What's going on with PDF highlighting?

[ALarsen]

1. I can`t highlight text in a scanned document (with Adobe pdf reader).

2. I have made `drawings` in a scanned pdf document which were lost.

how can such a key feature not be working properly? I can`t think of a better way to store ly files than dropbox, but this problem could make me change platform.

[Mark]

The issue isnt with Dropbox if you opened the files in Adobe, its an Adobe one. 

[Rich]

A "scanned" document saved in PDF form (whether it was from Dropbox or any other application) isn't in a format that can be easily modified as text. Basically, the entire page of a scanned document is one large image. The lines of text you see usually can't be selected/highlighted because the PDF viewer doesn't see them as text. In some PDF applications you can OCR the file (tell it to look for and recognize text) which may allow you to select the text as text, but that's dependent on the application that you're using.

[ALarsen]

I`m sorry if I haven`t expressed myself clearly. When I say I want to highlight text in a scanned pdf I simply mean to draw with color while the text remains fully visible.

I can`t `open with...` anything other than Adobe, and this I blame dropbox for (ipad mini 4). To loose notes/drawings is just completely unacceptable, as I guess everyone can understand.

Thank you for your willingness to help though.

[Mark]

The option to open files with is handled by iOS so that is something which you need to change within the Apple software. Dropbox doesnt control who takes the files

[ALarsen]

Really? Do you know where to change this?

[AWX]

Mark, you must know Dropbox have a 'deal' with Adobe for editing to be with Acrobat apps on ANdroid and iOS. It's unfortunate for me because I'm forced to install their app ro do basic highlighting which other cloud apps (OneDrive, GDrive) do themselves. But those services aren't as widespread as Dropbox. I'd use OneDrive if I could especially as it's 'free' with Office, their PDF higlighting is really good. but it's not implemented in other apps like Dropbox is.

But then Dropbox outsource an essential funciton like this. It's frustrating.

So yes, ALarsen is correct, this does come down to Dropbox's implementation of their service and external deals with other companies. This Adobe 'feature' is not to the benefit of Dropbox's customers. It's to supply Adobe with people to market their resource hungry services to.

[G56]

Is there any hope for Highlighting text in a shared PDF? My Lord! Why so difficult? The feature is there, I click and no results