How can I draw in a pdf?

[Sonnic]

Im a teacher and I recieve my students homework as pdf-files. And I would very much like to be able to draw in these files, handwriting notes to my students. Since I'm a math teacher I would like to be able to write mathematical notation and make explanatory drawings for my students.

So my question is: Is it possible to draw in a pdf document? Im not asking if I can insert a drawing or a picture, but actually draw directly in the document.

[try67]

Yes, it's possible. Have a look at the various commenting tools available under the Comment panel.

[Sonnic]

Thanks. But I have tried that and I see no tools for that. Not in the version I have now. Do I have to opgrade? I tried a trial version of some kind and I saw no drawing tools except for signatures, but that's not what Im lookig for.

I can see that in for instance PDF-Annotator, there is a tool for making hand drawn notes directly in the pdf. But I can't see that in Adobe's tools. Still I can't imagine that they havent made that option. It must be there. Or maybe it's not since there's a whole forest of smaller companies that are set up for exactly delivering that tool to pdf-mandling.

[try67]

What application are you using, and what version? Adobe Acrobat or Reader

version XI or higher should have the full set of commenting tool available

for all files (except in some special cases).

[Sonnic]

Im using Adobe Reader XI.

Could it matter that I have a free version?

The full version costs around $12 per month in subscription. Wich I find too expencive.

[try67]

No, it doesn't matter. These tools are available in the free version as

well.

When you open the file in Reader, does it say "(SECURED)" in the title of

the window?

[Sonnic]

Oh. Btw I found the drawing function. Thanks.

I dont know why I didnt see it before.

Again thank you

[Bill12 · Accepted solution]

The drawing tool is not that easy to use and Adobe has not addressed it. When you try to write for instance, it will often change to a selection of what you have been drawing rather than allow you to dot an "i" or cross a "t". If you find this to be a problem, the alternative for many educators is PDF Annotator. I don't like listing another product here, but it is an issue that Adobe will not address. There you can write and draw to your level of desire without this selection issue coming up. However, it can't do much more.

If you are looking at purchasing Acrobat for educational needs, be sure to check out the pricing for educational use (Products).

It sounds like you may have been looking at Reader and not the full Acrobat. In Acrobat, the drawing tools are under the Comments.

[Sonnic]

Yes, I noticed that once something is drawn og written, it's complicated to just add a little line or a dot. Instead I get a selection. That's a bit annoying.

What would propably be nice was a selection/move tool as a default in a way so that the drawing tool didnt do selections.

Anyway I also tried Notable PDF, wich is a tool in Chrome. It has some nice functionality and its free. ...Well, apart from the permissions many apps on smartphones ask for. And I dont like giving those permissions. Apart from that it's a nive piece of software. So if Acrobat starts to annoy me with the aforementioned selection problem I might switch to Notable PDF.

Again, thank you for your usefull comments

[evocrim]

Not true. All it gives you is a highlighter tool, which is always trying to highlight text and very difficult to draw and write with. V. frustrating.