pdf self flattening!

Question

Level 1

14 points

pdf self flattening!

While I can open older saved PDF files in Preview and keep working with the inserted graphic and text, I am experiencing that recently created PDF's are flattening upon saving and closing the files.

I do not see any settings in the preview preferences that could cause this, so I am quite lost regarding this "problem"

I would very much like to be able to keep working with the inserted graphics and text also after having saved and closed the documents, and would therefor greatly appreciate to hear if anyone would have an explanation/solution.

iMac 27″, macOS 10.13

Posted on Aug 30, 2023 3:58 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

Luis Sequeira1

Level 9

65,144 points

Aug 30, 2023 7:45 AM in response to Walentin

Are you sure that the files you are annotating are really pdf and not an image format like png or jpeg? When you save one of those, it's flattened because the format does not support annotations, but a pdf should keep them all.

Try saving as a pdf first, and then start adding annotations. Do they not remain editable?

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Answer 2

Aug 30, 2023 6:50 AM in response to Walentin

How are you saving and closing the PDFs? If you choose File : Print… : PDF : Save as PDF, that will flatten the annotation layer into the PDF document so that on reopening the PDF, the annotations are now unchangeable.

Apple's Preview is not a PDF Editor, and does not permit any changes to existing PDF content other than adding or altering annotations to it — with proper PDF permissions, and a PDF that was not saved in the first paragraph manner.

In order to change the graphics and PDF text of the PDF document proper, you would need a third-party paid PDF Editor such as Adobe Acrobat Pro, Nitro PDF Pro, or Master PDF Editor to name three.

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Answer 3

Kurt Lang

Level 9

58,764 points

Aug 30, 2023 8:45 AM in response to Walentin

Meaning that inserted text and graphic can no longer be selected, altered or moved.

That's normal for any PDF. You need software such as Adobe Acrobat Pro, or Master PDF Editor to do such editing on a PDF.

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Answer 4

Aug 30, 2023 8:48 AM in response to Kurt Lang

Kurt Lang wrote:

Meaning that inserted text and graphic can no longer be selected, altered or moved.

That's normal for any PDF. You need software such as Adobe Acrobat Pro, or Master PDF Editor to do such editing on a PDF.

I believe that the OP is talking about the annotations that we can add in Preview.

These ARE editable upon saving and reopening the pdf.

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Answer 5

Walentin Author

Level 1

14 points

Aug 30, 2023 11:47 AM in response to Luis Sequeira1

Thanks for the responses, I now believe I see the problem.

The most recent files I was working with were screenshots that I now see were saved as JPG files While I believed they were saved as PDF'sI she now try to first save the file and make sure it will bee as a PDF file, and then try to add graphic, text etc.

I am quite sure this was the problem, but I shall return should it prove not to be.

Again, - Thanks for the replies.

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