PDF Zoom/annotating problems?

GreatBooksReader · 01-23-2012, 10:44 PM

Hey all, I want to start by thanking everyone who has been active in this forum, I just got a full-sized EE and have been loving it, and it's because of all the information you have up here that I was willing to take the leap.

However, something that is occasionally interfering with my Edge-love is a problem with PDF's I've been having. Sometimes I'll be able to zoom in, annotate, highlight, the works, no problem at all. But on other occasions, PDF's from the same source, often the same PDF, will be "locked" so that I have no option to mark-up, reflow, zoom, or anything. Since the PDF's often have wide margins, that makes just reading them a chore. Not to mention it defeats the primary purpose in getting the EE to begin with.

Has anybody run into any sort of similar problem, or have any troubleshooting advice? I've pored over the forums and haven't found a match for this issue, but I easily could have missed something. FWIW, I'm running 1.6 Dingo.

Thanks! and

Jon

ivanjt · 01-24-2012, 07:30 AM

I think what you are seeing is the way PDFs are created. Some are created with flowable text while others are created as static pages. The difference being, the first can be compared with the text you would see in a word processor while the second would be like pictures viewed in an art program - the first you can adjust, the second is fixed.

There are ways of converting the second type to the first type but if you go to all the trouble then it is better to convert to ePub format.

You could try running the problem PDFs through Calibre and see if that will help.

GreatBooksReader · 01-25-2012, 12:54 PM

Unfortunately I get this problem with PDF's that come fully embedded with all of the text. I have Adobe Pro, so have tried going in and tagging the PDF's for accessibility, and could do any other processing if need be, but the same PDF's will sometimes be able to to be zoomed/marked and sometimes won't.

ivanjt · 01-25-2012, 06:14 PM

It looks as if you are up against some form of DRM or locking by the author.

I would still recommend that you get Calibre -it's free and has a forum on this site - and try converting the problem PDFs to either ePub or PDF and see if that solves the problem. If it doesn't it will most probably tell you what the problem is.

lorenzoens · 01-27-2012, 01:36 PM

Sorry,
never happened anything similar with text pdf, both with pocket and big.
Troubles come with images-made pdf.

The edge slows down when I annotate a hundred or more pages on a pdf, so I usually split it in two parts the pdf if have the need to annotate a lot on big files, then I export the parts and reunite them again, if needed.

kennyminot · 01-28-2012, 10:37 PM

The PDF software on the e-ink screen has limitations. Originally, it did not have any zoom features. Then, when Entourage released the Ermine beta, they added some half-baked zooming and annotation functionality, which unfortunately isn't good enough to be usable for most people. Your best option is to download EZ PDFReader on the Android Market. It allows you to read on the LCD screen - which I suppose isn't as awesome as the E-ink one - but it's easier to use, which, in my opinion, more than makes up for it.

lorenzoens · 02-05-2012, 04:57 PM

Sorry Kenny,
but have you ever tried a Kindle DXG before to say the edge has troubles displaying pdfs?
It's just prehistoric compared to our beloved puppy. And it cam out later on the market. Its readability is gold, but pdf is crappier than Kindle 3!!

No e-ink I ever tried is better than the edge in displaying pdfs.

ivanjt · 02-05-2012, 05:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lorenzoens

Sorry Kenny,
but have you ever tried a Kindle DXG before to say the edge has troubles displaying pdfs?
It's just prehistoric compared to our beloved puppy. And it cam out later on the market. Its readability is gold, but pdf is crappier than Kindle 3!!

No e-ink I ever tried is better than the edge in displaying pdfs.

There I have to agree with you.

I think my DX is in a draw in my desk at work, I haven't used it in over 6 months.

01-23-2012, 10:44 PM	#1
GreatBooksReader Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2009 Device: Kindle	PDF Zoom/annotating problems? Hey all, I want to start by thanking everyone who has been active in this forum, I just got a full-sized EE and have been loving it, and it's because of all the information you have up here that I was willing to take the leap. However, something that is occasionally interfering with my Edge-love is a problem with PDF's I've been having. Sometimes I'll be able to zoom in, annotate, highlight, the works, no problem at all. But on other occasions, PDF's from the same source, often the same PDF, will be "locked" so that I have no option to mark-up, reflow, zoom, or anything. Since the PDF's often have wide margins, that makes just reading them a chore. Not to mention it defeats the primary purpose in getting the EE to begin with. Has anybody run into any sort of similar problem, or have any troubleshooting advice? I've pored over the forums and haven't found a match for this issue, but I easily could have missed something. FWIW, I'm running 1.6 Dingo. Thanks! and Jon

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
PDF eReader with excellent annotating functions?	riverteeth	Which one should I buy?	11	06-24-2013 04:28 PM
PDF Zoom	Hrant	Kindle Developer's Corner	25	11-11-2010 01:14 PM
PDF Zoom Mode	An Truong	Ectaco jetBook	1	07-16-2010 02:02 PM
zoom a pdf	taylor123	PDF	1	12-24-2009 02:15 PM
Problems With Zoom	FurryAudio	Sony Reader	1	12-13-2007 05:46 PM

01-24-2012, 07:30 AM	#2
ivanjt Guru Posts: 858 Karma: 1027478 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: South of France Device: kindle dx; eDGe	I think what you are seeing is the way PDFs are created. Some are created with flowable text while others are created as static pages. The difference being, the first can be compared with the text you would see in a word processor while the second would be like pictures viewed in an art program - the first you can adjust, the second is fixed. There are ways of converting the second type to the first type but if you go to all the trouble then it is better to convert to ePub format. You could try running the problem PDFs through Calibre and see if that will help.

01-25-2012, 12:54 PM	#3
GreatBooksReader Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2009 Device: Kindle	Unfortunately I get this problem with PDF's that come fully embedded with all of the text. I have Adobe Pro, so have tried going in and tagging the PDF's for accessibility, and could do any other processing if need be, but the same PDF's will sometimes be able to to be zoomed/marked and sometimes won't.

01-25-2012, 06:14 PM	#4
ivanjt Guru Posts: 858 Karma: 1027478 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: South of France Device: kindle dx; eDGe	It looks as if you are up against some form of DRM or locking by the author. I would still recommend that you get Calibre -it's free and has a forum on this site - and try converting the problem PDFs to either ePub or PDF and see if that solves the problem. If it doesn't it will most probably tell you what the problem is.

01-27-2012, 01:36 PM	#5
lorenzoens ex se ens Posts: 348 Karma: 1020253 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Italy Device: enTourage edge & Pocket, Sony T1, Galaxy Note I, ex many others	Sorry, never happened anything similar with text pdf, both with pocket and big. Troubles come with images-made pdf. The edge slows down when I annotate a hundred or more pages on a pdf, so I usually split it in two parts the pdf if have the need to annotate a lot on big files, then I export the parts and reunite them again, if needed.

01-28-2012, 10:37 PM	#6
kennyminot Groupie Posts: 183 Karma: 90022 Join Date: May 2011 Location: Louisville, KY Device: HTC EVO View 4G, HTC Wildfire S, Asus T91MT	The PDF software on the e-ink screen has limitations. Originally, it did not have any zoom features. Then, when Entourage released the Ermine beta, they added some half-baked zooming and annotation functionality, which unfortunately isn't good enough to be usable for most people. Your best option is to download EZ PDFReader on the Android Market. It allows you to read on the LCD screen - which I suppose isn't as awesome as the E-ink one - but it's easier to use, which, in my opinion, more than makes up for it.

02-05-2012, 04:57 PM	#7
lorenzoens ex se ens Posts: 348 Karma: 1020253 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Italy Device: enTourage edge & Pocket, Sony T1, Galaxy Note I, ex many others	Sorry Kenny, but have you ever tried a Kindle DXG before to say the edge has troubles displaying pdfs? It's just prehistoric compared to our beloved puppy. And it cam out later on the market. Its readability is gold, but pdf is crappier than Kindle 3!! No e-ink I ever tried is better than the edge in displaying pdfs.

Advert

Advert