Q: How do I highlight a pdf document?

Thank you for the tips. 

I read in Preview that I have full access to the file, i.e., it is not encrypted.  It also said I must "duplicate" it and can only edit on the "duplicate".   It still did not allow me to highlight certain lines of text.  It highlights the entire page, instead of only the text I am attempting to highlight.  

After having no luck with Preview, I went to Adobe.  I learned in their discussion forums that others, who have used the editing tools for some time, are also experiencing problems.  I also learned the most recent Adobe Reader (AR) update is 11.2.3.  I assume, although I am not certain, that my problems with Preview are tied to the AR software. 

The Adobe Reader.app currently installed on my iMac is 10.9.1, which was presumably included with the iOS-X Maverick download, because it is also 10.9.1.  No other updates are available.

Can I download the Adobe Reader updates directly from their website, which require at least 11.0 before downloading subsequent Adobe updates, without causing a problem with subsequent Apple software updates to Adobe Reader?  In other words, will any subsequently released Apple update overwrite AR updates, even if the AR updates are later versions?

Also, do you know when/if Apple has scheduled the next AR update?  I attempted to get this question answered through the Apple Support "Chat" service, but it looks like they have discontinued that service.  The only service options listed were phone calls. 

At first it encountered an error and would not install.  I switched from Safari to Chrome.  I got the same error message.  So, I went to my system preferences and realized I had recently turned my firewall on. I turned firewall off and it installed.  I hope it includes the "fix" for highlighting.

My rationale for turning firewall on was that I thought it protected my computer from malware.  It didn't occur to me that it would also prevent installation of apps I WANTED to install!  Should I keep firewall on, except when I am trying to install a new app, or is it safe to keep it off at all times?

BTW, thanks for clarifying for me that Apple never releases anything to do with AR.  It reminded me that I receive AR update notices directly from Adobe.  I thought it had been part of the Maverick download because it had the same release #. 

Message was edited by: ilivitup

Thanks for info on firewall.

Now, back to my problem with the pdf document.  I found this document with a google search.  I copied it to my document files.  I thought it would be simple to highlight it, but that's when I began having problems.  When I first sought help, it was because the highlighting tool wouldn't work. 

My current problem, after installing the current AR for mac version, is that I get a screen saying adobe blocked the website.  I previously got a screen, I think from Apple, explaining that the developer is not recognized.  (That might have been when I was trying to highlight from Preview.)  The explanations I read said that there are many reasons it may not be recognized, including that it may have been created before they started tracking developers.  I could bypass all the security measures and identify it as a trusted site, but I don't want to do that until I am more certain it is not infected with malware.  I have searched the document properties with following results----

document created 2/19/10

PDF Producer= Canon iR7105

PDF Version = 1.3 Acrobat 4.X

file size = 1.32  (I only include this info to let you know it is a very small document.  I don't know if the file size has any bearing on whether it might have malware in it.)

It is an 11-page article written in 2003 by a grad student at American University.  I can't imagine that it is infected, but I do not have enough knowledge to determine what/when/why some documents on the net are targeted and become infected.  I rely on Apple to do that for me.  So, I certainly don't feel confident enough to   take it upon myself to bypass the very measures installed to protect me from myself, especially after trying to open it in AR and receiving an alert that it is blocked by AR.

Can you give me some guidance? 

Today, I had a chat session with Apple Support.  It might help you to know they were not able to solve my problem either.  But what I did learn is that the reason I am having so much difficulty with the document is because it was scanned from a journal and converted to a pdf.  BTW, I told them that I had learned a lot from you, not the least of which was that "Preview" is a software program, not just a snapshot of something I was doing elsewhere, which I was not aware of prior to your response.  I also learned what I had already suspected, i.e., that Preview is not sophisticated enough for accomplishing what I was trying to do.

Thank God, the person I want to share it with doesn't even know I'm going to send it.  The person is a black PhD who opined in a presentation to a women's group that women are not minorities because they comprise 51% of the population.  Since it attempts to educate him about why women are, in fact, minorities, and because it is contrary to conclusions he has already reached, I want to highlight it so that he will be more likely to read the salient points.  Another reason is because he is a key figure in a State political organization which has repeatedly caused a proposed amendment to the by-laws of the organization, about the definition of "minorites", to be tabled!  Let me know if you have enough interest in the issue for me to send you a link to the article. (BTW, it is only 1.4 MB, so not lengthy.)

I thought you might be interested in knowing not only how helpful you have been to me, but also why I was not willing to let it go! 

Now I am going to go to an Adobe forum and try to find out if they know of a work-around to do what I am attempting to do.  At this point, I am pursuing the issue as much to learn about the technology as to get the document hightlighted.  I will also go to the app store to search for an app that might address the issue of scanned documents converted to pdf documents.

Thank you for your patience and your help!

Bless your heart!  lol