Editable PDFs from InDesign

[cguest3]

Is there a way to export an "editable" PDF from InDesign? By editable, I mean that other users could change the language of the text in the PDF. Thanks. 

[Rishabh_Tiwari]

Hi @cguest3 ,

Thanks for reaching out. Please refer to this similar discussion https://community.adobe.com/t5/indesign-discussions/creating-editable-fillable-pdf-in-indesign/m-p/9... 

Feel free to update this discussion if you need any further assistance.

Regards

Rishabh

[James Gifford—NitroPress]

Forms are one solution. And PDFs can be edited in Acrobat Pro, with some limitations, and I think some of the third-party readers can do limited editing as well.

But in general, PDF is an end format, a digital version of a printed page, not a live document file. Most methods of modifying them once created are about on a 'whiteout+type-over' level. Other than forms, as suggested, most of these methods are beyond untrained end users who might be able to, say, update a Word or Docs file.

I have no idea what you need or end use is, but PDFs are often used to distribute things like sales sheets, with blank areas left for the specific sales or company information. These can be customized in two print passes — print a stack of "preprints" with all the PDF content, then print again to lay the custom information in the blank spaces. Might not address what you're trying to do, but it's a common practice.

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[Diane Burns]

To add to some of the replies here: If all you want to do is change static text in one language to static text in another language, you could use Show/Hide buttons. The text in each language would be a button, controlled by other buttons that indicate the language. Would have to be done page by page, though. 

[BobLevine]

I'm afraid I can't endorse that idea. Show/hide buttons has proven to be very wonky even when using Acrobat. On a 3rd party PDF reader, it's nothing short of a crapshoot.

[Diane Burns]

I've never had a problem within Acrobat, especially for something like this, that is a fairly simple setup. But you're right, certainly 3rd-party readers are questionable, as would be the case with any solution.

[BobLevine]

Less than 10 would probably be okay, but once you start getting up there it can get really unpredictable not to mention just trying to get them set up.