Automatically update multiple existing underline markups to new version

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gopher_everett
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Automatically update multiple existing underline markups to new version

Post by gopher_everett »

Hello,

My current PDF-XChange Editor is Version: 6.0 (Build 320.1).

Is there a way to automatically replace multiple underlining markups applied using an older version with similar markups using the current version?

I have two large files (2462 & 1374 pages respectively) and multiple smaller files to which, in past years, I have applied multiple underlining annotations. Most of the underlining was done with older versions of PDF-XChange Editor (although I cannot remember specific version numbers).

Much of the underlined text contains small superscript reference characters which, when underlined with older versions, resulted in small discontinuities in the underlining. However, when the same underlining is applied with a more current version, the discontinuities do not appear.

For example, the largest file includes the King James Version of the Bible and the following screenshot shows the underlining discontinuities as they appear after underlining the passage in Haggai 1:5-7 several years ago with an older version of PDF-XChange Editor:

2019-09-28a.png
2019-09-28a.png (64.17 KiB) Viewed 791 times

The next screenshot shows the same passage after manually deleting the original underlining and reapplying it with the current version. Note that in this case, no underlining discontinuities are present:

2019-09-28b.png
2019-09-28b.png (61.35 KiB) Viewed 791 times

I have hundreds and perhaps thousands of similarly underlined passages in dozens of files and thus, my hope is to find a way to remove the underlining discontinuities wherever they are present and do so automatically or en masse rather than having to update them manually one-at-a-time.

Is that doable?

Thanks
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TrackerSupp-Daniel
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Re: Automatically update multiple existing underline markups to new version

Post by TrackerSupp-Daniel »

Hello Gopher,

That would depend on how exactly the comments exist in the document, If the underline comment itself is one continuous comment for the entire section, you may be able to simply "export comments", delete the old ones (easiest from the comments pane, Ctrl+M), and them "import comments" back to the document (using the latest version of course). The export and import tools are found on the far right of the comments tab.

If instead the comments are multiple separate objects, as shown here:
image.png
Than unfortunately it will not be possible to automate this process.

Kind regards,
Dan McIntyre - Support Technician
Tracker Software Products (Canada) LTD

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gopher_everett
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Joined: Mon Jul 22, 2013 2:16 pm

Re: Automatically update multiple existing underline markups to new version

Post by gopher_everett »

Thanks for the reply.

You mentioned "comments" but is that the same as the original document text? It seems like comments are something you add (like a sticky note or margin note) to the original document. If so, then I'm not referring to underlining the content in one of those notes but actually underlining the original text in the PDF document?

Regarding whether or not the underlining is continuous, the answer is No. For example, referring to the screenshots included in the OP, verses 5 thru 7 are underlined but verse 4 and above and verse 8 and below are not underlined. In fact, most of the text is not underlined, only selected passages here and there.

I was hoping there was something similar to the Find and Replace tool in MS Word. In that case, you can define specific formatting (eg font, paragraph, highlighting, etc) to find then replace it with different formatting without changing the text. Once you have defined the before and after formatting, you can then go to the document and change each occurrence one-at-a-time with a single click or change all of the occurrences en masse in a single step.

Thanks again
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TrackerSupp-Daniel
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Re: Automatically update multiple existing underline markups to new version

Post by TrackerSupp-Daniel »

Hello Gopher,

My apologies for the confusion, oftentimes underlines are applied with the "comment" tool "underline", this would allow my prior method to work. If instead your underlines are in the base content, than unfortunately, as Underlines are not a "font" item (in the sense that Bold or Italic have their own respective font alternatives), they cannot be modified without using the "Edit content" tool and manually changing.

For the moment, we do not offer a "Find and replace" function, however there has been much discussion revolving around it. Unfortunately, for the reasons mentioned above, it is unlikely that underline would be able to be included in its criteria (although output is likely possible). I cannot provide a timeline on this feature, or make any guarantees of its eventual implementation, but do know that if it comes, it will be a long term project.

Kind regards,
Dan McIntyre - Support Technician
Tracker Software Products (Canada) LTD

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Our Web site domain and email address has changed as of 26/10/2023.
https://www.pdf-xchange.com
Support@pdf-xchange.com
gopher_everett
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Posts: 45
Joined: Mon Jul 22, 2013 2:16 pm

Re: Automatically update multiple existing underline markups to new version

Post by gopher_everett »

Thanks for the clarification Daniel. I appreciate the prompt and well-written support.
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TrackerSupp-Daniel
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Re: Automatically update multiple existing underline markups to new version

Post by TrackerSupp-Daniel »

:)
Dan McIntyre - Support Technician
Tracker Software Products (Canada) LTD

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Our Web site domain and email address has changed as of 26/10/2023.
https://www.pdf-xchange.com
Support@pdf-xchange.com
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