Developer

Five Apps: Utilities for PDF files

By · December 26, 2013, 7:33 AM PST

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  • Utilities for PDF files

    This gallery is also available as a TechRepublic article.

    For many years, PDF files have been one of the most commonly-used file formats for storing documents. When it comes to PDF files, Acrobat Reader arguably gets the most attention, but there are numerous other applications and utilities available for viewing, editing, and converting PDF files. Here are five such utilities.

  • 1. Free PDF to JPG

    Free PDF to JPG is a free utility for converting a PDF file into a JPG image. 

  • Free PDF to JPG conversion

    In addition, this utility can convert PDF files to BMP, PNG, or TIFF formats. 

  • Free PDF to JPG documents

    Converted documents can adhere to the default size, or you can choose from three other standard images sizes. Probably the best thing about this utility is that you can perform batch conversions.

  • 2. DeskPDF Studio X

    DeskPDF Studio X is a utility for creating, editing, and even signing PDF files. It costs $79.95 (USD), but a free 10-day trial version is available for download.

  • DeskPDF Studio X document

    DeskPDF Studio X is a very feature-rich application that offers numerous capabilities. The software allows PDFs to be created from just about any type of file, and you can also convert PDFs to Microsoft office documents, HTML, XML, or to various image formats. 

  • DeskPDF Studio X functionality

    The software also contains functionality that allows you to create PDF forms containing interactive objects, such as check boxes.

  • DeskPDF Studio X Scan and OCR

    The Scan and OCR tab.

  • DeskPDF Studio X Security

    The Security tab.

  • DeskPDF Studio X Forms

    The Forms tab.

  • DeskPDF Studio X Review

    The Review tab.

  • DeskPDF Studio X Create and Convert

    The Create and Convert tab.

  • 3. Wondershare PDF Editor

    Wondershare PDF Editor is a utility for creating, editing, and converting PDF files. It costs $59.95 (USD), but a free trial version is available for download. Documents that are converted using the trial version contain watermarks.


  • Wondershare PDF Editor document

    The Wondershare PDF Editor’s feature set is actually very similar to that of DeskPDF Studio X, but I found Wondershare’s interface to be slightly more intuitive.

  • Wondershare PDF Editor capability

    Wondershare PDF Editor has a very intuitive interface.

  • Wondershare PDF Editor OCR

    One of Wondershare PDF Editor’s coolest features (that also exists in DeskPDF Studio X) is its OCR capabilities. If you scan paper documents to create PDFs, Wondershare can perform optical character recognition on the document as a way of making it editable and searchable. 

  • Wondershare PDF Editor Comment

    Wondershare PDF Editor Comment tab.

  • Wondershare PDF Editor Protect

    Wondershare PDF Editor Protect tab.

  • Wondershare PDF Editor Stamp

    I also liked Wondershare’s Stamp feature, which allows you to place a number of different preconfigured stamps on documents. The stamps say things like Approved, Not for Public Release, and Sign Here.

  • 4. PrimoPDF

    PrimoPDF is a free utility for converting documents to PDF format. 

  • PrimoPDF Options

    The utility consists of a single desktop icon, which you can click on to change the output settings. 

  • PrimoPDF conversion

    When you are ready to convert a document, you must drag the document to the PrimoPDF icon. 

  • PrimoPDF printing interface

    When you drag the document to the PrimoPDF icon, the Windows printing interface will open. PrimoPDF acts as a printer, but it dumps the output to a PDF file rather than to a print device.

  • 5. ParmisPDF

    ParmisPDF is a PDF editor that allows you to create or modify PDF files. It costs $59.95 (USD), but a free trial version is available for download. The trial version places watermarks on documents.

  • ParmisPDF Preferences

    This feature rich application seems to have all of the basics covered.

  • ParmisPDF Batch Sequences

    ParmisPDF also includes some rather nice advanced features, such as the ability to process documents in batches.

  • ParmisPDF Mail Merge

    ParmisPDF includes an always useful Mail Merge feature.

  • ParmisPDF Bates Numbering

    ParmisPDF also supports Bates Numbering. 

  • ParmisPDF Stamp

    ParmisPDF Stamp/Annotation feature.

  • ParmisPDF Extract

    While many PDF editors will allow you to export documents to alternate formats, this one takes extraction to the next level by allowing you to export images and text blocks independently. There is also a feature for extracting data from a document.

Utilities for PDF files

This gallery is also available as a TechRepublic article.

For many years, PDF files have been one of the most commonly-used file formats for storing documents. When it comes to PDF files, Acrobat Reader arguably gets the most attention, but there are numerous other applications and utilities available for viewing, editing, and converting PDF files. Here are five such utilities.

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