Exporting Annotated Text and Comments in Adobe Acrobat Reader (Alternative Approach)

[leon38653210lm92]

Dear Adobe Acrobat Support,

I'm reaching out to inquire about the feasibility of exporting annotated text and comments in Adobe Acrobat Reader. While I understand this functionality might be limited in the free version compared to Acrobat Pro DC, I'd like to explore potential workarounds.

My goal is to create a workflow where users can:

1. Highlight text in a PDF document.

2. Add comments related to the highlighted text.

3. Ideally, save both the highlighted text and associated comments as a CSV file on their local system.

Since exporting directly to CSV might not be available in Acrobat Reader, I'm open to alternative approaches. Could you advise on any of the following:

* Are there methods to extract annotated text and comments and then manually save them in a CSV format? 

* Are there third-party add-ons or tools compatible with Acrobat Reader that might facilitate this functionality?

I understand that exporting sensitive information might require security considerations. Any suggestions you can provide on achieving this within security best practices would be appreciated.

Even if CSV file is not supported please let me know the supported file format and how to use implement it , So, I can use that to save the annotations and comment.

Thank you for your support.

Sincerely,

Leon

[kglad]

in the future, to find the best place to post your message, use the list here, https://community.adobe.com/

p.s. i don't think the adobe website, and forums in particular, are easy to navigate, so don't spend a lot of time searching that forum list. do your best and we'll move the post (like this one has already been moved) if it helps you get responses.

<"moved from using the community">

[try67]

I've created a (paid-for) tool a while ago for exporting the contents of comments as plain text from a PDF, even in the free Reader. You can find it here: http://try67.blogspot.com/2010/12/reader-create-comments-summary.html

I can customize it to your specific needs, such as exporting it in CSV format. However, it's not possible to generate a CSV file in Reader. The user will have to copy&paste the text into a CSV file they created in advance, or even directly into Excel (but then it's better to use tab-delimited data). Feel free to contact me privately to discuss it further, via a PM, by clicking on my user-name and then on the blue Message button.

[leon38653210lm92]

Thank you for offering your tool and expertise!

While your existing solution for exporting comments to plain text is valuable, I'm interested in a more integrated workflow. Ideally, I'd like to achieve two additional functionalities:

1. Automatic Comment Box: A comment box should automatically pop up whenever text is highlighted.
2. Dynamic Comment Button: The static button for adding comments should be of color based on the user's selection (e.g., yellow for a yellow highlight).

I understand that adding these features might require additional development effort. Given my budget of $50, I'm curious to know if it's feasible to implement these enhancements within this constraint.

Thankyou 

Leon

[try67]

1. I believe this is done automatically anyway. If not, it's a question of adjusting the Preferences of the application. It can't be done using a script.

2. I have created another (paid-for) tool that does that. See:

https://www.try67.com/tool/acrobat-reader-quickly-switch-between-highlighter-colors

[leon38653210lm92]

Can both functionalities be implemented in Adobe Acrobat DC (Standard version) without causing conflicts, ensuring they operate smoothly together?

[try67]

My script will work in Acrobat Standard, yes. It can even work in the free Reader.

And yes, I believe the setting I mentioned exists in Acrobat Standard, too.