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  • Creating an editable PDF from Indesign

    #1
    A client of mine wants to an 80 page document designed. We will print the first run but the client wants to be able to make amendments to the the text in the future if there are any change to polices etc and print this themselves.

    Is there anyway to export an interactive PDF from indesign that will allow them to edit the text in Adobe Acrobat or Adobe reader? I currently only have Indesign CS3. Thanks.
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  • #2
    Nope - PDFs are final version files.

    Then new Acrobat 11 (Acrobat XI to be more precise) has added additional functionality to editing PDFs - but I wouldn't rely on it.

    They can purchase Acrobat 11 professional and give it a go.

    But fonts are only embedded as subsets - so any character not used in the document won't be available for them to insert into the text, perhaps a "*" wasn't used or a "{", for example.

    They'd need to purchase the font to make use of the full range of glyphs.


    You could use Acrobat to save the file to a Word Document or use a free online service. But they aren't reliable either.

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    • #3
      I didn't know you could export to Word from acrobat! I tried it with one of the documents and it work ok but might have to limit the formating slightly. Thanks.

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      • #4
        You can make edits with Acrobat Pro, albeit it is very limited and far from user friendly. You have to be strategic with your use of text boxes to make the way it selects blocks of copy remotely logical, but that is also somewhat unpredictable.

        Exporting to word kind of defeats the purpose of having it designed...

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        • #5
          It is possible to edit a PDF in InDesign or in QuarkXPress with Markzware PDF2DTP.

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          • #6
            If they had InDesign or Quark they could just give them the files for InDesign or Quark.

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            • #7
              Originally posted by stuartie_b View Post
              I didn't know you could export to Word from acrobat! I tried it with one of the documents and it work ok but might have to limit the formating slightly. Thanks.
              We've expermented with that in X with fairly poor results.

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              • #8
                There are countless numbers of times I've been requested by clients for this. It's always a case of them being too cheap to pay for editing down the road. I usually say no, there is n't a way unless you buy and learn such and such software.

                Clients requesting Website CMS and updates, when they no nothing of coding or the process involved are the same type of pain in the neck.

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                • #9
                  Originally posted by MikeHun View Post
                  There are countless numbers of times I've been requested by clients for this. It's always a case of them being too cheap to pay for editing down the road. I usually say no, there is n't a way unless you buy and learn such and such software.

                  Clients requesting Website CMS and updates, when they no nothing of coding or the process involved are the same type of pain in the neck.
                  +1

                  I do have one client that insists on making small changes (contact info), to a document we do almost monthly, to the PDF we give them in Acrobat Pro. They probably spend more $$ in the time it takes them to "customize" it to a number of sales reps than and calling me because the way Adobe has decided select the text on that particular day doesn't jive with what they want to do than it would for them to send me the info and plug it in.

                  Every time I have the same conversation, with the same person about Adobe Acrobat not being designed for what they want to use it for and that I have minimal control over how it flows the text when you highlight it in Acrobat.

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                  • #10
                    Originally posted by kemingMatters View Post
                    Every time I have the same conversation, with the same person about Adobe Acrobat not being designed for what they want to use it for and that I have minimal control over how it flows the text when you highlight it in Acrobat.
                    I love that. Makes me wonder if they're dense or think we're lying.

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                    • #11
                      Originally posted by kemingMatters View Post
                      +1

                      I do have one client that insists on making small changes (contact info), to a document we do almost monthly, to the PDF we give them in Acrobat Pro. They probably spend more $$ in the time it takes them to "customize" it to a number of sales reps than and calling me because the way Adobe has decided select the text on that particular day doesn't jive with what they want to do than it would for them to send me the info and plug it in.

                      Every time I have the same conversation, with the same person about Adobe Acrobat not being designed for what they want to use it for and that I have minimal control over how it flows the text when you highlight it in Acrobat.
                      Can you design it with a form field? (I'm thinking like the address area on the front of a magazine)

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                      • #12
                        Originally posted by garricks View Post
                        Can you design it with a form field? (I'm thinking like the address area on the front of a magazine)
                        No, that's way too complex for them, I've suggested it and I'm fairly certain they'd rather have a daily habanero juice enema than pay a dime more in design time...

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                        • #13
                          I am dev creating a startup which should allow some PDF editing. You define some text area and the system integrates user defined data (web based forms).

                          To move further, we would like to understand what are you needs to provide a product that rocks and to be sure we are going the right way.

                          You can email me at *removed* if you would like to be in touch.

                          Any feedback, even a "I'd like your PDF product" would be really appreciated.
                          Last edited by PanToshi; 05-02-2013, 12:44 PM.

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                          • #14
                            Originally posted by trez View Post
                            I am dev creating a startup which should allow some PDF editing. You define some text area and the system integrates user defined data (web based forms).

                            To move further, we would like to understand what are you needs to provide a product that rocks and to be sure we are going the right way.

                            You can email me at *removed* if you would like to be in touch.

                            Any feedback, even a "I'd like your PDF product" would be really appreciated.
                            It already exists... PDFs have multi-line form field capabilities, I can set them up in Acrobat Pro or inDesign. Indesign is also capable of integrating data...

                            Besides, designers don't need PDF editing we have the source files and the software to use them to create new pdfs
                            Last edited by PanToshi; 05-02-2013, 12:45 PM.

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                            • #15
                              There are 2 easy ways I can think of.

                              1: If there is only a page or two that have small blocks of text that might change, create a version of that page with Adobe LiveCycle Designer. Fix the font size, colour, leading and any other related items so that they can't be altered and give them that. It can be inserted into the full document and printed or inserted as an amendment. **Requires that you use a PC as you don't get LiveCycle on Macs.**

                              2: Set up a word doc with the same settings for margins and fonts as the full document and give them that. They can type whatever they want print a PDF and insert that into the document. **Requires they have the PDF plugin for word.**

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