Edit PDF Files in Linux Using GIMP

If you have ever downloaded a Portable Document Format file to your Linux PC that needed editing (such as an application that you did not want to fill out by hand), you'll find very few PDF editing tools. You can edit PDF files online, but here is a workable, if not elegant solution using GIMP.

Steps

1. Download and install the GIMP image editor, either using your favorite package manager, or from the GIMP website
2. Open GIMP, and then open the PDF document you wish to edit. For multiple page documents, it is easier on your computer to edit them one page at a time. If you choose more than one page, they will open in individual windows.
3. Make the necessary changes to the document.
4. Save the document as a GIMP XCF file (you'll have to save several different pages if it is a multi-page document).
5. Close the document, then open the resulting image in Krita.
6. Go to File>Print, then choose Print to PDF. In the same dialogue box, choose the destination folder and name of the output document (such as wiki_pg1.pdf).
7. Open the resulting document to make sure everything worked properly.

Tips

• There are several free, open-source PDF readers for Linux, such as Okular, xpdf, and evince.
• Alternatively use an online PDF editor such as PDFEscape or offline such as PDF Edit.
• Be careful if you decide to print to PDF from GIMP. Some people never have a problem, but many experience trouble with the conversion to a PDF file.
• If you don't have Krita, choose a different graphic manipulation program. There are many OS options to choose from.
• If you like to do things from the command line or need to script a batch conversion you may find ImageMajick's convert -adjoin -format pdf works for you.

Warnings

• Do not name your output PDF the same as the file you started with. You'll lose the original, which could result in some problems if you have multiple pages.

Related Articles

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• Create a Copy of a Page in a PDF Document
• Edit PDF Files in Linux Using PDFEdit
• Draw Something in GIMP
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• Create a Dreamy Photo Effect in GIMP

Sources and Citations

See also

• Create Clouds Using GIMP
• Select Text With Gimp
• Make a Banner With Gimp
• Crop an Image Using GIMP
• Reduce PDF File Size
• Unlock a Secure PDF File
• Rotate Pages in a PDF Document Using Adobe Acrobat
• Digitally Sign PDF Documents
• Print PDF Files
• Create PDF Files

Read more ...

What links here

• Edit a PDF File
• Convert PDF to Image Files
• Search for a Word or Phrase in a PDF Document
• Use the Hand Tool to Select Text in Acrobat 6