import .pdf comments question

[JonathanArias]

Hi,

i have a .pdf with 339 edits, most text and i though this was a great opportunity to test drive this feature.

I have a 136 page layout. Editorial marked it up. and i have situations like these where it looks like the below.

i click accept. and it does the edit, great, no problem...but there is a ":" hidden symbol now been added infront of whatever the edits was.

why is that ":"been added?

PS: this is a great feature. i have other feedback of things i noticed. i am wondering if the individual marking the .pdf files need to learn how to add comments for things to read better. i noticed display issues when they draw things on the .pdf

thanks

jonathan

[JonathanArias]

i think this is a glitch with this feature.

how can i find and replace via GREP to remove that hidden symbol?

[Jongware]

If it's a semi-hidden character, you can select it (use the keyboard, not the mouse!). What does the Info panel tell you what Unicode it is?

[JonathanArias]

here:

[Laubender · Accepted solution]

JonathanArias  wrote

… why is that ":"been added?

Hi Jonathan,

the special character is indeed added by using PDF Comments' Accept feature.

You can search by TEXT Find/Replace for this:

<FEFF>

GREP Find/Replace cannot find it.

But be warned that special character FEFF is also used with other InDesign features as well.

XML tags, Index markers and Notes markers for example.

Regards,
Uwe

[JonathanArias]

so just leave it in?

[Laubender]

Good question…

[AnneMarie Concepcion]

Yes, leave it in. It adds no white space, and could possibly serve as a marker reference down the road when you're wondering if a given location was changed via a PDF Comment.

And file a feature request with http://indesign.uservoice.com to allow folks to hide them, if nothing else. They're annoying!

[Test Screen Name]

FEFF is a very special character, invisible by design. Usually it’s added to files to say “this is Unicode” without adding anything printable. It may also be used as a marker for internal purposes.

[JonathanArias]

Hi Anne Marie,

Thats fine. i can leave it in. I just need to explain to editorial what those are. they also have access to adobe indesign and do edits from indesign themselfs.

However... i am going back the "old fashion way" of reading the .pdf comments and checking the indesign document and i am finding places where the ":" is there.  but the edit was not made after i clicked accept.

so when is creative pro coming to Mobile, Alabama...? don't forgot it us.

[AnneMarie Concepcion]

Jonathan, 😉  I've never  been to Mobile, sounds great! Hope to see you in Seattle in June anyway  ... 😉

[JonathanArias]

more reason to come. Birthplace of MardiGras.

[jwyatt@bayard]

Leaving these in isn't an acceptable solution. For a document with a lot of edits, it makes using the keyboard to edit text almost unusble. Your cursor is never where you think it is. You position your cursor to eidt and the delete/backspace keys don't always work. It's maddening. 

[Laubender]

"Leaving these in isn't an acceptable solution."

Hi jwyatt,

so remove them.

But take care!

Warning: There may be other flavors of  FEFF special characters in your texts that you really need.

Text Find:

<FEFF>

Replace with nothing will do it.

But:

Index markers will also be deleted

Hyperlink text anchor markers will also be deleted

Note objects

The note objects itself will not be removed, but a test is showing that one character after a note object will be deleted if the note object is not at the start or the end of a story!

Don't know if this is the end to the list of side effects…

Regards,
Uwe Laubender

( ACP )

[jwyatt@bayard]

I tried, the GREP string refused to search. 

I get that there are side effects. I'm not trying to be a primadona about it. This feature has been around for a couple years, it seems like soemthing that should have been handled by now. 🤷‍:male_sign:

[Laubender]

"I tried, the GREP string refused to search. "

It's NOT GREP Find/Replace.

It's TEXT Find/Replace.

Regards,
Uwe Laubender

( ACP )

[meyrele]

When will we have improvements to this feature. For God's sake, that would have to be a priority. He's amazing, but he's extremely slow with some markings.