Annotate .pdf files with Firefox 106+ / LibreWolf 106+

[Member PPC]

Firefox may sometimes be a bloated mess, but now and then it gets some useful features- FF 106 now allows you to annotate .pdf files.
Just open the link to a .pdf (or drag a locally stored .pdf file to FF’s window) and you can underline text (handy if you are a studying from a pdf file), write text annotations, and yes, even use the pencil to sign your name on a form!)- just remember to save (hum… “download”) the edited pdf file with the changes you performed!
Note: it’s a very basic feature, and still lacks a proper “undo” (to “undo” a change you have to select it, right click and choose to “delete” it) and has no “eraser” features…
Extremely handy- it can’t “edit” a .pdf file, like masterpdf or LibreOffice Draw can, but it can annotate the pages of a file, just the same as you could annotate a printed page!

P.

Edit: after noticing that the much more privacy friendly Firefox fork “LibreWolf” was also on version 106, I downloaded it’s appimage (there’s a .deb file available too) and it has the same exact options to annotate .pdf’s (thanks for calling Firefox’s privacy problems to my attention once again, Moddit)
I only commented about this feature because many people have Firefox installed, and other options to annotate pdf’s are not that well known- also, if you need to sign a pdf form that you got on-line, using the browser is also easier to do…

• This topic was modified 6 months, 2 weeks ago by PPC.
• This topic was modified 6 months, 2 weeks ago by PPC.
• This topic was modified 6 months, 2 weeks ago by PPC.

[Member Robin]

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Hello PPC,

The very same feature you could have had for a very long time already with xournal, which is present in the repos.

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install xournal

This one comes with an undo function, and I use it for annotation of any kind in pdfs for a long time meanwhile, it works reliable.
You can even create a new pdf containing all your annotations, while by default the annotations are saved in a separate file.

Since firefox LTS is only 102.4.0esr by now, it is a good idea for LTS users to give xournal a try when it’s about annotation of pdf files.

Regards
Robin

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Windows is like a submarine. Open a window and serious problems will start.

[Member ModdIt]

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Thanks Robin,
xournal does not intrude in privacy the way mozilla does,
you can opt out of some of the direct tracking, indirectly you are lost.

And to opt out you need to start the browser, you can do so without an
internet connection, unless you search and delete the file with telemetry
data it will probably be sent next start, big blip in conky network monitor
points in that direction.

The privacy policy reveals you pretty much have none.

Invisible recaptcha, transparent gifs and many other nastys may be found
on mozillas pages which you need to open to read said disconnect privacy
policy.

• This reply was modified 6 months, 2 weeks ago by ModdIt.

[Member PPC]

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Yep, both of you are right (I have Xournal++ installed, but it wasn’t very handy, dealing with the files I needed to annotate, I ended up using a closed source option (both on my pc and in my android devices- it’s way easier to annotate something with an actual “rubber pen” on a touchscreen)
I also edited the OP’s title, to mention LibreWolf, and the fact it’s more privacy frienfly than FF…

Thanks for the tip, Moddit!

P.

[Member ModdIt]

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Hi all, Thanks PPC,

For more complex tasks I still use and recommend the last free version of master pdf editor.

OT: with upcoming changes in chrome for making blockers inneficient LibreWolf will be all the more
important for all who value some kind of decent browsing experience..

[Member seriousness]

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Thanks Robin, I didn’t know this useful little tool!

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