PDF editor?

HawkHawk Fla Icrontian
edited January 2008 in Science & Tech
Any one here know of a free pdf reader/editor I can get?
I have forms that I have to fill in and they are pdf format which open up with adobe.
Thing is adobe doesn't let you annotate or fill in areas with text.
I really don't want to fill them out by hand because it doesn't look professional and would take much more time.
I tried foxit reader which does let you type in the areas needed but it puts a [Just for evaluation] stamp at the top of the forms until you buy it..
And right now I can't even afford the $40 for that.
I've got microsoft office suite, but that has nothing for pdf editing.
And I've got to fill out these forms to get paid for different jobs...
I figured that some of you have already used such programs and could let me know which works well or which you like.
Thnx for replies.

Comments

  • primesuspectprimesuspect Beepin n' Boopin Detroit, MI Icrontian
    edited January 2008
    Just download a 30 day trial of Acrobat Pro, that'll let you fill in the form fields.

    It's going to be annoying - you'll have to draw the individual form fields and then type into them. Usually the form creator is supposed to make those fields fillable, and the free Acrobat reader can fill them in (for example: any IRS tax form - like the 1040 - is completely set up right so that you can fill it in with Reader).
  • ThelemechThelemech Victoria Icrontian
    edited January 2008
    Does not OpenOffice have a pdf reader/editor?
  • primesuspectprimesuspect Beepin n' Boopin Detroit, MI Icrontian
    edited January 2008
    I'm pretty sure it doesn't. It can save Write files as PDFs, but that's probably about it.
  • kryystkryyst Ontario, Canada
    edited January 2008
    There are no free pdf editors. Other then limited trial versions about the closest you can get to free is Foxit PDF Editor, which will (unless you pay for it of course) is watermark all your pages.

    There are plenty of pdf writers though if you don't need to actually edit a PDF. OpenOffice allows you to save directly to PDF from Open Office. However if you need to be able to print to PDF from other programs I recommend PDF Redirect it's like PDF955 but there are no annoying popups or watermarks it just does what it's supposed to do.
  • AnnesAnnes Tripped Up by Libidos and Hubris Alexandria, VA Icrontian
    edited January 2008
    FoxIt will let you fill in those forms, and it's free. I can't remember if you need a specific plug-in or not, though.


    Oh, I misread. If they aren't form-fields to begin with FoxIt won't help, sorry. But FoxIt is free :)
  • HawkHawk Fla Icrontian
    edited January 2008
    Thnx all for the replies.
    I researched and researched it and your all right.
    Buy one if you want to edit pdf's.
    So, I ended up buying Foxit for $39. Needed to get the forms done ASAP.
    It has a very user friendly setup.
    Filled out most of my forms last night and it was a breeze.

    StainMeNow,
    Foxit reader lets you read pdf's for free.
    It also lets you type in the areas needed but it puts a [Just for evaluation] & [Foxit company name] stamped at the top of the forms in red, until you buy it..
  • AnnesAnnes Tripped Up by Libidos and Hubris Alexandria, VA Icrontian
    edited January 2008
    Sorry, I was mistaken in my advice. But I'm glad you got it all figured out. :)
  • LeonardoLeonardo Wake up and smell the glaciers Eagle River, Alaska Icrontian
    edited January 2008
    Thing is adobe doesn't let you annotate or fill in areas with text.
    That's why so many of us call it "Crapobat." I don't care if it's cross platform, it's a stinking pile...

    OpenOffice for me, baby.
  • primesuspectprimesuspect Beepin n' Boopin Detroit, MI Icrontian
    edited January 2008
    It's not supposed to. That's what Acrobat Standard and Acrobat Pro are for. The reader is free..... What do you expect from free software?
  • LeonardoLeonardo Wake up and smell the glaciers Eagle River, Alaska Icrontian
    edited January 2008
    What do I expect for free? Ya gets what you pays for! Acrobat is pretty, but I avoid it like the plague. In an office, it negates so many of the efficiencies that electronic document production and dissemination have over hard copy. My problem with Acrobat is that it's only slightly better than hard copy (which I detest). I tell those whom I work with that I throw away hard copy and won't even read it unless that's the only source we have. Between OpenOffice, WordPerfect Office Suite, Microsoft Office, Word Pad/Note Pad, HTM/HTML: all formats that I can copy, edit, and manipulate within documents. Acrobat just sits there, pretty and passive. It's only good for reading. True, one does have to buy MS Office, but it's a whole suite, and I can still use free OpenOffice.

    For reading pleasure (non-productive, passive), Acrobat is superior. It looks pretty.
  • CycloniteCyclonite Tampa, Florida Icrontian
    edited January 2008
    I work for an engineering firm. We still send out hard copies to those who request it, but more and more insurance companies and clients want electronic documents. We're not going to send them an easily editable copy of our Word document. We don't want them changing anything without our knowledge. I'm not going to password protect my Office document either. That's crackable, and it's a pain to unlock every time I want to modify it.

    Also, with PDFs, pretty much what you see is how it's going to print. You're not going to run into weird font or formatting issues when someone else opens the document.

    PDF is designed for final, out-the-door use. That's what we use it for.
  • LeonardoLeonardo Wake up and smell the glaciers Eagle River, Alaska Icrontian
    edited January 2008
    PDF is designed for final, out-the-door use. That's what we use it for.
    Yes, and for that purpose it is clearly superior.
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