Re: free app to modify pdf files

On Tue, 24 Jun 2025 22:58:31 +0200, Dom Adso von Melk OSB wrote:

On Sun, 22 Jun 2025, Peter Flynn wrote:
 

I'm curious to know WHY you want to edit a PDF, which was designed as a
non-editable end-of-line format.

 
Two possible reasons.
 
- I want to add annotations (e.g. I periodically dump my bank account
   record of transactions, and wanto to add a sequence number to each
   operation) ... procedure, open pdf with libreoffice, place my text
   label, (re-)export as pdf, quit original file unsaved

I would save the result in a database (e.g. SQLite) or at least a CSV
file, for easier further processing. PDF is not suitable for that kind of
record.

- I receive from some administration a pdf document containing a form
   (it is NOT a "pdf form", their fault) which in principle should be
   filled, signed, printed, scanned and returned (sic!) instead .,,
 
   ... open pdf with libreoffice, insert wished text, insert scanned pmg
   woith my signasture, export as pdf andf send resulting file

I tend to do that with Inkscape. I can import the PDF file as background,
lock that layer against further changes, and put my data entry in a
separate layer. That way I can get things nicely lined up with the blank
field areas. Then re-export the completed result to a new PDF file, as you
said.