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bmann2k16
bmann2k16
Participating Frequently
September 24, 2019
Question

Can I edit a pdf with photoshop elements in a way that the images and/or text will not be blurry?

  • September 24, 2019
  • 2 replies
  • 4285 views

Hello.

I'm working on what I thought was a pretty simple project. I need to just change an address of different project labels from pdf files. I thought all I needed to do was delete the old addresses, write in the new addressses, and then save it as a photoshop pdf.


However, when I do this, the label image and/or the text looks a little blurry. It isn't as clear as the original pdf, and some of the colors in the label image aren't as distinct as well. I've been able to use a feature in Photoshop elements to correct some of the color of the image (I think it's called correct auto tone...). However, I haven't had success with the text after testing out photoshop elements with vairous settings.

 

What further complicates this job is that the original pdf was aligned with the printer. It seems like when I edit the pdf on elements, it moves a little bit   I'm sure this part can be corrected especially if I can get the text to stop being blurry.


I tried using Adobe Acrobat Pro DC to edit the pdf, and the text editng was horrible. I just deleted a line of text so I could add the new address, and that action changed other text in other places that I hadn't touched. 

 

I tried using Indesign justg for a little bit; I was able to import the pdf into Indesign. However, I wasn't sure that it would be aligned properly. I saved my test file into a pdf, and it looks sharp. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to edit the pdf in Indesign, so although Indesign outputs sharp pdfs, it didn't help me in this case.

 

Is there a solution I'm overlooking? I'm not sure that the people that have asked me to do this job have the original files (probably some type of adobe files) that were worked on. I'm going to ask them about that later on today, but the files they asked me to edit were pdfs. I didn't imagine I would run into this much complication.

 

Thanks in advance for your help and advice. It's MUCH appreciated!!

    This topic has been closed for replies.

    2 replies

    MichelBParis
    MichelBParis
    Legend
    September 24, 2019

    My advice would be to ask in the InDesign forum.

    Elements is not an adequate tool for managing PDF files.

    What it can do depends on the type of PDF format.

    - It can read and import pdfs while converting to a bitmap format, which will lose a number of properties including text as vectors. As mentionned by 99Jon, if it's a multipage pdf, you'll have to 'import' (that is to convert) each page separately.

    - It can import the Photoshop Pdf format which is a combined pdf and psd format. That format can save the layers and the text and vector layers in Photoshop. So, if your original pdf is really a photoshop format, you'll be able to manage text just like in PS/PSE in psd format.

    - If you have a layered file with vectors and text, you can save it as photoshop pdf format.

     

    I am afraid the pdfs you have received are not in the photoshop pdf format, in which case, you'll get the conversion dialog when opening them. If they are in photoshop pdf, they'll open immediately with their layers.

      bmann2k16
      bmann2k16Author
      Participating Frequently
      September 25, 2019

      Thanks MichelBParis for your advice. I will ask in the InDesign forum.

       

      Yes, this pdf isn't a photoshop pdf because it has to be converted when I open it. I wish it was a photoshop pdf, but it isn't.

       

      99jon
      99jon
      Legend
      September 24, 2019

      Opening a pdf in the Elements Editor gives the option to select individual pages. So if you are simply editing one part you could just select the thumbnail for the relevant page and print it separately, using the original to print the remaining pages.

       

      However this would probably not be an option if you wish to distribute the entire file as a pdf after editing.

       

      Acrobat DC will let you drag a box over complete paragraphs and export the text as a word document. That may be another option.

        bmann2k16
        bmann2k16Author
        Participating Frequently
        September 25, 2019

        Thanks for your quick response 99jon.

         

        Even if I could only print out separate pages after editing them, it wouldn't be a big problem. I could probably figure out a way to join the files together. However, the files itself need to be sharp.

         

        I might play around a little bit more with Acrobat Pro DC tonight. However, around 2ish days ago when I was using it to edit a pdf, I just saved it--even though I didn't make all the changes I wanted to, and then I opened the pdf file to see how it would look, and it, too, was blurry.

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