PDF translation

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pbpb
Posted:
in Mac Software edited January 2014
I have a couple of PDFs in german and I would like to have them translated in english. I looked around and I cannot find a free translator capable to read PDF files (yes, even a lame automated translation would give me a good idea about the content). Only the free web services for text and URLs seem to exist (and some commercial Windows-specific solutions for PDF translation). PDF is supposed to be one of the core OS X technologies, and still more than 5 years after its introduction such a translation utility does not exists. Or so I think.



Any help much appreciated.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 5
    kickahakickaha Posts: 8,760member
    Preview. Text tool. Select all. Save to text file. Submit for translation.



    Automator to make it easier.
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  • Reply 2 of 5
    pbpb Posts: 4,255member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Kickaha

    Preview. Text tool. Select all. Save to text file. Submit for translation.





    I know, I just leave it as a last resort. The problem is that this method does not preserve formatting (paragraphs etc.) and moreover there are many accented characters that need corrections after pasting the text to a web translation form. Also, the big characters with which new paragraphs begin, dissapear completely in transit to Text Edit.



    Quote:



    Automator to make it easier.



    Still Panther here.
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  • Reply 3 of 5
    kickahakickaha Posts: 8,760member
    Bummer.
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  • Reply 4 of 5
    jabohnjabohn Posts: 598member
    Adobe Reader can save the file to text too. Have you tried that to see if it does a good job?
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  • Reply 5 of 5
    pbpb Posts: 4,255member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by jabohn

    Adobe Reader can save the file to text too. Have you tried that to see if it does a good job?



    I tried that in a Windows machine I am on now, and it certainly does a better job. Not at the point I would like, but better. I am curious to see if it works the same way with Adobe Reader for OS X.



    Thanks both for the suggestions (jabohn and Kickaha).
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