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#1 2008-04-15 4:05 pm
- jerr3d
- Member
- From: Oklahoma City, Ok, USA
- Registered: 2001-11-08
- Posts: 142
disassemble vextor pdf freebie
i have some pdf files i would like to disassemble the overlapping elements.
Illustrator would be just fine, but i dont want to buy the app just to do that.
i found Inkspot and Scribus but they both want something called x11
(which i assume is Leopard or xcode)
I am still running 10.4.9
thanks
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#2 2008-04-16 8:17 am
- pottymouth
- Uncreative
- Moderator
- From: JP, MA
- Registered: 2002-02-06
- Posts: 17410
- Website
Re: disassemble vextor pdf freebie
I've never gotten any of that X11 stuff to work, but I've never tried too hard either. It's been around long time tho so I'd think it should work just fine with 10.4.
You may be able to do it right in Acrobat (not the free reader). Got that? Or do you have Photoshop? If you drag a PDF onto Photoshop it will ask if you want to open the whole page or just elements on the page.
But in the end it all depends on the PDF. If it was made to be Acrobat 4 compatible then it's been flattened and you won't be able to "disassemble" it. If it was made 5 and later compatible (PDF 1.4) it may still retain transparency.
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#3 2008-04-16 8:36 am
Re: disassemble vextor pdf freebie
There is a stand alone version of Scribus but it's not going to do what you want as all it is is a free page layout program and not a very good one at that. Even Illustrator is dicy when it comes to editing PDF files. Acrobat Pro with the Pit Stop extension is what you really need to do the job and it ain't cheap. If it's a one time thing use the demos or pay someone to do it for you.
Make it idiot-proof, and someone will make a better idiot.
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#4 2008-04-16 8:39 am
- zoees
- Member
- From: Maryland
- Registered: 2001-08-14
- Posts: 2690
Re: disassemble vextor pdf freebie
The PDF may have mixed elements as well.
"I am treated as evil by people who claim that they are being oppressed because they are not allowed to force me to practice what they do".—D. Dale Gulledge
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#5 2008-04-16 8:51 am
Re: disassemble vextor pdf freebie
I've used Inkspot on several machines with no issue. Installing X11 is easy - just go back to the install DVD and look through the Developer Tools installer packages - just make sure to get X11 and the X11 SDK. Or just install the Developer Tools and do the custom install option to make sure the X11 components are included.
But like Zoees just said - there could very well be page elements in those files that the open source freebies don't understand, so be prepared.
Last edited by Gipetto (2008-04-16 8:52 am)
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#6 2008-04-16 9:21 am
- user
- Your plastic pal who's fun to be with
- From: I'm not getting you down, am I
- Registered: 2001-10-15
- Posts: 16030
Re: disassemble vextor pdf freebie
I've always had the best success using FINK to install those X11 programs.
The trial version of Illustrator is the best suggestion. My usual problem is that I don't have the fonts that were used in the file (I have to edit pdfs A LOT).
Aw, he's no fun, he fell right over.
Unless you become as little children, there's no way you will believe this crap.
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#7 2008-04-16 9:24 am
- Jonski
- System Lord
- From: Parts Unknown
- Registered: 2005-02-22
- Posts: 768
Re: disassemble vextor pdf freebie
jerr3d wrote:
Illustrator would be just fine, but i dont want to buy the app just to do that.
Download the 30 day trial version if it's a one off job!
Edit> As user just said two minutes before me! 
Last edited by Jonski (2008-04-16 9:25 am)
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#8 2008-04-16 2:08 pm
- jerr3d
- Member
- From: Oklahoma City, Ok, USA
- Registered: 2001-11-08
- Posts: 142
Re: disassemble vextor pdf freebie
YAAAAAAA! Thanks Gipetto!
I got Inkscape to run (think i called it Inkspot earlier lol)
I already had the X11SDK installer on my Mac, but when I ran it Inkscape still would not work. I did not know X11 was on my Install disk. So i was missing that.
Ya I already used the Illustrator demo, the In Design demo, After Effects ( didn't get very far with that one)
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