Tuesday December 22, 2020

Edit PDF files with PitStop Pro

Topics: Edit PDF Files

Easy PDF file editing

“If there is a problem with the PDF, we’ll have to ask for native files,” stated the prepress manager, splashing drops of coffee from a twitching mug.

“You know how long it will take, don’t you?” replied a skilled and diligent tech.

“I don’t care!” came blasting out from behind the mug-covered mouth. “It’s the only way to fix a file properly!”

“This always plays out the same way,” started the prepress technician. “We ask for native files. We get the layout file. We ask for images and fonts. We get most of the images and one font. We ask for the rest of the images and fonts. We get four versions of three different images and thirty-eight fonts. Only six of the fonts are needed and one is still missing.”

“Stop, stop, stop,” demands the exasperated manager with coffee-laden shoes. “We’ve always done it that way, so … off you go.”

Upon returning to the prepress department, the skilled and diligent tech exclaims, “We’re gonna PitStop it!”

When a file gets deep into production and there needs to be some correction, whether it’s customer requested or customer induced, it’s not really necessary to go back to native files. It’s arguable that doing so may introduce more opportunity for error as well as add days to a job. Afterall, a car doesn’t leave a race when it’s low on fuel. It makes a pitstop.

Move text and elements in a PDF file

Requested change: “Move the logo to the bottom and center the title.”

1 - Select the logo pieces using the Select Object Tool or the Object Browser. Tip: use wireframe view to make selections easier.

select objects for editing in a PDF file

wireframe of objects for editing in a PDF file

2 - Switch to the Move Tool or hold down the control key and drag the logo down. Tip: hold the shift key to keep horizontal position.

3 - Select the title text in the same manner as above

4 - Center align the text

editing text in a PDF file

5 - Move the text to the center of the trim box. Tip: use the position settings to make sure it’s centered

aligning text in a PDF file

Edit text in a PDF file

Requested change: “Correct the subhead and change the color to Pantone 359 U”

1 - Select the subhead using the Select Object Tool and verify that the font is embedded. Tip: the font will likely be an embedded subset and will need to be embedded for editing.

making a text edit in a PDF file

2 - Embed the font using the document fonts or from the system. Tip: in some cases, of course, the font will need to be acquired.

embedding a font in a PDF file

3 - Edit the text line as required using the Edit Text Line Tool

changing text in a PDF file

4 - Select the subheads using the Select Object Tool

5 - Go to the Color Picker from the Actions menu and search for “359 U.” Tip: Always put quotes around the search terms.

edit text color in a PDF file

6 - Choose PANTONE 359 U and Store Swatch for convenience

pantone colors while editing a PDF file

colorize text edits in a PDF file

Edit images in a PDF file

Requested change: “Change the image to grayscale and reduce the mid-tones”

1 - Select the image using the Select Object Tool

2 - Using the Actions menu, Convert to Gray (Using Preferences)

edit images in a PDF file

3 - Adjust the curve in the Image – Curve Editing user interface

change images to grayscale in a PDF file

Edit vectors in a PDF file

Requested change: “Move the curve up in the graphic”

1 - Select nodes using the Edit Path Tool

edit vector art in a PDF file

2 - Move the nodes. Tip: hold down the shift key to maintain horizontal position.

bezier curve editing in a PDF file

3 - Note: more complex vector editing is possible using the other path and point tools

path editing tools for PDF files

Seasoned PitStop users will have seen many instances throughout this how-to where using Action Lists could have been employed. This article has purposely not touched on the use of Action Lists in PitStop Pro in order to illustrate the basics of manual PDF editing. All PitStop users are invited to learn more at the Enfocus eLearning site. The Beginners Trail is free to everyone. Request a PitStop Pro 30-day trial.

About John Dean

Marketing Content Specialist Emoji

Marketing Content Specialist at Enfocus

John brings a unique perspective, leveraging nearly thirty years of print production experience, technical savvy and an enthusiastic creativity. An understanding of user experience beginning in the early days of Pitstop and on through to building web-to-print workflows for commercial print positions him to provide a valuable viewpoint of Enfocus products. He is a self-proclaimed Switch Enthusiast, enjoys good XML and quiet walks from Web to Print.

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Edit PDF Files

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