Free text editing preset options

[SweeneygERC]

Hello..

For the PDF annotations - specifically free text, would it be possible to have the defaults either editable in advanced options, or have "presets"?

We have a collection of PDFs that we're looking to add free text boxes to, with the box red and the font Times New Roman.

Currently, the size/font resets to Helvetica/12, black.
Being able to either hardcode it to Times/14/red would be great.
Or - maybe future proof it with a selectable options like "Input Box red type", "Input Box Black type" kind of idea?

Also... Any chance of being able to copy/paste Free Text annotations?
Or - again - have free text box presets so there's something like
"Free text box, A5 booklet", "Free text box, A4 academic" and so forth.

Hopefully you get what I mean?

[GitHubRulesOK]

“HMM… Free Text was never Adobe’s best‑designed annotation. It was actually one of the later additions — introduced in 1999 with Acrobat 4 as a typewritten overlay. The intention back then was simply to provide small redline comments that sat visibly alongside the content and could be toggled for print or no‑print.” in theory a whole page could be flowable Freestyle Text but I do not recommend it as it's a resource hog, and is not stable between viewer applications.

SumatraPDF has the ability to script PDF additions via its "Tools" and you could write a script to place and bake text as seen in https://github.com/GitHubRulesOK/SumatraPDF-Plus/blob/master/Plus/MuPDF/AddLink.js the important consideration is do you need

 var flatten = true; // Important we flatten the text as a freetext on a page.  Thus will in MsEdge mask the overlaid link

However a single key can be used to call an internet Explorer application (HTA) that uses the existing DDE methods. Thus I added PuT TxT script that you can easily custom edit in NotePad but seems to be what you're asking as copy and paste a character based on a font and appearance and characters (thus multiple large variable objects) is not easy.

Also PicColo4 (latest) has been enhanced too. and FT+ is FreeText however it is set (and stays persistent) before colour but you could have several different FT+ and add or remove from the pick handle.
Both available from https://github.com/GitHubRulesOK/SumatraPDF-Plus

[GitHubRulesOK]

I should have clarified what is currently set for FreeText is basic e.g. not the fontname

	FreeTextColor = 
	FreeTextBackgroundColor = 
	FreeTextOpacity = 100
	FreeTextSize = 12
	FreeTextBorderWidth = 1

Thus HTA can only use the current presets thus for black and red you can ALREADY preset as shown below with a key. But will need to manually set the font. JavaScript is thus more useful as there you can set as Per MuPDF.JS to a desired font name and include fixed text of your choice.

Shortcuts [
    [
        Cmd = CmdCreateAnnotFreetext color #000000 borderwidth 1 textsize 14 focusedit
        Key = b
    ]
    [
        Cmd = CmdCreateAnnotFreetext color #ff0000 borderwidth 1 textsize 14 focusedit
        Key = r
    ]
]

You CAN Edit the HTA to change the font as it runs so like a robot or android press tab tab down (after "^v" and before "%{F4}"

        if (pendingText.length > 0) {
            copyToClipboard(pendingText);
            shell.SendKeys("^v");
        }

        // Add your extra navigation keys here either singly longhand
        // shell.SendKeys("{TAB}"); shell.SendKeys("{TAB}"); shell.SendKeys("{DOWN}");
        // or much shorter, does the same
        shell.SendKeys("{TAB}{TAB}{DOWN}");

        setTimeout(function () { shell.SendKeys("%{F4}"); }, 250); // close FreeText editor after 250 ms

[SweeneygERC]

Oh wow... Thank you so much for the quick and detailed explanation.
That looks brilliant - I'll try to give this a go ASAP.

[SweeneygERC]

OK - I've had a chance to play about with this, and I'm slightly confused :)

If I delete the settings file, and create a new free text box, then sometimes I get:

Border colour = red
Text inside box = black

which is what I want :)

other times
Border colour = black
Text inside box = black

If I change the settings to:
Annotations [ HighlightColor = #ffff00 UnderlineColor = #00ff00 SquigglyColor = #ff00ff StrikeOutColor = #ff0000 FreeTextColor = #ff0000 FreeTextBackgroundColor = FreeTextOpacity = 100 FreeTextSize = 12 FreeTextBorderWidth = 1 TextIconColor = TextIconType = DefaultAuthor = ]

and create a new free text box, then
Border colour = red
Text inside box = red
.

What do I need to do to have it locked to
Border colour = red
Text inside box = black

[GitHubRulesOK]

Hmm that is a "feature" of the SumatraPDF annotation (Based on MuPDF) one FOREGROUND colour applies to text and border., another BACKGROUND color applied to box.

If you manage to get the text and border different it is unusual in those viewers but can be done in editors.

Acrobat Light Viewer in Edge does not allow more styling than Helvetic Sans Serif style and no box at all.

One potential work around is place a black square around red text (but then two placements at same spot) but that is difficult to script in simpler case as no handle editor So then would need to be the more complex JavaScripting similar to how place link does. but with a box not a hyperlink area.

Personally, I would look to Coherent cpdf as it can do better with its command line scripted approach, but is not a GUI for picking PDF offsets and that is where Editors like Acrobat and Tracker Exchange Design Kits can offer more desirable abilities

[SweeneygERC]

Argh - so near, and yet so far.

The text box colour is kind of a deal breaker, apparently.
We can change it from red border to black border in Acrobat Pro - but that's the software we're trying to get away from in the first place :)

Many thanks for the assistance you've provided.

[GitHubRulesOK]

@SweeneygERC
As mentioned above there are a few different approaches you could use to achieve your requirement but simplest is use a borderless text annotation and a rectangle via user specified size.
However I was able to simplify, so as to be more native to your usage. It is not ideal since a workaround but within the limitations it works.

It would best be used as part of a larger script but "it works, as is".
When run there is no indication of good or bad (that method is silent) but should be standalone thus easy to change how it is used.
For example if I press s on a page it will generate a new file with the "text in a box" thus you can change that as you wish. you need to use SumatraPDF.exe and a fixed location for the script. "%1" is current filename and %p is current page number but there is no feedback the file will work or not work as written.

ExternalViewers [
	[
		CommandLine = "C:\Program Files\SumatraPDF\SumatraPDF.exe" run "C:\Users\....\SumatraPDF\Scripts\TextInBox.js" -p=%p -i="%1" -o="%1-text on page %p.pdf"
		Name = Add Text in Box
		Filter = *.pdf
		Key = s
	]
]

The text (-t="blah blah blah") and size (-r=x,y,w,h) can be set for different keys on that command line or be preset in the script by change defaults.

To apply to multiple pages OR replace current file with the edited one would require enhancing in an external CMD file.

So "as it is for now" it is at https://github.com/GitHubRulesOK/SumatraPDF-Plus/blob/master/Scripts/TextInBox.js you can try edits to see if it suits your need then if needs be we can refine how it is used.

The text is editable as FreeStyle in any other viewer but the box is not a border as not how that pairing works.

[SweeneygERC]

Interesting! I'll give this a try as soon as I get a chance.
Many thanks for this!

[GitHubRulesOK]

beware as it is SumatraPDF can modify the 2 objects (ONE at a time) but when 2 overlap it can seem "glitchy" as current version repeated scans the area and sees conflicting sizes ! unsure if reversing placement order would help?

[GitHubRulesOK]

@SweeneygERC
Having reread the Manual :-) there is a fiddle that is used by other editors to produce the correct mix as one FreeStyle text. It can have several downsides that I can't quite fathom why it can work better in some cases than others. But key to working well is picking the correct font name like this, which will be substituted with NimbusRoman-Regular (Type1 (CID); Identity-H; embedded)!.

// test.js — minimal FreeText border‑colour test

var file = mupdf.Document.openDocument("input.pdf");
var page = file.loadPage(0);						// PDF page 0 = human page 1

// Create FreeText annotation
var ft = page.createAnnotation("FreeText");

ft.setDefaultAppearance("TiRo", 14, [1, 0, 0]);				// Set text DEFAULT Times Roman, size 14, RED TEXT & BORDER
ft.setRichContents("Testing Hello World!", "Testing Hello World!");	// NOTE the first is real Times Roman as Content the second is shown as per below!
ft.setRichDefaults("text-align:left;font-family:Times New Roman,Times,Serif;font-size:14pt;color:#000000;");	// this is where above text is set to black
ft.setRect([50, 50, 250, 100]);						// Set rectangle
ft.setBorderWidth(2);							// Set border width = 2


page.update();
file.save("borderTest.pdf", "garbage,compress");

very small sample file to show how it behaves borderTest.pdf

I have now altered earlier command line script to use one not two annotations
see https://github.com/GitHubRulesOK/SumatraPDF-Plus/blob/master/Scripts/TextInBox.js

[SweeneygERC]

Good lord, that's an impressive amount of work you've put in.
I'll have a look at this when I get a chance (work is crazy busy just now).

Greatly appreciated.