Edit PDF versus Add Comment

[hillm44460545]

I'm using Acrobat Pro DC version 2020.  I noticed that  there are two ways to add text to a document.  The one I am most familiar with and the one that I have used exclusively over the years is by clicking either TEXT or TEXT BOX shown on the Comment Tool bar.  Admittedly I am not using comments for its apparent design intent.  Most of the time I'm marking up a floorplan for communicating information opposed to a collaborative review of a plan.  Now that I have noticed there is a TEXT function that is part of the Edit PDF tool bar I am curious to understand the difference.  Perhaps to the audience of my saved PDF there is none.  But still I would like to know the design intent of this other way to add text to a pdf document.  Does anyone have insight on this?

[try67]

PDF files were never meant to be edited in this second way. It was added as a "last resort" kind of tool, and because there was a lot of demand for it by end-users, but adding comments is certainly the better option. If you want to make permanently changes to a PDF the best of way doing it is to go back to the original file, make the changes there and create a new PDF. Editing it directly is not only very tricky, and can also mess up the file, so should be avoided, if at all possible.

[hmoniv4]

Thank you try67 good advise.  Can you please clarify "...and create a new PDF"?  Do you mean from within Acrobat DC, saving the modifed original file with a new file name?  

[try67]

I mean convert the new source file to a new PDF file, using Acrobat. You can then save it as a new file, or overwrite the old one. I would recommend saving it under a new name, especially if the old one had fields, comments or links that you want to carry over to the new file. In that case you should open the old file and then use the Replace Pages command to insert the pages from the new file over the old ones. That will keep all of those objects in tact, including any scripts you added to it.

[hmoniv4]

Good stuff!  Thanks again.  One day I wish to gain a better understanding of the inner-workings of Acrobat.  There is certainly a ton to learn.  By chance do you have a recommended starting point?  Not sure if there is any information that is aimed at the advanced user.  I'd be mostly lost if the information was intended for an aplication developer.