Even on PDFs scanned at 600dpi, OCR ignores inter-word spaces.

I'm creating PDFs from clear, legible printed documents scanned at 600 dpi, then using OCR on the PDPa. The recognized text, when copied and pasted into fresh documents, appears as a solid block of characters with no spaces between words. What's wrong? I'm using an iMac, OS 10.7.3 and a Samsung SCX-4521F printer/scanner/copier.

When you recognize the text in the PDF, what setting are you using for the PDF Output Style?

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I need to edit the hidden text behind a scanned PDF image of a document. The image must remain as an “exact” copy of the original scanned document.
I used Acrobat Pro (versions 7 and 9) to make PDF images of old typed documents from the 1940’s. When I open those images and run OCR in version 9, then examine the hidden (invisible) text layer behind the image, there are errors. For example, the word “book” has been picked-up by the OCR as the word “look.” I need to change the “l” to a “b” in order to make the PDF accurate when it is searched at a later date.
I have checked many user forums. Most people imply that hidden text can be viewed, but NOT edited in Acrobat Pro 7 and 9. (Hidden text can be viewed in Version 9 by selecting “Document” “Examine Document” and then clicking on the “+” symbol next to “Hidden Text,” then clicking “Show preview.”) Some say to use Adobe Capture 3.0 to edit hidden text. Others say to use Photoshop or Illustrator to edit hidden text (I think these folks may have been confused, because Photoshop and Illustrator would be used, logically, to edit the image ON TOP OF the hidden text). Yet another person seemed to say that a hidden text editor was added to Acrobat 8, but was taken away in Acrobat 9. (I can’t verify that because I don’t have version 8.)
The closest answer I was able to find involved using the Text Touch Up Tool on top of the image to edit hidden text behind it, but when you do that you are typing “blind.” In other words, you highlight a spot on the image (top layer) where you THINK the error MIGHT be, and you type the correction without being able to see what you are typing over. Then, you go back to the “Examine Document” procedure (described above) to see if you “hit” your mark, and if not, you redo it until you do “hit” your mark. With the number of documents and corrections that we have, that procedure would be too labor intensive and thus a budget breaker.
If we have to buy more software, my preference would be to buy a genuine Adobe product because I have experienced problems in the past switching back and forth between Adobe products and other PDF manipulation software.
Can anyone answer any of these questions:
(1) Is there a way in Acrobat versions 7, 8 or 9 to edit hidden text, and if so, how?
(2) What Adobe software (other than Acrobat) will edit hidden text behind a PDF image?
(3) Assuming no Adobe product will edit hidden text behind a PDF image, is there any non-Adobe products that will do that?
Thank you!

Hi,
Unless you use Acrobat 8 Pro's Formatted Text & Graphics" or Acrobat 9 Pro's ClearScan you will find that there is no
practicable means of editing the OCR "hidden text" in a PDF.
The TouchUp text tool (Advanced Editing toolbar) is reliant upon the selected text having an available system font to use during touchup. However, both Searchable Image and Searchable Image (Exact) OCR output is of text rendering mode 3 (invisible text) that is provided from within Acrobat and not any installed system or other application installed font.
With Searchable Image (Exact) you have the untouched image augmented by the invisible text which is provided as a user aid for search or find with Adobe Reader or Acrobat. The invisible text is not intended to support word processor like editing.
To your questions:
#1. There is no practicable way to edit invisible text (text rendering mode 3) with Acrobat (any past or current release).
#2. None.
#3. A good question. Perhaps a specialty program. Keep in mind, many products provide a promise but those those that actually deliver tend to be expensive.
Something to play with. Using Acrobat 9 Pro or Pro Extended, try the Preflight Fixup to embed hidden text.
Then try using the TouchUp Text tool. You may also want to see if you can change the font type of this newly embedded font.
(use copies of the "real" files - just in case <g>).
Be well...

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I have always attached pdf scans to my emails veyr easily. Now having been away for five weeks things have changed and I can no longer do it. Please help me to find a new way to do this. I have scanned a document and can open it but cannot attach it what is wrong?.

You really need to provide some details...
what is your operating system?
what is your email client?
what is your Adobe Reader version?
what means "can not" (or "no longer");
how do you try attaching the file?
what happens when you try?
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Is there a way I can unlock my pdf scans? I set security to stop page extraction from a group of pdf scans done years ago and I have now forgotten the password to use to edit them.
I now maintain a list of passwords but long ago did not. I'm guessing I saved it somewhere but haven't had success locating the password. Thought this might be a shot at being able to edit them.
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I can't export a PDF scanned file into Word, please help.

Hi solarpowerprincess,
Are you having trouble signing in to your subscription, or having trouble converting files once you're signed in. If you can't sign in, it could be that your subscription just hasn't finished processing yet. Please let us know if you're unable to sign in and we'll go from there.
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What I've recommended to people in the past is to use the drawing markup tools to draw boxes around the text they want highlighted then play around with the fill color of the box until they get something close to what they want.

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With respect I'm not convinced by your response. Presto Scan Buttons and indeed Page Manager has worked perfectly since it was installed in November 2011 and updated during 2012. as far as I'm aware it worked fine following the AR 10.1.2 update.
I run two different PC's, one, Win 7 Pro, the other Win 7 home Premium. Following the AR 10.1.3 update on 12/4/12, Presto PDF scan button crashes consistently on both.
The problem is caused when using the Presto default setting of text under image. Using image only works fine.
NewSoft say it's not there fault, their program worked fine prior to your update. Frankly I have to agree. I downgraded to Ar 10.00 and I had no problems. as soon as I installed the AR 10.1.3 update again Presto crashed again.
The issue is related to the way in which the image is handled. There are 3 settings; text and image, text under image and image. Only image works. AR 10.1.3 must have affected this.
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Pete

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Sorry, I meant to say Apple printer driver update 2.16.1 for OS 10.7.5. Is there a HP Photosmart printer driver update 2.16.1 that supports OS 10.7.5 that will allow me to scan documents with OCR? If so where/how do I download or get it? Thanks
<E-mail Edited by Host>

Hi pmaragoni,
I understand that you are looking for an updated driver for your HP Photosmart printer. Here is a link to the updated drivers from Apple for HP printers.
LINK: http://support.apple.com/kb/DL907
I hope this helps,
Advance 23
I work on behalf of HP

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Even on PDFs scanned at 600dpi, OCR ignores inter-word spaces.

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