Import PDF comments

You can import comments from a tagged PDF directly into the source FrameMaker document and reduce the time taken to fix comments. You can incorporate suggestions and edits from multiple reviewers participating in a shared PDF review much faster into the source document.

However, for comments to import correctly, it is important that you generate a tagged PDF and after generating the PDF you do not modify the source FrameMaker document. If you make changes in the source FrameMaker document, and then import PDF comments, the comments may not be imported at the correct location.

When saving a FrameMaker file as a PDF, ensure that you select the Generate For Review option in the PDF Setup For Selected File dialog box. Selecting this option creates a tagged PDF.

You can import comments only from PDFs created using FrameMaker 9 or above.

    Types of comments supported

    FrameMaker can import the following types of PDF comments and annotations:

    • Text additions

    • Text deletions

    • Text replacements

    • Sticky notes

    • Underlined text

    • Highlighted text

    Other types of comments or annotations are not imported.

    Placement of comments

    When you import the PDF comments, they are inserted at the same location in the source FrameMaker document as tracked text edits, tracked markers, or simple text formatting. Text additions, deletions, and replacements are inserted as text edits. Sticky notes are inserted as comment type markers. FrameMaker tracks these text edits and markers irrespective of whether the feature is enabled or disabled.

    PDF comments of type Highlight are imported with the highlighting retained due to the implementation of the Text Background Color feature.

    If the source document has changed after you sent the PDF for review, the exact insertion points for some comments can be indeterminable. FrameMaker inserts such comments as tracked markers in approximate locations. Comments applied to unnamed text flows, non-text objects, or objects locked for editing are also inserted in approximate locations as markers.

    Note: FrameMaker does not allow insertions into objects like variables, text lines, and graphics. Also, cross-references, text insets, bullets, and numbering are locked for editing in FrameMaker. Comments on these objects are inserted as markers. If a reviewer adds a comment in response to another comment in the PDF, it is inserted as a marker.

    Import comments

    1. Open the document or book file to import PDF comments.

    2. Click File > Import > PDF Comments.

    3. Read the instructions in the Import Comments From Adobe Acrobat dialog box. Click Yes to proceed.

    4. In the Import Comments From PDF dialog box, choose the PDF file from which you want to import comments.

    5. Select the types of comments that you want to import.

      All comments
      Select to import all supported types of comments from the PDF.

      Only Insert, Delete, and Replace type of comments
      Select to import only text additions, deletions, and replacements.

      Apply custom filters
      Select to specify filters for the comments that you want to import. You can filter comments by parameters like type, author, status set by the author, checking state, and insertion date.

    6. If the source document was modified after you created the PDF for review, FrameMaker confirms whether you want to proceed with the import.

      If the modification date of the source file is newer than the creation date of the tagged PDF, FrameMaker confirms whether you want to proceed with the import.

    7. FrameMaker imports the comments from the PDF and displays an import summary. The summary displays the number of comments that FrameMaker imported and placed in their exact locations, imported and placed in approximate locations, and failed to import.

    8. Click OK to close the Import Summary dialog box and return to the document window.

    Structured documents and PDF comments

    You can import comments into a structured document just as you would into an unstructured document. Comments on text ranges or objects locked for editing in the structured document are inserted as markers. For example, prefixes or suffixes of elements are locked for editing in a structured document.

    A comment or annotation can span multiple elements. FrameMaker does not mark a parent element for deletion if one or more of its child elements fall outside the text range marked for deletion.

    Also, you can import comments in books but they do not get imported in child books or DITA maps included in hierarchical books.