

The use of an alternative PDF viewer is recommended, such as the native Linux viewer Okular, or more recent versions of Adobe Reader running on a compatibility layer.

Okular, usually the default viewer on KDE systems, is a good example.Īlthough a Linux version of Adobe Reader (Version 9) exists and can still be downloaded from some third-party sites, it has not been updated since 2015, and is now considered a major security risk. Mainstream Linux distributions include their own PDF viewer, often in the form of a generic viewer that supports PDF among a range of other formats.

Viewing PDF files on Linux is fairly straightforward. Delivery of the translated text formatted exactly as the original PDF file (this may require some level of DTP skill and the corresponding software).Delivery of a PDF file with formatting broadly resembling the original, for use "for information".Delivery of the translated text only, possibly with some level of formatting to assist the layouter, for re-layouting by the latter.Where PDF files are received for translation, the following three scenarios must be distinguished: Or the original file may be available, but final editorial changes were made at the pre-print stage in the PDF file itself, which is now the only definitive version. Often, the original file is not available, because the party commissioning the translation is not the party that produced the original layout. This is the point at which problems arise for the translator (regardless of the operating system they are using).
Linux pdf to text professional#
The professional way to translate a PDF file is to translate the document from which it originated, then re-export it to PDF. Producing a translation of a PDF file by editing the file therefore presents difficulties. The function of the file format is that of an electronic printout it was not intended for editing. PDF files present translators with particular problems. Sadly, the company's commitment to Linux waned and the last version of Adobe Reader for Linux is now several years old (see below). Adobe, who originally developed the software, also produced a Linux version of its ubiquitous Adobe Reader PDF viewer. In theory, this platform independence should be good for Linux. The PDF format was intended to ensure that visually oriented documents are presented to users with the same appearance, irrespective of the software, hardware and operating system used.
