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HELP: PDF file to Word file or text...


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Quick answer - you can't. Not easily.

 

If the PDfriggenF does not have selectable text, you can't extract it.

 

If it has selectable text you can use the cursor tool and select a few chunks at a time, copy them, paste them into Word, then go through eliminating the line breaks.

 

Or you can Google for one of the PDF text extraction tools available. Although if it's Japanese you're looking to extract, I think you're out of luck (that was the case last time I looked).

 

Let me know what you end up doing, as I'm interested in good methods.

 

BTW PrimoPDF is quite nice for 'printing' to PDF from Word.

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****!!! Cheers guys, that's pretty much what I figured. It is Japanese O11 and it's for a translation. Looks like I have to do it the old way. It is so much easier being able to overwrite the bits as you go. PDF##kers! mad.gif

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I guess the easiest way would be to open the file with acrobat and then save it as txt.

File > save with different name > save as txt

ファイル > 名前を付けて保存 > ファイルの 種類 テキスト(*.txt)

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> it's for a translation. Looks like I have to do it the old way. It is so much easier being able to overwrite the bits as you go. PDF##kers!

 

I feel your pain. Today and yesterday I've been slaving over a stupid PDF like that. I swore I'd never do another one as I'd rather starve. But I caved. I wish I hadn't.

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I use translation memory software so I usually refuse any documents that aren't editable. And usually, lo and ****ing behold!, the data can be produced. Not surprisingly really, especially considering that PDFs are produced on data processing equipment...

 

Are you doing much translation these days? Better stop quickly before you get trapped...

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lol.gif I do bits and pieces only. 2 of the women I used to work with started up their own company and ask me to do translations from time to time. Nothing too full on, cos they know I work full time . I know the feeling of being trapped, and I don't wanna go back to full time translation at all! Nice to have it as a fall back and as a way of earning a bit extra though. Having said that, I do envy the self reliance of someone in your position. What is translation memory software?
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> 2 of the women I used to work with started up their own company and ask me to do translations from time to time.

 

Heheh, I know that type of women very well. I bumped into one the other day in a meeting that we're both targeting as a client. She handed me a note saying "I'll try to get you work from these people if you teach my staff how to use the translation memory software..." I just grinned and handed the note back. Extraordinary and unthinkable business propositions require extraordinary and unthinkable inducements, lady, thought I to myself.

 

> What is translation memory software?

 

It creates a database of every source and target sentence you translate, and also databases your vocabulary for you. It's an excellent tool. When you buy it, you know that your days of envying the self reliance of translators is over.

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lol.gif to both comments! These two women have actually been a handy contact for me while I have been working teaching English. I think I know what you mean by that software. We used a similar thing at the company I used to work for. Pretty pricey I assume?
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actually, that jogged my memory! trados (or a version of it) is what we used I'm pretty sure. Cheers for the link, and don't worry about me. I'm well aware of the power of the dark side, having already dabbled in it once before ;\) I'm not looking at moving that way actually, just interested and keeping options open. The part time stuff I get is fine with me for now.

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