Direct add rnote content to PDF

[Mannshoch]

Is your feature request related to a problem? Please describe.
I need to do add notes inside a PDF and wish do it with rnote. --> I do not need to edit not rnote data already inside the PDF I'm not sure If add markups with rnote may could create problems in other PDF application. If so the Idea could be that rnote store data in a way that could be edited by rnote until a compatibility save is done.

Describe the solution you'd like
I could directly open a PDF with rnote and add content into it

Describe alternatives you've considered
use other Linux UI tools

Additional context
Description how it could work:

• Open PDF
• add content
• save with rnote metadata
• sync file to other PC with rnote
• open this PDF and be able to full edit data I already created with rnote
• save without rnote metadata
• open PDF again
• I see my markups made with rnote but could not anymore edit them.

[Nugfle]

You can already import pdfs into rnote and write on them. To get a new annotated pdf you then have to export it as pdf again.

[Mannshoch]

that's the point. It is not the idea to import and export in this. If you do so,

• you have to manage project files even you work only once on a file, and it gets messy if you have a lot of files.
• it's more complicate than annotate in adobe

rnote works great if you do not have a PDF and annotate images, cause you create a new file and do a new collection and may even collect several pages from several PDF. In that case rnote is basically a replacement for the PDF file type with a similar purpose.

My main workflow is annotating PDF once, may twice and then send it further. For archive purpose I collect the PDF I got and the PDF I transfer further. Sorry but I do not need the project file.

[Doublonmousse]

I'm gonna refer to #153 (pdf annotation mode) and #1173 (file format).

As of now, pdf import in rnote is a conversion to svg or images without a 100% guarantee that everything stays untouched.

And editing directly on pdf is something to discuss if we do try to implement pdf annotation mode (vs importing the pages inside of the canvas). Though I'm not 100 % convinced every feature would be possible to do (variable stroke width ?) so it may only be possible with a subset of features in the first place. And we need good pdf libraries to read/write to and from the pdf.

Xournalpp has a little more support for pdf annotation, though with the same limitation (an additional .xopp file has to be created and no direct edit of the pdf)

[Mannshoch]

Though I'm not 100 % convinced every feature would be possible to do (variable stroke width ?) so it may only be possible with a subset of features in the first place.

For me I could work with a reduced subset. Annotate a pdf has not the same requirement. In my case: add text, mark text, add an arrow. And this do not have to be super fancy. Optional: remove and rotate page. Ask for save without signature if I try to edit a signed PDF.

[Doublonmousse]

It may not be as simple as that. Let's say adding a blank page for notes is something we'd want in this mode.

Should the added page inherit the limitations of the pdf annotation mode ?

[Mannshoch]

I would preset a limited Annotation Mode, the moment you add a new PDF or switch to a kind of full edit mode rnote may ask if the user whish to create a new file or overwrite the PDF.

May a Question. Could Rnote may save the content of a Rnote projectfile may as hidden meta information inside the PDF?

1. Open PDF
2. Rnote check for embedded rnote project file information.
3. If it exist, it loads the embedded Project file - and may an existing annotation layer created by a third app.
4. on save the PDF get new built and the current Project data get embedded.