I have used Sumatra PDF Reader quite a long while, but only as a reader. Today I downloaded the PDF User's Manual for my new Nikon DSLR camera. For the first time, I tried to get Sumatra to let me: (a) highlight key text in yellow, AND (b) copy blocks of text for pasting into personal notes that I take with me on photo shoots. Mean old Sumatra refused to let me do either. (a) No highlighting allowed. (b) I could "select" text but, when I right-clicked it, the "Copy" command was grayed-out & dead. So I then tried FoxitReader. It also would not let me do those actions. I suppose that's why they call them "Readers" -- perhaps to stop folks from plagiarizing & other nasty things. Q-1: Is there a way to get Sumatra to allow me to copy text & highlight? Q-2: If Q-1 = "No," is there a PDF app that WILL let me highlight text and copy text? (I hope there's a freebie but, if I have to buy the app, I will -- if it isn't too radically expensive.) Any & all comments will be hugely appreciated.
I can select and copy text with SumatraPDF. May this particular PDF is protected against that? https://www.adobe.com/content/dam/acom/en/products/acrobat/pdfs/adobe-acrobat-xi-protect-pdf-file-with-permissions-tutorial-ue.pdf
@bellgamin some PDF files are read only and block copy-pasting so what you are experiencing may be just that.
@XIII -- Thanks for the link. Notice that Adobe offers a way to protect a specific file. Ergo, I think the no-highlighting, no-copying restriction is embedded in the Users Manual file, rather than as a restriction in Sumatra. I think that is why you can copy with Sumatra but (in this particular case) I cannot. If this is true, then NO PDF app will allow me to do what I want with this Users Manual. (sigh) No problem... I will simply take screenshots of those few portions of the Users Manual that I need to take with me on photo shoots. I can then put the screenshots into a document & print that for my take-along. There never was a horse that couldn't be rode. There never was a rider that couldn't be throwed. Aloha to all (especially to boku no tomodachi, @guest -sensei)
If you open the Document Properties you can see that "copying text" is denied: If you open the PDF-file in a PDF-Suite and want to change it, usually a password is required in order to change the permissions. If you don't know the password (the creator of the PDF-file has applied the password [and permissions] to the file), you cannot simply change it.
It's very easy to remove the password from a PDF file. For example, you can do it online at following website. https://smallpdf.com/unlock-pdf Of course, if the author of the file has password protected it, they won't want people unlocking it.
@mood -- Sadly, many of the present-day inconveniences are an attempt to control the <1% who are bad guys, but at the cost of money, time, & inconvenience for the >99% innocent folks. @roger_m -- Thanks!!! By the way, you never cease to amaze & confound me with your links to stuff that I diligently searched for but couldn't find.
I've used Sumatra for a long time now and this is in answer to your 1st question. I'm sorry if you don't need it now in view of the other answers you've received! To copy a section of text in SumtraPDF, hold down the Ctrl key and use the left mouse button to select (highlight) the part of the text you want to copy, then use either Ctrl+C or right click and use 'Copy Selection'.
@Marwood Welcome aboard! Your suggestion for copying text in Sumatra is appreciated. However, the particular file I am working with right now (a camera user's manual) has built-in, password-protected restrictions as to how it can be used. Therefore, the "copy" command on Sumatra's right-click menu is grayed out. It doesn't work. I look forward to seeing you around these forums often. Aloha from Hawaii, Bill
Thank you for your kind welcome Bill, I really appreciate it. Hopefully I'll be able to make some useful posts sometimes! Marwood
