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PDF Tool – Modify PDFs in the browser without uploading

pdftool.org

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Re: PDF Tool – Modify PDFs in the browser without uploading

#111

Post by mildmotive »

pdftoolorg wrote: post #79
mildmotive wrote: post #76

If it’s offline, bundle it with Electron, release the source code and make the build process public!

have you tried installing it as a PWA, much less work :-) but i will write it in our product backlog

I have not. I will look into it later.

The issue that many people were raising is with regards to privacy (not saying your app infringes upon it in any way). If PWA deployment can ensure that the app truly stays offline, then that’s a good thing.

I personally like open source better, as it is easier to examine the inner workings of the app. It also helps tech-savvy users fix bugs and verify that it doesn’t do anything they don’t want it to do. Etc etc

Also, Electron apps can be sandboxed using Flatpaks for instance. Flatpaks aren’t perfect of course, but they do provide some guarantees. You can even use Flatpaks while keeping the source code closed.

Re: PDF Tool – Modify PDFs in the browser without uploading

#112

Post by camel-cdr »

adhesive_wombat wrote: post #11

The lack of a good PDF editor in Linux has always seemed strange to me, considering the relative frequency of "fiddle with a PDF" tasks like splicing pages and so on. Sure you can do it with Pdftk (or stapler these days), and a mish-mash of pdfinfo, Imagemagick and so on but the GUI programs mostly seem pretty bad offerings considering they're a fairly thin shell around library operations.

These days inkscape has pretty good pdf editing support.

Re: PDF Tool – Modify PDFs in the browser without uploading

#113

Post by mandeepj »

albert_e wrote: post #101
pdftoolorg wrote: post #97

Earlier quoted context omitted.

this was my first comment on hackernews, so i had to create a new account

oh now I understand- thanks. ( I was wondering if you meant you created an account on your app for me :) )

I’d have read that just like you did.

More context always helps. I guess another (lengthy) way to write that - can be - “I just created my HN account to post this comment”.

Re: PDF Tool – Modify PDFs in the browser without uploading

#115

Post by anamexis »

amno wrote: post #77
anamexis wrote: post #74

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Making the source available wouldn't give you any guarantees about what is running at that site, so I don't see how that would help.

> I don't see how that would help. Perhaps with the source you could setup an offline server on your own computer so you don't have to upload your data anywhere?

Then why use a browser-based tool?

Re: PDF Tool – Modify PDFs in the browser without uploading

#116

Post by commandersaki »

dmje wrote: post #110
ramraj07 wrote: post #106

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In the most unintuitive ways possible.

Been using Preview for years and only the other day did I realise you can redact stuff. It's the gift that keeps on giving.

Really looking forward to the next OS update, we should see the AI/ML form detection features for filling out forms more precisely.

Re: PDF Tool – Modify PDFs in the browser without uploading

#117

Post by blfr »

adhesive_wombat wrote: post #11

The lack of a good PDF editor in Linux has always seemed strange to me, considering the relative frequency of "fiddle with a PDF" tasks like splicing pages and so on. Sure you can do it with Pdftk (or stapler these days), and a mish-mash of pdfinfo, Imagemagick and so on but the GUI programs mostly seem pretty bad offerings considering they're a fairly thin shell around library operations.

I have been using LibreOffice Draw to fill out forms, not interactive ones but those they expect you to print and pen in.

Re: PDF Tool – Modify PDFs in the browser without uploading

#118

Post by yunohn »

wildrhythms wrote: post #102
yunohn wrote: post #91

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That’s odd, people keep saying this, but Preview doesn’t work on a lot of PDFs for me. Do you have a good explainer of what it can do?

What do you mean it 'doesn't work'? I use Preview to delete pages, convert to black and white, annotate (redact, add signature, circle, highlight) on PDFs weekly.

Ah I see what you mean, I was talking more about “editing” in the sense being able to fill all kinds of form entry and edit them and other text.

For example, I want to have a “check” in a form by clicking, not by dragging an “X” onto the box.

Re: PDF Tool – Modify PDFs in the browser without uploading

#119

Post by yunohn »

JKCalhoun wrote: post #107
yunohn wrote: post #91

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That’s odd, people keep saying this, but Preview doesn’t work on a lot of PDFs for me. Do you have a good explainer of what it can do?

Curious if you have some sample PDFs that are problematic. I'm not doubting you, it's just that I would love to forward them on the the team at Apple that maintain Preview so they can determine what the issue is and address it. Since CoreGraphics on MacOS has fairly rich PDF support, Preview can do some degree of PDF manipulation: reorder pages, delete pages, insert pages, rotate, crop, annotate, etc.

Clarified: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=37113679

> Ah I see what you mean, I was talking more about “editing” in the sense being able to fill all kinds of form entry and edit them and other text.

> For example, I want to have a “check” in a form by clicking, not by dragging an “X” onto the box.

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