rea der : Pa ss PDF X-Ch a n ge V i ewer : Pa ss

To select text that spans two or more pages


talkingpdf.org/tip-selecting-text-in-a-pdf/ 2/3

9/27/13

Tip: Selecting Text in a PDF | Talking PDF

1 . Place the view er in Tw o-Up mode. 2 . Pla ce y ou r m ou se (or cu r sor in ser t ion poin t ) a t t h e en d (or beg in n in g ) of t h e t ex t y ou w a n t t o copy . 3 . Sw ipe t h e m ou se (or u se t h e a r r ow -k ey s) t o select t h e t ex t in y ou r docu m en t . T h e h ig h lig h t t h a t sh ow s y ou r select ion pr og r ess w ill follow a cr oss t h e pa g e bou n da r y . 4 . Con t r ol-C t o copy (or Com m a n d-C on t h e Ma c) A dobe Rea der : Pa ss A ppl e Pr ev i ew: Pa ss Foxi t Rea der : Fa il (ca n n ot select t ex t a cr oss pa g es) gDoc Fu si on : Pa ss (h a s n o T w o-Up m ode, bu t w or k s in Con t in u ou s Mode) Googl e V i ewer : Pa ss Ni t r o PDF Rea der : Fa il (Select s con t en t fr om on ly on e pa g e a t a t im e) Nu a n ce PDF Rea der : Pa ss PDF X-Ch a n ge V i ewer : Pa ss For t h is r ev iew w e t est ed A dobes Rea der , A pples Pr ev iew , Fox it s Rea der , Globa l Gr a ph ics g Doc Fu sion , Goog les V iew er , Nit r os Rea der , Nu a n ces Rea der a n d T r a ck er s PDF X -Ch a n g e V iew er . For m or e com pa r ison s of PDF v iew in g soft w a r e, see 5 Rea der s Com pa r ed. PDF V iew er , Soft w a r e Rev iew

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