Requesting new annotation pattern

[329]

While annotating some books, I find myself needing to put a frame around contiguous parts to separate different ideas. Sort of like this:

rectangle.png

The problem with the currently-available solution (rectangle tool) is two things:

1. Inexact. With highlighting you just select the text and click the highlight tool. The result is a neat highlight. With rectangle you have to carefully position the cursor at the right spots to get a seemly rectangle.

2. It makes only rectangles. Actual text may end in the middle of a line. See the shape of the second "box" in the attached photo.


In a few words, highlight without fill.

[Paul - Tracker Supp]

Hi, 329

thanks for the post and excellent question.

You want it to specifically follow the text and NOT be a box. Right? So this illustration is actually of what you don't want - right

image.png

I believe you want the box to follow the highlight exactly and not fit the entire thing like the blue box in the shot above. If that is the case it is not possible in the current version. To be honest I am not sure it it supported by the ISO PDF specifications. I will reach out to the devs and see what they think.

Thanks for the suggestion.

Kind regards,
Paul - Tracker Supp

[329]

The second red box in my first post is exactly what I mean. There are no "internal borders" between the lines.

Like this (without the yellow):

image.png

[Tracker Supp-Stefan]

Hello 329,

We've started an internal discussion with Paul and while it is unlikely that this can be implemented as an alternative highlight due to limitations in the PDF specification - an alternative that comes to mind is to use the polygon tool:

image.png

Holding down the Shift key you can make the lines horizontal/vertical, so it would look a lot better than e.g. the pencil tool, and you can even fine tune that rectangle after the initial placement.

Not as quick as the highlight tool - I agree, but still an option which you can consider!

Kind regards,
Stefan

[329]

Thanks for the quick replies, Paul and Stefan.

I see your suggestion and I thought of a way to satisfy the requirement:

If a text is already selected when I click on the polygon tool, automatically create a polygon around the text (like in my original suggestion).

This will make it a breeze to do and remains compatible with the specifications.

What do you and the devs think?

[TrackerSupp-Daniel]

Hello, 329

We are still waiting for their further input, but that was one idea we came to as a team while discussing this. You are correct that if possible, that implementation would satisfy the requirement to fit into the PDF specification, but the main issue is popularity/demand. As it stands, unless we see more demand, I am sorry to say this request is likely to be written off as too "niche" of a request.

Kind regards,

[Colorado Brian]

Yea, that's a great idea. For years I've just used the polygon tool. Sometimes it's super useful to have an outline rather than highlighting. But heck yes it would be simpler to just highlight some text and have a polygon generated.

<thumbs up>

[TrackerSupp-Daniel]

Hello, Colorado Brian

Thank you for adding your support! I will make a note of that, and hopefully we can convince the team to work on something in the future!

Kind regards,

[PHK]

Another idea for separately highlighting adjacent areas would be to use Layers. If the user put the first highlight on one layer and then created a new layer and put the second highlight on that new layer, the two would not be actually joined but would appear so, if desired and the two layers were toggled to visible.

[Arnold]

+1

[Paul - Tracker Supp]

Hi, guys

well so many +1's in such a short time has twisted the dev's arm... here it is:

RT#6752: Editor :: Feature Request :: polygon based text outline annotation

I do not know what it will be called or when it will be delivered, but it is in the pipe now.

Kind regards,
Paul - Tracker Supp

[329]

Thanks, everyone!

If anyone else thinks this is a good idea, +1 it so that it gets higher up in the list!

[Paul - Tracker Supp]

[Toygun]

If it's anything like this, I want it:
__________________________________

XChangeRequest-Faststone.gif

[Tracker Supp-Stefan]

Hello Toygun,

Can you please let us know which other software was that gif captured from?

Kind regards,
Stefan

[Toygun]

Hello Stefan,

The Indented Highlighting feature is available in the image editing section (Draw Text, Line... subsection) of the "FastStone Capture" software.

Such a feature would be very useful for files without OCR.

Have good day.

Hello Toygun,

Can you please let us know which other software was that gif captured from?

Kind regards,
Stefan

[Tracker Supp-Stefan]

Hello Toygun,

Thanks for sharing this with us!
I've updated the ticket with the product info and the gif you provided earlier so that our devs could have that in mind when considering our own implementation!

Kind regards,
Stefan

[MedBooster]

+1

[Tracker Supp-Stefan]

Hello MedBooster,

Thank you for adding your voice! The ticket is already in place and being considered by our devs. As soon as there are any news in it - we will post them here as well!

Kind regards,
Stefan