![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/46562c7d27388490d62e8d7a5bc960dd.jpg?s=120&d=mm&r=g)
On 1/28/2019 7:59 PM, Ross Moore wrote:
Hi Phil,
On 28/01/2019, at 22:44, "Taylor, P"
mailto:P.Taylor@rhul.ac.uk> wrote: Hans Hagen wrote:
All I can say is that since using AADC, editing PDFs has become a real pleasure. instead of fixing the source? (i'd probably opt for html then)
I /have /no source; I have a PDF, originated by a third party, which I need to amend (e.g., to illustrate what /can/ be achieved or what is desired). I have done this with wine lists, advertisements, posters, etc., sent them back to the originator, and he or she has then been able to incorporate the requested amendments in the original (Photoshop / InDesign / Illustrator / etc.) source.
but ... given this thread: we're talking of archiving and editing a scientific archived article is imo "not done'
Why is it about *just* that? It is about adjusting pdfTeX to be able to produce PDFs that are useable in a variety of modern contexts. Editability is one of those aspects.
the "just" applies to the archiving: render a document, make sure it's ok, and put it in an archive where it's not touched (if it's a real archive)
As a lecturer and academic, I use (La)TeX for a wide variety of document types. Why should I need to use completely different software applications for class materials, lecture notes, student tests, examinations, performance reports, grant applications, conference reports, special demonstrations, and much more?
Well, this is indeed why editing pdf is not an issue is it? You use tex so you edit your source! This means that pdftex only has to create a valid pdf and not worry about it being edited.
The answer is that I do not have to with TeX, provided it allows to do all the special things in a reasonably consistent way, and all can exist compatibly within a PDF file. A feature that is obviously useful in one context could be useful also for other types of document.
Sure but editible means embedding whole fonts and such.
Fine, that is a very different matter.
No, it is not. Everything that Philip has said that he does with PDFs is very appropriate for this discussion.
He edits forms! That is widgets! And widgets are not typeset (well kind of pseudo typeset) ... just strings and choices wrapped in annotations. If one can edit and tweak them, fine, but here we're talkin gof text streams generated with a tex program (with all things fonts involved).
Essentially we need to keep TeX relevant to document production in the current age, and into the future.
It has been relevant for a few decades and will probably survide a few more. No one knows what happens from then on. If advanced html rendering had been around two decades ago, would tex be where it is now (not even pdf would be around i guess).
and ... for texies, if then make a pdf, they do have a source, so they can fix the source and regenerate the pdf (which also keeps them in sync)
Even when working collaboratively, you do not always have the full source. I frequently use APro to add hyperlinks and logos into otherwise sterile-looking PDFs produced with TeX by others, before making the
resulting PDF available, linked from public pages of a website. Hm, so archiving got a new meaning. I wonder how that works on the long run in academia: patching documents, maybe even presented results. Does
Hm, that is worrying ... that you have to mess with the pdf instead of reprocessing ... so tex is not that portable. But anyway, aghain we're not really talkling about editing content here: a logo is an image (no document fonts involved) and making a url active is applying an annotyation which again involves no document fonts. So, these don't relate to embedding fonts and charsets and ... which is what this thread is about. (btw, i'd rather ot bet tex's future on some commercial programs: just see what happens with media etc in pdf ... pretty much a waste of time to spend tex related dev time on that (in retrospect)) that also invalidate a reference to it? Hans ----------------------------------------------------------------- Hans Hagen | PRAGMA ADE Ridderstraat 27 | 8061 GH Hasselt | The Netherlands tel: 038 477 53 69 | www.pragma-ade.nl | www.pragma-pod.nl -----------------------------------------------------------------