Feature Request - Stamps from Comments

[EKey]

There is a nice feature to create a new stamp from clipboard. Unfortunately it doesn't work for the placed commenting elements.

I created some "standard" comment elements for my first markup drawing and I planned to use them later again. So I decided to put them to the Stamp library. And it is not possible. I understand that I can create a snapshot from screen and add the picture to stamps. Unfortunately I would like to have them as vector graphics. And again I understand that I can create a PDF file and import the markup from it. It is possible, but takes significant time. It would be wonderful to do it just with Copy\Paste! It it possible to program: create a PDF file for a selection and add it to stamps? It looks so easy. May be it is not

I think this feature would be very useful for many people. Can we have it?

Thank you,
EK

[Will - Tracker Supp]

Hi EK,

Thanks for the post - it shouldn't be necessary to create a stamp of these annotations, simply selecting them all, or individually and then copy/pasting them will preserve their size, appearance and arrangement.

HTH!

[EKey]

Copy/Pasting can do everything, there in need to have stamps. Should we expect the Stamp feature disappearing from PDF-XChange and switching users to nice-n-simple copy/pasting?

[Will - Tracker Supp]

Hi EKey,

Perhaps I'm reading too much into it, but if that's sarcasm then it's not appreciated and unnecessary, and is not really the 'thing to do' when you asking someone to take a request seriously. I offered a suggestion that does essentially as you need, but just isn't a stamp.

Stamps serve a purpose, but converting other annotations to stamps serves very little purpose. While copy/pasting them may mean that they are not considered a single item once pasted, they still retain all of their original properties and, if copy/pasting multiple annotations, they even retain the same layout. Unless I'm missing something, that would be the only reason to paste these as stamps.

If you'd like to offer a good and specific example of why you might want something like this, we may understand better and be open to its implementation. At the very least, we may be able to offer another alternative.

For now though, the closest option that we can offer is as I've already suggested.

[EKey]

Hi Will,

Thank you for for the reply. I apologize, if my message sounded rude. Sorry about that.

We need to create several dozens of vector graphics stamps. Here are the steps we performed:
1. We drew the stamps with AutoCAD.
2. Generated PDFs,
3. Made the background transparent.
4. Cut off the white space
5. Imported the resulted PDFs into Stamps.

I've just realized, that it could be an alternative. The PDF-XChange has all required items to create the stamps we needed: lines, circles, text, even revision clouds (Please see the attached sample stamp). I just could create the stamps right inside the Editor. From that point of view our efforts with AutoCAD look like unnecessary hard work. And I started dreaming about creating Stamps based on PDF comments...

Thank you,
EK.

[Paul - Tracker Supp]

HI EK,

and if you use the PDF Editor to create the stamps they should be vector based too!

[EKey]

Hey,
You are absolutely right. But we needed a little bit sophisticated graphics and we choose AutoCAD as it is more handy tool for us.

[Paul - Tracker Supp]

So do you have it working as you want now then?

[EKey]

Sorry, No.
I can create a stamp graphics with markup tools in the Editor, I can copy the graphics to clipboard. But I can't paste it as a new Stamp. This is what I need. It would be fantastic!

[Paul - Tracker Supp]

Are you saying that the "New from Clipboard" feature in the Stamps Palette doesn't work?

Are you able to browse to the files? What is the file format you are using? Can you post a sample for me?

[EKey]

Correct. The "New from Clipboard" button doesn't work for vector graphics created with Editor, i.e. text box.
I can create a pixel based stamp with it, but I need a vector one.
Please watch the video here.

[Paul - Tracker Supp]

Hi EKey

thanks for that. What you need to do is flatten your PDF and save it. You can then use "New from File" and this will work. The resulting stamp is a vector based stamp.

I'm not sure if we will be able to make that work from the clipboard, I'll touch base with the development team, but I suspect that saving the PDF is enough for most people. (make sure to flatten it or it won't necessarily work)

[EKey]

Paul,

Thank you for the suggestion. I can get the result I need with the following steps:
1. Flatten markup
2. Cut off the page white space
3. Make the background transparent (optionally).
4. Save the PDF file.
5. Import the PDF into Stamps.

My crazy idea is that all that I can do with just a single click on the "New from Clipboard" button. It would be a great time saver.

Thank you,
EK

[Paul - Tracker Supp]

Hi EK,

yes - that works - did you know that you can use the Crop tool to remove the white space? Typically (and by the PDF Specifications) cropping a page does not actually remove the cropped contents, it is simply flagged to not be shown. This can be a problem for stamps however our crop tool has an optional check box to actually remove that cropped content, not just hide it.

I'll see what the development team leader has to say about the practicality of using that directly from the clipboard. I don't know myself if there are technical reasons it's not available but I'll let you know what comes of it.

cheers

[EKey]

Thank you, I know about the Crop tool.
And thank you for your intention to "promote" the feature. I would love the PXF-XChange even more with it.

[Paul - Tracker Supp]

[dasy2k1]

I will bear this one in mind,

another fantastic feature for me would be the ability to group comment mark-up items into one virtual item

[Paul - Tracker Supp]

You mean beyond the groupings/organisation offered in "Summarise Comments"?

[dasy2k1]

You mean beyond the groupings/organisation offered in "Summarise Comments"?

Indeed... I quite often end up annotating PDFs with quite complex vector artwork using various comment tools
unlike most vector drawing programmes (many of which I cant get the pdf as a background ) I don't seem to be able to make an arbatary group of a set of comments

[Paul - Tracker Supp]

One of the things that we are already working on is grouping comments based on their "Status".

It is possible to use JavaScript to define your own custom status. Then, when we complete the work already in progress you should then be able to group them in arbitrarily defined groups.

There is a Support Request Ticket for this (internal only) RT#3649: Feature Request : collect comments in arbitrary groups If you quote that ticket any Tracker staff member can check on the status of the ticket for you.

hth