Make a scanned PDF searchable in a LaTeX PDF
Add an invisible text layer to scanned pages so you can search and copy them. This works on the PDF LaTeX exported, so you do not need the original file.
How to do it
- 1.Open the PDF exported from LaTeX in MythosPDF.
- 2.Add the scanned PDF.
- 3.Download the searchable PDF.
How LaTeX writes PDFs
- • pdfTeX embeds Type1 fonts such as Computer Modern.
- • Kerning and ligatures are written into each line.
- • Equations are built from many small pieces.
What that means when you make a scanned PDF searchable
- • Body text and headings edit well; kerning is preserved around your change. Equations are best changed in the source and recompiled.
What happens to the rest of the page
- • The scan image is kept as it is; the text layer is added on top.
- • Accuracy depends on scan quality.
Questions people ask
+Does OCR change how the page looks?
No. The text layer is invisible.
+Is it better to edit in LaTeX?
If you have the original LaTeX file and a lot to change, yes. For quick changes to the PDF itself, editing the PDF is faster and keeps it exactly as sent.
Other edits in LaTeX PDFs
Make a scanned PDF searchable in PDFs from
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