Hello Linux fans,

I have a non-musical related question. I hope that this is okay, if not Mod please delete this question.

I can read PDF files without any trouble with the standard Debian "qpdfview" program.
This program is small and does the job.

However, with "qpdfview" it is not possible to write in PDF documents that are meant to be filled in, like documents you get from the government.

My question: is there a program that can write in PDF files that are meant to be filled in?

Kind regards,
Paul

 

apt-get install inkscape or get LibreOffice Draw
both get the job done and are available in standard repositories.

 

Thank you Sanskritter. I already tried LibreOffice Draw, but that does not fill in the document.

I installed Inkscape, but there I am only able to change the rest of the document but not the fill-ins, same as LibreOffice Draw.

 

Use your browser? Try here: https://royalegroupnyc.com/wp-content/uploads/seating_areas/sample_pdf.pdf

Ctrl+S to save from inside your browser.

 

I tried opening in the browsers, Chrome and Firefox and Brave, but that does not work.

Your tool likes nice, but how can I upload my PDF to this website? I guess this website can be used to create your own fill-able PDF's?

 

Code Industry Master PDF Editor for Linux can do this, it's not free, though.

https://code-industry.net/masterpdfeditor/

 

Thanks, I tried the version 4 of it. It is a lot of possibilities and also I could not fill in the form.

Maybe I should upload my PDF so it is possible to try it:
https://mega.nz/file/oFoxBL4S#XWs5rHwzkrkKn421a3DvIHCtQLqQNGSKP3ZlAPLw4Vw

Translation:
"Achternaam" = Family-name. On the line after that the family-name should be written.
A bit further is "Geslacht" which means Sex and there should be set an X in the appropriate box.
I hope it is clear what the intention of the form is.

 

It looks to me as well, as if no true form fields are included with this PDF. By using the mentioned Code Industry Master PDF Editor, you should be able to create such form fields.

At least the website mentions:

 

Like others have mentioned, I don't think this has forms in the file.

Normally Okular can do this, but it shows no forms in this document. I suppose you could tag annotations or edit it otherwise, but that depends on what the receiver wants.

 

First: thank you all, very kind of you.

I will check and ask a windows user if she is able to fill in the form PDF with Adobe Acrobat and come back tonight.
Maybe the problem is indeed that the PDF is not writable...... How very embarrassing that would be for me.....

 

Right, for example Okular should be fine to fill PDF forms, but not to create any.

Using LibreOffice Writer you can create documents including form fields and export these to a PDF, but you cannot edit the resulting or any already existing PDF except for filling forms. Editing PDFs requires a native PDF editor like the aforementioned Master PDF editor (or a Windows solution like Acrobat or any of its many clones).

 

Last edited: Sep 4, 2024

I tried your link on a Macintosh in Firefox, Chrome, Brave and Adobe Acrobat Reader and there was no joy. So there is something fundamentally wrong with the file itself.

I also did a check in Acrobat (not Acrobat Reader) the linked file has no actual compliant form fields. There are some anchors and some named variables but no actual fields to input data, ect ...

Evince, Okular, Xreader can all fill in a properly created PDF form.

Someone tired or they've used a non-standard solution that might only work locally because of local extensions or intranet solution software that is already in the stack.

Things are always a little harder than people want to admit when they decide that they are going to do it themselves and get it the right the first time. It generally take a few tries or paying someone to do it who has done it before works as well.


Cheers and Good luck.

 

Using Acrobat, you'll be able to overwrite the placeholders like lines, checkboxes and the like with something else, but as mentioned, there are no true form fields included with your sample PDF, it's rather a form made for printing it out and filling it in by hand.

If you'd like to stay on Linux, I'd suggest that you re-create your "form" with LibreOffice Writer including true form fields, which you then export to PDF and will be able to fill in with readers like Okular.

 

Last edited: Sep 4, 2024

Try running it through a program with OCR scanning to convert it to text, then copying and pasting it into a document editor at about the same font size, then typing it:

 

https://www.google.com/search?q=ocr...droid-bullitt&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8

 

Also, if you find a program to convert it to image files, or just do screen captures of the pages, you can just open it in GIMP or something, then answer by adding text boxes.

 

Try WPS Office for Linux. I have never used it on Linux but I use it on Windows. It works really fine.

https://wps.com/office/linux/

 

This workflow certainly does not comply with the Portable Document Format with its architecture and features, since GIMP will flatten such PDF files down to an image. And as to OCR, this would be too cumbersome, I'd rather do it from scratch.

LibreOffice Writer (or WPS Office, but with less options) is really good at designing forms and exporting them to PDF files, that comply with the PDF standards as defined by Adobe including security features, digital certificates (if required) and further export options.

But if the form in question is not yours and for one-time use only: Just print it out and fill it in by hand.

 

OMG.....my friend reported back and she told me this PDF is NOT fill-able in windows either so it is a faulty document.......

I AM VERY SORRY to have wasted your time!

Thank you all for chiming in and help. This really is a special place of helpful people!

Kind regards,
Paul