I've used PDF X-Change viewer for a while now, less bloated than Adobe Reader. I've now installed Adobe Reader and can load a PDF file into Word 2010.

Though haven't yet mastered putting a text box on top to give an edit capability.

Thanks for all this.

It should be telling you it has been loaded "Read only", with an option to make it editable.

In reply to a post by cheshire_man:

I've used PDF X-Change viewer for a while now, less bloated than Adobe Reader.

The reason that it's less bloated is probably because there is no ActiveX/OLE code in it. ActiveX uses a shed-load of memory on initialisation as well, whether you use the facilities or not. Mostly, you dont.

In reply to a post by RobertoS:

But it is nearly always the most recently installed product that wins...

You're right. If the software is polite, it will ask you if it can override the file associations. Of course, if the programmer who wrote the software is lazy or pushed for time, he won't bother with any of that nonsense. "What? More tests?"

You missed out "arrogant", like Adobe . Though I suppose it's fair enough in this case in a way LOL.

It's a bit naughty to silently change file associations if you don't provide the inter-operability services that other Windows applications use and that Microsoft expects you to have.

But they do. Install Adobe Reader and Word can then import the PDF. Which it couldn't beforehand.

I think it depends very much on what software installation framework you use. A good one will do most of the work for you. Adobe have no excuse if they don't give you the option. Maybe they do if you select "custom installation".

In reply to a post by cheshire_man:

Though haven't yet mastered putting a text box on top to give an edit capability.

Keep trying - I've been playing with it for half an hour and I'm impressed how well it works :^)

Thanks for all these helpful posts. Just got back from a great Lovell Lecture at Jodrell Bank so a bit weary, and my brain hurts a bit .

Will get round to it in the next few days hopefully.