Turning off annoying Preview message

Question

Level 1

102 points

Turning off annoying Preview message

I fear that I know the answer already but let me ask the question anyway: Is there a was to turn off the annoyingly persistent message in Preview that pops up ever time a pdf is changed? ("The original document can't be changed so a duplicate has been created...")

I have seen this message a few thousands time in the past decade and I have learned that the original document can't be changed and that a duplicate has been created, I don't need to be told this thousands of times, over and over and over again!!!

And it does not go away on its own, I have to click on it, otherwise it covers editing buttons. Thousands and thousands of unnecessary clicks during the decade.

I already resigned myself to the fact that Preview NEVER comes up with the editing buttons enabled, because there is no setting making that the default, so there is one extra click EVERY TIME I open a document, but please .. anybody, any suggestions?

Thanks

MacBook Air 13″, macOS 12.4

Posted on Feb 16, 2023 9:29 PM

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Answer 1

Feb 20, 2023 12:13 AM in response to Asu

When you do Open in PDF, the file is in some temporary location, so you should first save it somewhere if you plan to keep it. That makes sense. You could start by doing Save As… and then use the file as you see fit.

Alternatively one may create a PDF service that automatically saves the file to one folder of your choosing, and opens it. Then you will be able to choose that from the menu un the print dialog.

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Answer 2

Feb 19, 2023 11:48 AM in response to Asu

This should only appear if the file is locked or stored in a read only location.

FWIW, I do modifications to pdf files almost every day and seeing that is an extremely rare event.

Where are the files for which this happens?

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Answer 3

ghr165

Level 4

1,330 points

Feb 20, 2023 3:08 AM in response to Asu

Maybe the documents are on a server folder in which you do not have write access. If so, you could drag the files to your working folder before opening in Preview ie a workflow update.

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Answer 4

ghr165

Level 4

1,330 points

Feb 19, 2023 11:10 PM in response to Asu

So what is / where has the file come from when you open the Print dialog?

Maybe the first step after you’ve opened the document (in Preview or ?) might be to duplicate it (in the Preview File menu).

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Answer 5

ghr165

Level 4

1,330 points

Feb 18, 2023 7:23 PM in response to Asu

It's also been said that it is not normal behaviour -

Where have the original documents come from? Are they in an email message, for example? Are they perhaps protected by the author so they cannot be changed? It would be hard to believe that they are documents you have already worked on before making further changes.

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Answer 6

DerekM87

Community Specialist

Feb 18, 2023 5:11 PM in response to Asu

Hey Asu,

This would be expected behavior from the Preview app. If you'd like to see tweaks to the app, we can recommend leaving feedback for Apple here:

Feedback - MacBook Air - Apple

Take care.

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Answer 7

ghr165

Level 4

1,330 points

Feb 18, 2023 5:24 PM in response to Asu

I seldom see this message. What are the conditions under which it happens? Are the documents usually in email messages, for example?

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Answer 8

Asu Author

Level 1

102 points

Feb 18, 2023 7:18 PM in response to ghr165

Every time I click on Show Markup Toolbar. Anyway, I was told this is how this little app was designed, with ability to change settings for important things only, like the color of the background.

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Answer 9

Asu Author

Level 1

102 points

Feb 19, 2023 9:47 PM in response to Luis Sequeira1

To ghr and Luis: Upon further looking into it, it occurs when I do "open in pdf" from the Print dialog. Which I use several times daily to create pdf documents.

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Turning off annoying Preview message

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