Best device for reading and annotating PDF files? - Page 2

robko · 04-15-2017, 12:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bookchin

Thanks. Are there types of PDFs which are not page scanned?

One easy way to tell is if Adobe Reader (or other similar program) allows you to select text the same as you could in a word processor. A non-scanned PDF will let you highlight text this way. If you used the PDF export option in MS Word for example it will create the PDF this way. Or if you scanned it with OCR (optical character recognition) would create a PDF of that type. A so called "scanned" PDF will select the whole page as if it's one big picture (which is basically is). Most of the time when people scan something into a PDF it's going to create this "picture" version of the document. This oversimplifies it a bit, but hopefully gives you the general idea.

The other big difference is a non-scanned PDF can have the text directly edited with an appropriate program. It can also be reflowed for display (again with appropriate program), whereas the scanned version can't be edited or reflowed (since it's a picture).

Bookchin · 04-15-2017, 01:32 AM

So a non-page scanned PDF is just any PDF that was originally a document in a different file type that got converted? I guess that makes sense.

Related to this: If I wanted to scan an academic book I owned that has text graphics and photos, and I wanted to preserve the page formatting and numbering, should I output it in a PDF file, or could I possibly do it as an epub file? It would be nice to have academic books that can reflow in epub. Also, is epub the only file type that reflows?

robko · 04-15-2017, 03:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bookchin

So a non-page scanned PDF is just any PDF that was originally a document in a different file type that got converted? I guess that makes sense.

Again, that oversimplifies it a bit, but that is broadly correct.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bookchin

Related to this: If I wanted to scan an academic book I owned that has text graphics and photos, and I wanted to preserve the page formatting and numbering, should I output it in a PDF file, or could I possibly do it as an epub file? It would be nice to have academic books that can reflow in epub. Also, is epub the only file type that reflows?

An OCR'd or converted PDF is in theory reflowable. Once you start adding graphics and photos that makes reflow problematic (since they can't easily be reflowed). Epub is designed for reflow so obviously it would be the preferred format, but realistically turning an academic book into epub will be challenging (and it won't be possible to keep the page formatting and page numbering). PDF is designed to keep formatting etc the way it was originally designed which makes it less than ideal for reflow.

John F · 04-15-2017, 05:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by robko

Again, that oversimplifies it a bit, but that is broadly correct.

An OCR'd or converted PDF is in theory reflowable. Once you start adding graphics and photos that makes reflow problematic (since they can't easily be reflowed). Epub is designed for reflow so obviously it would be the preferred format, but realistically turning an academic book into epub will be challenging (and it won't be possible to keep the page formatting and page numbering). PDF is designed to keep formatting etc the way it was originally designed which makes it less than ideal for reflow.

Couldn't page numbers be kept using a page-map for the epub (not impossible, but probably tedious)?

robko · 04-15-2017, 09:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John F

Couldn't page numbers be kept using a page-map for the epub (not impossible, but probably tedious)?

That's possible. I really haven't delved into detailed epub creation so I have no idea.

HarryT · 04-16-2017, 04:01 AM

Some things really are just better left as PDFs. I read fiction on my Kindle Voyage, but my reference library is PDFs on my iPad. I've even bought reference books in Kindle format and converted them to PDF - it just works better for this type of book.

rkomar · 04-16-2017, 01:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Some things really are just better left as PDFs. I read fiction on my Kindle Voyage, but my reference library is PDFs on my iPad. I've even bought reference books in Kindle format and converted them to PDF - it just works better for this type of book.

I'd agree with that. When I buy reference books from O'Reilly, I download both PDF and EPUB versions, but it's the PDF versions that I read. The EPUB aren't bad, but reflow can mess up stuff like sample code and tables. In technical books, layout can be important.

Bookchin · 04-17-2017, 01:54 AM

Thanks for this. Most of my library is nonfiction academic books and periodicals. So, it looks like I should get a large size tablet or e-reader then. That narrows it down for me.

Thanks again.

Randy11 · 04-17-2017, 01:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rkomar

I'd agree with that. When I buy reference books from O'Reilly, I download both PDF and EPUB versions, but it's the PDF versions that I read. The EPUB aren't bad, but reflow can mess up stuff like sample code and tables. In technical books, layout can be important.

I buy from O'Reilly too. I use both format. I like the EPUB format because I can change the font's size.

HarryT · 04-17-2017, 01:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bookchin

Thanks for this. Most of my library is nonfiction academic books and periodicals. So, it looks like I should get a large size tablet or e-reader then. That narrows it down for me.

Thanks again.

I'd definitely suggest a tablet or large-screen reader. I find my 9.7" iPad good for this task, and my 12.9" iPad Pro outstanding.

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04-15-2017, 01:32 AM	#17
Bookchin Connoisseur Posts: 78 Karma: 2076068 Join Date: Apr 2017 Device: none	So a non-page scanned PDF is just any PDF that was originally a document in a different file type that got converted? I guess that makes sense. Related to this: If I wanted to scan an academic book I owned that has text graphics and photos, and I wanted to preserve the page formatting and numbering, should I output it in a PDF file, or could I possibly do it as an epub file? It would be nice to have academic books that can reflow in epub. Also, is epub the only file type that reflows?

04-16-2017, 04:01 AM	#21
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,560 Karma: 93980341 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Some things really are just better left as PDFs. I read fiction on my Kindle Voyage, but my reference library is PDFs on my iPad. I've even bought reference books in Kindle format and converted them to PDF - it just works better for this type of book.

04-17-2017, 01:54 AM	#23
Bookchin Connoisseur Posts: 78 Karma: 2076068 Join Date: Apr 2017 Device: none	Thanks for this. Most of my library is nonfiction academic books and periodicals. So, it looks like I should get a large size tablet or e-reader then. That narrows it down for me. Thanks again.