PDF file problems solved
Previously on this blog, I complained a lot about having big problems with PDF files. I have now solved most of my PDF file problems and I am posting this message for the benefit of others who may be having the same problems.
I have discovered that most of my problems in loading PDF files were due to my own impatience. When a PDF file did not appear after a few seconds, I started hitting the refresh button impatiently, and that caused really big problems, often causing my computer to freeze up completely.
I now find that with a slow dial-up connection it sometimes takes a minute or more to load a PDF file. I also found that trying to do other things while waiting for a PDF file to load also causes problems.
Also, often a recently used PDF file will reappear instantly.
PDF files have their advantages and disadvantages. The advantages are: (1) nice built-in word-search and word-counting features; (2) page numbering, which is often absent in HTML files; and (3) a PDF file often shows details of an original document that are not shown in HTML files and is sometimes virtually a photocopy of the original document. The disadvantages are: (1) the text cannot be copied and pasted by normal means, and (2) very slow loading with a dial-up connection (as discussed above).
I have discovered that most of my problems in loading PDF files were due to my own impatience. When a PDF file did not appear after a few seconds, I started hitting the refresh button impatiently, and that caused really big problems, often causing my computer to freeze up completely.
I now find that with a slow dial-up connection it sometimes takes a minute or more to load a PDF file. I also found that trying to do other things while waiting for a PDF file to load also causes problems.
Also, often a recently used PDF file will reappear instantly.
PDF files have their advantages and disadvantages. The advantages are: (1) nice built-in word-search and word-counting features; (2) page numbering, which is often absent in HTML files; and (3) a PDF file often shows details of an original document that are not shown in HTML files and is sometimes virtually a photocopy of the original document. The disadvantages are: (1) the text cannot be copied and pasted by normal means, and (2) very slow loading with a dial-up connection (as discussed above).
posted by Larry Fafarman | 12/29/2006 10:08:00 PM
9 Comments:
Larry, Larry, Larry, you loon.
Of course text can be cut and pasted by normal means from PDF files (unless the author has disallowed it, which is rare, and as long as the PDF is really text and not pictures of text, which happens often with old documents). In Acrobat Reader click the button marked with the "I-beam" cursor and the clearly written word "Select".
Rapid reloading of PDFs happens because of a thing called "caching". Probably too complex for you to understand.
Sheesh.
Anonymous said,
>>>>>>Of course text can be cut and pasted by normal means from PDF files (unless the author has disallowed it, which is rare, and as long as the PDF is really text and not pictures of text, which happens often with old documents). In Acrobat Reader click the button marked with the "I-beam" cursor and the clearly written word "Select". <<<<<<<
You stupid, fatheaded ignoramus, a lot of formats will not accept pasting of copies of text from PDF files. And yes, a lot of PDF files are pictures of text rather than real text -- for example, PDF files of court documents will often show images of signatures and clerk's office stamps.
>>>>>> Rapid reloading of PDFs happens because of a thing called "caching". Probably too complex for you to understand. <<<<<<<
You profoundly retarded cretin, did I say that this is a mystery? Was my failure to give this process a name a sign of ignorance? I was just trying to point out that this slow loading is not always a problem with PDF files. A lot of other kinds of files load as slowly the second time as they do the first.
BTW, everyone else failed to point out the causes of my PDF file problems. I had to discover these causes myself.
If you want to bother someone, go bother Ed "It's my way or the highway" Brayton. Here is an example of how he responds to commenters who displease him.
>>>>>.All text editors including Notepad and Wordpad, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, all web browsers ...all accept pasting from PDF <<<<<
You stupid idiot -- you yourself admitted that some PDF files do not contain ASCII text characters but just contain images. Of the above programs, only Notepad, Wordpad, and of course a web browser are installed on my computer and they do not recognize character images. I don't know which of those other programs -- if any -- can recognize character images.
Many years ago, I used a very primitive version of Wordperfect -- commands were entered by combinations of the function keys and the Cntl, Alt, and Shift keys -- to create professional-looking court documents, including two appeals to the Supreme Court, which had to be in a special paper size (I presume that these SC briefs are usually sent to specialized printing shops, but I was able to make them with regular photocopying equipment).
>>>>> Of course, you wrote that one cannot paste from PDF, which is obviously wrong. <<<<<<<
You unfathomably retarded beetlebrain, I did not say that it cannot be done at all -- I only said that it cannot be done by "normal means."
>>>>> I typed this sentence into Word, converted the document to PDF, opened it in Acrobat reader, copied it to the clipboard, and pasted it into the comment box in Opera. You're wrong again. Deal with it, moron. <<<<<<
So good for you. Do you want a medal?
If you are able to do something that I don't know how to do or am not equipped to do, you can tell me about it in a nice way. You ought to go to a headshrinker to find out why you have this need to always try to show that you're better than the next guy.
To avoid the long delay while opening the pdf, you can save the file, and then open it once it is downloaded. I know firefox can be set to automatically download the target file whenever you click on a pdf link, and I'd imagine other browsers can be configured similarly.
You'll still have to wait a while while it downloads, depending on the size of the pdf. But at least your system won't be held hostage until it opens.
Richard says,
>>>>>>To avoid the long delay while opening the pdf, you can save the file, and then open it once it is downloaded. I know firefox can be set to automatically download the target file whenever you click on a pdf link, and I'd imagine other browsers can be configured similarly. <<<<<<<
This "PDF Primer" makes it obvious that PDF files are not easy to handle -- in fact, there are companies that offer courses and in-house training in how to handle PDF files!
For the moment, I am just overjoyed that I am now able to load PDF files at all. Honest.
>>You unfathomably retarded beetlebrain, I did not say that it cannot be done at all -- I only said that it cannot be done by "normal means."<<
Normal means are: highlight the text, Control-C, switch to the other program, Control-V (or the equivalent picks from the Edit or right-click menu). Works fine, except in some unusual circumstances. You wrote "the text cannot be copied and pasted by normal means", which is obviously false. You didn't include "sometimes" or "under some circumstances", you wrote "cannot", which means never.
It's truly hilarious how you can't admit to even the tiniest trivial mistake, when you make so many mistakes.
This thread tops them all! The dimwitted troll has discovered the Moon and thinks it is an inside secret. Then he goes on to describe how it is made of green cheese.
> Of the above programs, only Notepad, Wordpad, and of course a web browser are installed on my computer <
This clown once took a series of courses in obsolete software at a local junior college to get a certificate whose value did not exceed that of one he could have made with a word processor - If he knew how to use one!
> I don't know which of those other programs -- if any -- can recognize character images. <
That makes you a minority of one. Have you considered taking a class in basic computers? I am sure that they have night classes at your local high school.
> Many years ago, I used a very primitive version of Wordperfect <
You also took a class in assembly language in which they used MASM 1.0. You said that the network they were using had a bunch of 8088 machines linked to a 80286 server. You cannot be blamed solely for your ignorance.
> ... create professional-looking court documents, including two appeals to the Supreme Court <
Which were summarily thrown out of court.
> which had to be in a special paper size <
Zounds!!! He learned how to change paper size!.
> I presume that these SC briefs are usually sent to specialized printing shops <
You presume wrong.
> I only said that it cannot be done by "normal means." <
In which you again displayed your ignorance.
> If you are able to do something that I don't know how to do or am not equipped to do, you can tell me about it in a nice way. <
Why should he respond differently than you, you unfathomably retarded beetlebrain?
Anonymous said,
>>>>>Normal means are: highlight the text, Control-C, switch to the other program, Control-V (or the equivalent picks from the Edit or right-click menu). <<<<<
I of course know what the standard "copy and paste" procedure is, and for me it has not worked on PDF files. So far I have only been able to copy text as an image, not as ASCII code. And every reference that I have checked on the Internet says that trying to copy and paste text from PDF files is often a big problem.
>>>>> You wrote "the text cannot be copied and pasted by normal means", which is obviously false. You didn't include "sometimes" or "under some circumstances", you wrote "cannot", which means never. <<<<<
Since I have not been able to copy the text by normal means the few times that I tried it, I had no basis for saying that it "sometimes" works.
If "normal means" is defined as meaning "works all the time," then "cannot" here means "never." Sheeesh, what a nitpicker.
I can hardly say anything on this blog without getting a torrent of abuse. My no-deletions policy was based on an honor system -- but it obviously does not work in the case of commenters who have no honor.
>>>>>>It's truly hilarious how you can't admit to even the tiniest trivial mistake, when you make so many mistakes. <<<<<<<
It's truly hilarious how the Darwinists can't admit that Judge Jones ever made the tiniest trivial mistake, when he has made so many big mistakes.
> an honor system -- but it obviously does not work in the case of commenters who have no honor. <
The problem is that the blogger has no honor. He has violated every claimed principle.
> It's truly hilarious how the Darwinists can't admit that Judge Jones ever made the tiniest trivial mistake, when he has made so many big mistakes.<
What a laughably pathetic attempt at inapropriate redirection.
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