Question Import PDF text

[JFoerg]

I have customers who send me PDF files that contain text and graphics. When importing into the file into Corel 18, an option pops up to import text as TEXT or CURVES. When I select TEXT sometimes the text imports as text and sometimes it imports as curves. (In this particular case it is coming from a customer exporting the file in Flexi) Why?
Thanks in advance

 

[Santimus]

I've made PDF files that I know have no text and imported them into CorelDraw and get the pop-up about leaving text or converting it so it might just be programmed into it. Heck, sometimes it happens with a customer file and all thats in it is an embedded jpg. Maybe it's a glitch. I always open in adobe reader and verify it if its not a pdf that I made.

 

[myront]

If done properly the text would have been converted upon making the pdf. It's possibility they forgot to convert some fonts.

 

[JoySigns]

I use Coreldraw x7, when I create PDFs I have the box permanently checked (it's under advanced settings) to convert all text to curves. You might get that message when opening my PDFs but there won't be any editable text.

 

[shoresigns]

I have customers who send me PDF files that contain text and graphics. When importing into the file into Corel 18, an option pops up to import text as TEXT or CURVES. When I select TEXT sometimes the text imports as text and sometimes it imports as curves. (In this particular case it is coming from a customer exporting the file in Flexi) Why?
Thanks in advance

PDF is not a format that is designed to be edited. It's internally formatted differently than your working files in Corel/Illustrator/Indesign/etc, so when you import a PDF file into one of those applications, it has to try to disassemble the PDF into an editable state without changing how anything looks. Sometimes the text has to be outlined to preserve the original appearance.

For example, if you import a PDF with text into Illustrator, it will often break up a paragraph of text into separate text elements each time it encounters a kerning pair or a line break, and it will outline text elements that contain ligatures.

Also, in Illustrator you can save a PDF with additional Illustrator data to allow editing when you import the PDF back into Illustrator. I don't know whether Corel or Flexi have similar features, and these won't be compatible between different applications.

 

[JFoerg]

Thanks for the suggestions, information, etc.
Is there a way to import Flexi files into Corel and have the text remain editable?

 

[shoresigns]

Thanks for the suggestions, information, etc.
Is there a way to import Flexi files into Corel and have the text remain editable?

Try exporting to AI and then importing to Corel. It might work, but be sure to select the option to leave text editable when you export from Flexi.

 

[MI Bearcat]

Thanks for the suggestions, information, etc.
Is there a way to import Flexi files into Corel and have the text remain editable?

If your customer converted the text to outlines before saving the pdf, it's not going to import as editable text.