Safe (preferably free!) PDF to Word Converter?

I've got a load of PDF fprms (they're career self-assessments) I'm supposed to complete and discuss.

Obviously, I could print them all out and fill them in by hand, but I don't have a scanner, so would then be unable to share them electronically. Also (this has annoyed me!) some of them are partially completed already, so they've obviously used examples done by someone else, but forgotten to clear all the fields. So if I print them, I can't edit out the existing "wrong" answers, that don't apply to me - without a load of crossings-out or tippex.

I can save them as .txt. This has worked out OK for some of the simpler ones, that aren't heavily format-dependant (simple one-line question and answers).

But the majority of them are tabular, which means they're rendered all but useless if I save them as .txt.

Word does have a facility to import PDF, but I see it's a subscription only service. As this is (hopefully) a one-off event, I'm not paying.

I see there are a number of free services out there, but I've no idea how safe or reliable any of them are.

Anyone use one they'd recommend? Or any other (free) way to edit PDF? Needs to end up in a common format, that would be widely readable by other folks with a computer - not something obscure.

T.

The Draw application from LibreOffice lets you edit PDF files. It doesn't save as a Word doc but can save as PDF or a common image format (jpeg, png etc..)

Thanks, I'll have a look - this is driving me nuts. Using a career consultancy service (thankfully, not paid for by me) who have provided all the self evaluation forms in non-editable format. So you can't just e-mail your consultant with your answers! In my case, without a scanner, I'd have to use snail mail, or take them to the office in person. Seems a ridiculously long-winded way to have to go about things, in this modern age.

I think there are some good reasons for sometimes creating non-editable files (if it was contractual terms or something, you don't want the recipient to be able to tinker with). But when it's forms the recipient is supposed to complete and return?

Why should they have to print it all out and scan it back in, or stick it in the post?

T.

Why no try Acrobat - version 7 - available here http://www.adobe.com/downloads/cs2_downloads/

I take it it's free for being an older version? (No idea what the current one is, but pretty sure you have to pay).

I'm managing - sort of - with the LibreOffice Sark recommended, although it's proving fiddly. I suppose it's just what you get used to. Editing something with new software you've never tried before is never going to be easy, but I suppose it's still easier than having to print the lot out, complete it by hand, and stick it in the post.

It looks a bit of a mess, but as it's only a discussion document between myself and my advisor, not an actual job application, it doesn't matter, as long as it's readable. It's just ironic that I'm going on about how important quality of products or services is to me in a job, but saying this on something that looks like a dog's dinner! My answers are probably more important than how pretty it looks, though.

T.

It's free because they screwed up the validation server so they had to do something
In my case I have a legal copy of Photoshop CS2 but then I replaced the hard drive with a larger one and cloned the drive across. But because the hard drive had changed the license was no longer valid (that did surprise me as everything else on the computer was unchanged) and I had to download a new version from that link with the appropriate license key

I've used some online services for this. PdfToWord is one I've used before with mixed results (mostly very good).

I installed Libre office on a machine for someone the other day. They already had an old version of office as well. I thought they might find it useful if they had the comparability pack for office 2007/10 so installed that. I noticed after I did this that Libre office was able to save DOCX files.

Open Office also read pdf and save as .doc as well as re-export to pdf.

In reply to a post by undecidedadrian:

Open Office also read pdf and save as .doc as well as re-export to pdf.

Thanks for that info undecidedadrian: I've tried to convert pdf's using word/notepad/wordpad on several occasions without success - will try to open and save as .doc on a machine that I have Open Office installed later...

Edited by 4M2 (Sun 14-Apr-13 13:14:38)

Haha, thanks for that - I've got too much choice, now, and not enough time to try them all out. I'll probably stick with Sark's recommendation, this time, now I've started - although I'm not finding it particularly easy. I'll bear in mind the others for when I've got more time to play.

This isn't the first time someone's sent me forms in a non-editable format, and I don't suppose it will be the last, so it's worth me getting a more permanent solution sorted out. Or maybe just invest in a scanner, I don't know... I've ended up mucking about trying to photograph the things, before. Can be done, but disproportionate amount of skill and effort to get absolutely clear, readable text in a photo, as opposed to scanning.

T.

Open Office is pretty good - probably better than the MS Works if you only have that installed

Which version of Office? If you are planning to upgrade to 2013 then that can convert PDFs itself. See this MS page

No, not planning an upgrade, sorry. Got a dirt cheap (but legitimate) deal on Office 2010 just six months ago. I assume if I want to upgrade, I'll have to fork out the full retail price. On a tight budget, and only need basic facilities - apart from this one annoyance - which is not insurmountable by other means. No compelling case to U/G at the mo.

T.

Fair enough. Office 2013 licensing has changed quite significantly and they are pushing more towards the subscription based Office 365 service which then has an annual financial hit.

On the assumption that this is a one-off occurance (or at least until you have had more time to consider your choices), why don't you download a Free-Trial version such as Adobe® Acrobat® XI?

I already downloaded LibreOffice and Open Office - couldn't get the latter to work at all, probably because I was too impatient to learn how to use it properly - or rather, lacked the time on this occasion. It started prompting me about databases straight away - well, I don't want any flippin' database - I just want to import & edit a document!

I also tried Spasch's recommendation of an online service. After I'd negotiated the hurdle of the Captcha (I literally couldn't do about the first ten of them, and the audio ones were no better), it seemed to work, and mailed me the conversion. But not only were the results very poor (for this particular document - I accept Spasch may have had better results with others he's tried) - but when I opened the document, it immediately started trying to automatically install Word 2010 - which was already installed.

I quit out in a panic, hoping no harm had been done. I certainly didn't want a working application overwritten by a new installation I didn't request or authorise, so no idea what triggered that, but didn't appreciate it. Word still seems to be working, fortunately, otherwise I thought I was going to have to roll back everything to the last checkpoint.

The basic problem with all of them is that although they do it with varying degrees of finesse, you still end up editing - for all practical purposes - an image file. You can add text objects, but it's a lot clunkier than native word processing. For all the time I've spent on it, it would certainly have been quicker to print it all out, fill it in it in biro, and scan it back in again - had I owned a scanner, that is.

/Sigh.

I think it might even have been quicker to drop it in the post, without attempting to produce electronic versions at all. It's in the same city, so if I'd got it in the post on Saturday, they'd probably have been there this morning! As it is, I still haven't got the electronic versions completed and e-mailed.

I'll know next time!

T.

Sorry, but I had to laugh, your Trials & Tribulations make for amusing reading (in the Banana-Skin category!).

However I fully understand/sympathise with your plight. It was one of the reasons for suggesting that you use one of the up-market market-leader versions (albeit the 30-day trial version).

it immediately started trying to automatically install Word 2010 - which was already installed.

This may have just been word setting itself up for a new feature - word has been known to do it from time to time and it does make it appear as though it is doing an install.

It may have been coincidental, yes! But when it happens when you open something you've just downloaded from an online service, it is a bit panic-inducing! "Oh heck! What've I just opened? Is it a Trojan?"

Probably not, as not only are recommendations from here usually reliable, but Norton didn't flag up any concerns about the site. But you can imagine the horrible "Oops!" moment, when something unexpected happens when you open it.

T.

Just a small point, but buying a scanner will only leave you with an image again.
Keep going with the latest libreffice 4.022 It's only the 'base' (database) that I can't get used to as I am still on Paradox (c1994).

Just another thought, Serif pageplus will edit pdf files.

Edited by deleted (Mon 15-Apr-13 14:50:36)

Another possibility is some of the free online convertors.

I've just been playing with pdfonline & it seems to work quite reasonably!

NB:- this one doesn't require any of those silly graphic words to enter!

The idea being that if I bought the scanner, I'd print the forms out and complete them by hand (which is the only way they seem to have conceived of anybody doing it!), but would still be able to scan them back in and e-mail them.

The nuisance is not just being unable to complete the forms online, but having them stuck in the hardcopy world thereafter, so the only way to share them is snail mail, or having to bring them along in person.

The joke is they supply them to you electronically - I didn't get a parcel in the post - but then you find there is nothing you can do with them, except print them all out and fill them in by hand. Rather defeats the object of having them electronically in the first place, if your first task is to print them all.

Of course, it saves the sender's printing and postage, but why should the recipient (in this case, customer!) be having to use their own time, paper, and printing ink to get it in a form they can complete?

I've had just the same with various enrolment forms: "Would you like it electronically, or shall I put it in the post for you?"

"Oh, electronic would be nice and convenient - thanks!"

Then it arrives in PDF, and you've just landed the printing and postage.

T.

Foxit Phantom is safe, fast and will do what you want. If you can do what you want within the 30 day trial period, it should suit you just fine.

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