Text Annotations

The text tool lets you add text anywhere in the document. Using a colored background and a visible border, you can add comments to the document that look like bulletin board postings.

Using the Text Tool

Choose Tool Text to activate this tool. The cursor is transformed into a text entry symbol. Click anywhere in the document to enter text at that position.

The height of the text field automatically adjusts as you enter; the width can be changed by dragging the side of the border. You can end your text entry by pressing the Esc key or by clicking outside the text field.

Editing Text

To edit a text annotation, click the text (if the text tool is active) or select the annotation and double-click the text. End your editing by pressing the Esc key or by clicking outside the text field.

Font, Font Size and Color

Under Tool Tool Styles you can select the Font and Font Size as well as the Font Color . You can also select the Bold, Italic, Underline and Strike Out text styles, as well as Subscript or Superscript. If a text box is currently selected, this changes the properties of the selected text. Otherwise, the properties are applied to the next text box that you create.

Text Alignment

Under Tool Tool Styles you can select the Text Alignment for the whole text box. Select between Left Align, Center Align and Right Align. If a text box is currently selected, this changes the properties of the selected paragraphs. Otherwise, the properties are applied to the next text box that you create.

Fill Color and Frame

Under Tool Tool Styles you can also designate the Fill Color for the text box and choose from a variety of Borders, including the Border Color. If a text box is currently selected, this changes the properties of the selected box. Otherwise, the properties are applied to the next text box that you create.

Fit Text Box to Content

Text annotations should not take more space than required. To reduce the size of a text box to its absolute minimum, you can apply this command while editing text. Just press Ctrl+M or select Fit Text Box from the toolbar or context menu while editing a text annotation.

When you set the Auto Fit option under Tool Tool Styles, annotations will always be fit after you finish editing the text.

Text Editor Size

When creating new text boxes, these will always start with a default size. If you prefer, this initial width can be stretched to the maximum space allowed on the current page. This Always use maximal width option can be enabled under Extras Settings Tools Text.

On Screen Keyboard

When working on a Tablet PC, pen or touch device, the Windows virtual keyboard can be displayed next to text annotations while editing. This option can be disabled under Extras Settings Tools Text.

Pasting Formatted or Unformatted Text from the Clipboard

If your Windows Clipboard contains text, select Edit Paste or press Ctrl+V to paste the text from the clipboard into the active document. If you are currently editing a text box, the text from the clipboard will be inserted into this text box at its current insert position. Otherwise, a new text box will be created.

If the text in the clipboard contains formatting, for example because the text was copied from another text box within PDF Annotator, or from a different application that support the Rich Text Format (RTF) clipboard exchange format (like most text processing applications), the text will be inserted in its original formatting. If you prefer to paste the text without its original formatting, you can choose Edit Paste Without Formatting or press Ctrl+Shift+V to insert the text. If you are currently editing a text box, the text from the clipboard will adopt the formatting from the current insert position within that text box. Otherwise, a new text box will be created, applying the current text tool format settings.

You can customize the keyboard shortcuts mentioned above under Extras Settings Preferences Shortcuts. You can also switch the shortcuts for both actions, if you prefer Paste Without Formatting to be the default action for the Ctrl+V keyboard shortcut.