Webmaster Question: PDF Files

Ok, this isn't a SEO question but a Webmaster question:

Is there any way to crack open a pdf file and view the source somehow?

If you have the full version of Acrobat, you can get it, but if it was pwd protected or "signed" that is pretty un-crackable.. they use it for gov't docs now..

zen 8)

What kinda special stuff would be in the source?

I used to use adobe acrobat to publish documents, but I never seen any source code, are we talking stuff like HTML or java?

How much is the full version of Acrobat anyway? I know Adobe stuff is alot, but being able to open up pdfs would be really nice. I'm sure there is another program to do it though... Since pdf isnt their trademark or anything.

-Josh

I have no idea, there is no source.. he probably means to edit it, or to lift an images from it maybe.. dunno?

zen 8)

Ok, well here's the deal - friend of mine sent me a pdf file so I can create an ebook site for him , then left for vacation......

I cant copy and paste the actual ebook into the site, (where I would use robots.txt to keep out the spider) and no way am I wrighting it out.......

@$250 USD

That is the cheapest of those that I know of to open pdf... most are in the printer's realm, and pricier. Adobe is the standard though. You can do alot with it... digitally sign it etc..

zen 8)

Hmmm perhaps its worth it.... I dunno if i have an extra 250 laying around... Although, id get Acrobat before i paid for Yahoo!

-Josh

that's a no-brainer! LOL...

zen os:

groan!

You probably should wait until he get's back from vacation, he must have source files -text, Word, etc. unless someone else created the eBook for him and then they would have the files. He has no cell phone? I've yet to take a vacation that at least one client hasn't tracked me down! I'd love to turn the tables

I use full boat Acrobat and trust me -you should wait until he gets back unless you build a site that describes the book and offers it as a downloadable pdf link.

I use Acrobat full version, and it lets you do an export of a pdf file, either exporting all the graphics into a folder (as .tif, .jpg, or .png's) or a dump of the whole pdf doc into .rtf format. It trashes the formatting pretty badly, but if you just need something to cut and paste from, PM me and I'll convert it for you. Takes only a minute.

Hmmm I think I'll buy a copy of it once i get some cash. Seems useful... And I definetly am a fan of Adobe software!

-Josh

I usually make all mine from Quark, distilling and add functionality (forms, etc) with Acrobat. I'll have to check that out - good to know, now that pdf is so popular!

Anaxx, do the dumps vary depending on what app made the pdf?

cris

Couldn't tell you. The ones I played with were probably native to Adobe. But Adobe is better about platform-independence than a lot of other folks, and since pdf was created specifically to be a platform-independent standard, I'm gonna go out on a limb and say it shouldn't matter a whole lot where the doc came from.

Big ups to Anaxx....... 8)

Thanks for the offer for help - appreciate that.....

But I think I'll Wait until he comes back cause I dont want to send a file that he may believe is "safe" over the internet to be tampered with.....

He probobly has a source file......