How To Make Your PDF Forms Into Fill-able Word Docs

Further details on the upcoming Acrobat 9 have been rising to the surface. And highlighted among the rumoured additions is integration with a new forms data-tracking service.The feature will give companies and PDF form creators an efficient way of handling the inputted data they collect.

Yet, as a user who fills those PDF forms out, you may be concerned with a simpler, more fundamental issue: can you transform those PDF forms into fill-able Word Documents?

The Investintech answer is yes. If you have a native PDF containing genuine PDF form elements (radio buttons, checkboxes, text fields, etc.), all our PDF conversion products (Able2Doc and Able2Extract in either Standard or Professional versions) can convert the PDF form to editable Word Documents.

Here’s how:

1. Open Able2Extract or Able2Doc.
2. Open your PDF form.
3. Select the PDF form pages or content you wish to convert.
4. Click on the Word conversion icon in the toolbar.
5. When the Convert to Word dialogue box appears, click on Forms. (Note: Unlike the other conversion options where you can choose either Text or RTF outputs, the Forms option will convert to the Word format by default.

Forms and Dialogue Box Able2Extract

6. Select your target directory and Save your file.

In sum, this conversion should allow you to click and type within your Word form with the ability to save the inputted data afterwards.

It may seem counter-intuitive to do a PDF Form to Word conversion with newer PDF form, Reader and Acrobat functionalities coming out. However, if you can’t save your data in the PDF form itself, are sending it to someone without Adobe software, or have a static PDF Form, converting your PDF form to Word may be the solution you need.

How To Animate Your PDF Content | PDF to GIF

When you want to convert your PDF content, you want it coming out clean and crisp, as accurate as the original file. Yet, imagine for a moment, the possibility that your converted content can turn out better than the original.

Thus, being able to do something like animate static content is definitely a plus. Able2Extract has the ability to do this with its support for PDF to GIF conversion.

Alongside the usual image conversion options, Able2Extract has a Multipage image option available for image conversions. This can be used to animate static images by animating them in a way similar to how a flipbook animates hand drawn pictures.

To animate your static PDF images, follow these steps:

1) Open your PDF or XPS document that contains a multipage image in Able2Extract.

2) Select the page, pages or a page range of your multipage image.

3) Click on the image conversion icon in the toolbar.

4 ) In the image conversion dialogue box, select GIF. The GIF conversion options should then be highlighted and accessible.

5) Put a check mark in the Multipage image option.

PDF to GIF

6)The next GIF option you need to set is the GIF Animation Speed. Select how fast or slow you want your animation to occur in terms of seconds per page.

7) There is a Black and White color conversion option available as well if you want to color convert your image.

8 ) Choose your image scaling and DPI resolution preferences.

9) Select the Destination directory where you want to save your file.

10) Then click OK to convert.

How To Convert RSS Feeds To PDF

As computer users, we’ve become overly concerned with turning paper work into digital files that we sometimes forget that there are documents and written content that have never been paper to begin with.

For instance, the RSS feeds you check in with on a daily basis, although treated and read like newspapers, were never meant to be made into newspapers. Or were they?

Whether its Computerworld, TechCrunch, Reuters, or the Investintech blog you subscribe to, as long as it has an RSS feed, FeedJournal can turn it into your own personalized PDF newspaper.

It may sound a bit counter-intuitive, but if you’re simply nostalgic for old school newspaper columns, or just can’t sit down and relax with the morning “laptop” to read your favourite subscriptions, then it’s a site worth checking out. Here’s a quick overview. There are two versions of FeedJournal to choose from—FeedJournal Reader and FeedJournal Publisher.

After creating a free account with FeedJournal Reader, you can submit the link of any valid RSS, RDF or Atom Feed to your Feed management page. Once the RSS feed is added, you get to select which feeds and which postings you want to publish.
Journal Feed

If you’re looking to create a newspaper of your own content, you can do that as well with a FeedJournal Publisher account (for a monthly subscription). As an author, you can publish your content with each new posting as a separate story, divide PDF articles into sections and even brand your PDF newspaper with your company logo, header and copyright information. FeedJournal also offers a widget to add to your site, creating a thumbnail view for users that hotlinks to the full PDF file. You can even update your PDF newspaper with your latest postings so users get the most updated content.

Made for hard copy or not, RSS content is just a bit more accessible now. You can check out more details on this at the FeedJournal site.

How To Convert XPS Documents

XPS LogoWhile Adobe AIR was being released to the public a week ago, Microsoft was also busy with the BRM (Ballot Resolution Meeting) for OOXML. Nothing official was published or decided as the BRM concluded in controversy.

However, with OOXML in the spotlight, XPS is still in the wings.

The XPS format, submitted to ecma International in 2007, is still in review for its own standardization. The format is based on the same Open Packaging Conventions as the Office 2007 OOXML formats–OOXML formats users are currently trying to deal with.

Now, while you might have the .docx and .doc compatibility issue covered by now, are you prepared to handle .xps compatibility issues as well?

XPS documents are like the PDF–in order to work with XPS content, you need to convert it.

If you already have Able2Extract, you have both an XPS viewer and converter in one. To convert your XPS document, follow these steps:

1) Open your XPS file in Able2Extract, or Able2Extract Pro for scanned XPS files

2) Select and highlight the content you need to convert

3) In the toolbar, click on the format icon you need to convert to (Word, Excel, Powerpoint, HTML, TXT, etc.)

4) Save your file in the Save As dialogue box

Luckily, converting from XPS to other formats isn’t so different from converting regular PDF files. You can check out more on XPS conversion at our XPS Central homepage.

100 + Resources To Solve Your MS Word Problems

You’ve heard of MS Word. You’ve used MS Word. And you’ve experienced all there is to experience with MS Word.

But have you really?

Here’s a smorgasbord of 101 tips, tutorials, desktop and online alternatives, books, communities, tools (*inhale*) developer and tech resources, converters, experts, forums, blogs, and miscellaneous–but related, MS Word resources at your fingertips (*exhale*).

Brace yourself.

Tips, Tricks & Tutorials

Looking to improve your MS Word proficiency? This list has all the tips and tutorials you’ll ever need.

1.About.com

There’s no other way to start than by doing what this article says: “jump in!”

2.MS Word Help Homepage

The number one resource on the processing app itself–Microsoft.com.

3.Allen Wyatt’s Word Tips

A great site with resources on any given Word topic and version starting from Word ‘97 to Word ‘07. This site can update you regularly with RSS feeds.

4.Skilledup

A resource for any version of MS Word that you may have.

5.Keyboard Shortcuts

A quick list of handy keyboard shortcuts for MS Word from Helpwithpcs.com.

6. 20 Most Used Keyboard Shortcuts

Another shortcut list to supplement the one above.

7.Word 2007

A site dedicated to scrounging up the latest Word 2007 tips and tricks on editing, graphics, tables, references and formatting.

8.Word07.com

Word07.com is focused on tutorials that show you around Word 2007 and how to use it efficiently.

9.MS tips & tricks

A good starting point for all MS Word beginners looking to bump up their Word proficiency. This site has all your basics covered, from creating documents and formatting to sorting information and working with macros.

10.Computerworld

A quick and handy MS cheat sheet to help you navigate around the new Interface.

11.Indispensable MS Word Tips

From TechRepublic, these 10 MS Word tips are helpful pointers  you work around the text in your document.

12.Webaim.org

Here are some tips and how-to’s on making your Word Docs accessible.

13.Bettersolutions.com

This resource for Word functions and features provides help on page layout, AutoFormat, templates built-in wizards, toolbars & menus, and even SmartTags and SharePoint.

14.TeachUcomp, Inc.

TeachUcomp, Inc. has provided classroom-style instruction in over 85 different classes. Check out theirtutorial package covering every aspect of MS Word possible.

15.Word for Mac training

Offered by Lynda.com, these tutorials and training videos will increase your Word proficiency on Mac OS.

16.Introduction to Microsoft Word 2007

For any that are interested in a basic introcution to MS Word 2007,  this slide deck offers a quick look at the functions and features of MS Word 2007 and how to use them.

Online Alternatives

No MS Word? Try out an online word processing app as a substitute. Most of these sites are free, but require that you sign up for an account.

17.Google Docs

A popular online word processing application integrated with all the Google frills.

18.Zoho Writer

With Zoho Writer you can view, edit and save documents online. Import and export a number of formats and even publish or share your files online with others.

19. Xodo DOCX Editor  

Xodo allows you to easily upload, view, and edit your Word files right in your browser.

20.Glide

An online OS space that also includes useful tools, storage space and creation apps, such as Glide Write.

21.OpenOffice-Online

Open Office Online is helping to bring another desktop word processing alternative to the web.

22.OnlyOffice

A word processing application that will cost you a bit after the free 30-day trial, but the quality of the cloud version of OnlyOffice is worth it.

23.MS Word Online 

Here’s the online version of Microsoft Word. All you need is a Microsoft account to get started for free.

24.Writer

This web app works within your browser. It’s a no non-sense word processor that gives you a distraction-free writing zone to focus on your writing.

25.WebWriter

Like most of the online suites here, Peepel takes a collaborative online approach, but also uses RSS Feeds with its word processing app WebWriter to keep you on track with the changes made to your documents.

26.WPS

Compatible with Microsoft Office and Google Docs, WPS lets you view, edit and generate word documents for free.

27.ZCubes

“ZCubes is your web Kaleidoscope that handles over 50 file-formats and works on over 20 different operating systems and platforms. Work, play, research, create, think, browse, organize, and have fun with ZCubes. Loaded with an incredible 2000+ features, your creativity may be your only limitation!”– see it in action for yourself.

28.Awin

Awin are affiliate marketers that help you generate revenue from your own published documents with link ads.

29. LibreOffice Writer

LibreOffice Writer is a modern and powerful word processing and desktop publishing tool. Choose and apply the fonts that you wish, set styles for every part of your document, and type more freely as Autocomplete generates any commonly-used words and phrases.

Desktop Alternatives

If you experience technical difficulties with Word, there are a number of other word processing applications that work just as well. Most of these word applications are also packaged in productivity suites like MS Office.

30.Writer

Writer is the word processing component of Open Office.org 2.3 that saves your work in the ISO standard ODF format.

31.Abiword

A GNOME-related project, Abiword is a fully cross-platform word processor.

32.Jarte

Highlight: Jarte is completely compatible with Windows Vista, and can support MS .docx files.

33.StarWriter

The word processing application from theStar Office 8 Productivity Suite that lets you create, convert and collaborate your documents.

34.IBM Connections Docs

An office productivity suite from IBM that lets you collaborate around documents in real time with support for MS Word .  

35.Corel Word Perfect X3 (Standard Edition 2007)

A full-fledged word processor that comes with the Corel Word Perfect X3 Office Suite.

36.Ability Write v.4

The word processing application from the Ability Office Suite. Advanced features for version 4 include PDF creation, formatting options, drag and drop editing and spell checker. It also has full Word doc importing abilities.

37.MarinerSoftware

MarinerSoftware has a diverse selection of word processing software for bloggers, writers, podcasters, and screenwriters for both Mac and Windows.

38.PagePlus X2

A great desktop publishing suite from Serif that’s compatible with Vista. It has everything you need to work with personalizing templates, editing graphics, and creating PDF slideshows.

39.Atlantis Word Processor

With Atlantis, you can create both simple and very complex layouts and give your documents any fresh look you desire. Atlantis also has all the necessary features and options to help you create basic or highly professional structured documents.

 Books

Mastering MS Word is a big task. Hard copy resources can help cut that task down. Included with the titles are some user reviews to give you a sneak peek inside.

40.Microsoft Office Word 2003 Quick Steps by Martin S. Matthews (Author), John Cronan (Author), Lisa McCoy (Author)

A quote from the book’s description: “Follow along and learn to format text, add graphics, use templates, track and merge comments, create mailing labels. . . .”

41.Word 2003 Bible by David Angell (Author), Peter Kent (Author),Brent Heslop (Editor)

One highlight of this book: “I especially like the fact that it is the only book I have found that addresses the subject of field codes in some depth.”

42.Access 2007 VBA Bible: for Data-Centric Microsoft Office Applications by Helen Feddema (Author)

Learn to write Visual Basic code and put together powerful solutions.

43.MS Office 2007 For Dummies by Peter Weverka (Author)

Everyone’s heard of the popular “Dummies” series. If you haven’t, here’s one user review: “Writing is clear and logical. The Index and the logical organization of chapters make it easy to locate any information needed easily.”

44.Office 2007: The Missing Manual by Chris Grover (Author), Matthew MacDonald (Author), E. Vander Veer (Author)

Here’s a source to help with you with the look and feel of MS Word alongside the other Office apps. As one user puts it, the book “Focus[es] heavily on not just the use of the apps but the difference with the “ribbon” changes of the 2007 versions.”

45.Word Hacks: Tips & Tools for Taming Your Text by Andrew Savikas

What’s inside: “time-saving hacks on taming document bloat, complex search and replace, Tables of Contents and indexes, importing and exporting files, tables and comments, and even using Google as a dictionary!”

46.Using Office Home and Student 2007 (Special Edition ) by Ed Bott (Author), Woody Leonhard

A manual for more than just Word.

Communities, Blogs, Forums

It can be hard to maneuver and learn everything there is to learn without the right support system. This list of community sites, blogs and forums will get you in touch with other MS Word users.

47.The Official Microsoft Blog

The Official Microsoft blog where you can find posts that affect not only Word, but Microsoft in general. Find out what’s going on from a broader perspective.

48. Office Blogs

Linked is the homepage for Microsoft’s Office Blogs. Find posts on MS Word plus other applications of the Office suite.

49.Blogtoplist.com

Blogtoplist.com is a handy website to bookmark where you can find blog postings specifically devoted to MS Word.

50.Cnet.com

You might also want to try out the Cnet.com forums on MS Office and Word.

51.Tek-tips Forums

This is a tech forum where you can ask your questions on MS Word, talk to other members, and get notifications on any responses posted to your questions.

52.Ask Woody Forum

You can click through to the Woody Lounge area via AskWoody.com, a site created by MS Office manual writer and expert, Woody Leonhard. With a number of topics and over 20, 000 loungers, this forum is one of the best resources on MS Office and Word.

53.The New Paperclip

The Office Paperclip has a blog! A fun easy-to-read site with lots of tips and tricks for Word 2007.

54.Word Community

Here you can find links to communities for Word 2007 and 2003 users. The Word community space not only acts as a way to contact other Word users, it also acts as a learning resource with links to demos, training, question forms, webcasts and more.

Word Tools

Sometimes your Word experience is only as good as the tools you use. Here’s a listing of diverse tools that can enhance your Word user experience.

55.Word Viewer

This is the most basic tool needed to interact with Word Docs. It will allow you to open and view Word Docs in Read Only mode.

56.MS Word Mobile

Open, view, and edit documents while on the go. This plug in is compatible with the latest 2007 version.

57.MS Word Templates

If you need templates, this webpage has all the templates you could ever need.

58.Blog Directly From Word

Looking to publish from Word to your blog? Then check out this tutorial. It will show you how to publish blog posts directly from MS Word to your WordPress oaccount. Other options like Blogger , SharePoint, and Typepad are also possible with this method.

59.Document Cleaner

Document Cleaner is a collection of different tools used for files that have been poorly formatted during its translation. It provides several features to help you process with this badly Word documents.

60.Recovery Toolbox for Word

If you have corrupted data in your Word Docs and templates, check out this data repair tool.

61.AbleBits

Checking each and every individual link in your documents can be tedious. This tool from Ablebits makes it easier by removing the broken links for you.

62.Equation Editor for MS Word

Need to write an equation in MS Word, you can find the Equation Editor here to get started.

63.KuTools

An add-in that expands upon existing MS Word functionalities you always wish you had. Speed up the most common tasks from every section of the Ribbon.

64.Accent WORD Password Recovery

It’s great coming up with that picture perfect, impenetrable password. But being unable to access your own docs because of it, isn’t. Compatible with Windows 95/98/ME/NT/XP/Vista and 2000, Accent WORD helps to recover all your Word passwords.

65.Textanz

Now there are tools such as this one (by Cro-Code) that focus on helping you craft eloquent prose in your documents. This tool keeps track of word frequencies and repetitive phrases for you as you write.

66.Remove Hidden Data 

This tip from Microsoft.com shows you how to delete any hidden data that are added to your documents, whether from comments or tracked changes.

67.MS Word Translation Tool

Wordfast from ProZ.com is an essential tool that makes translating Word documents easier for the translator.

68.EndNote Templates

Need help managing and citing references with EndNote? Here’s a handy list of bibliographic templates for use with EndNote 6 and higher with MS Word.

69.Business Templates and Images

HP has a great resource of templates for your business brochures, flyers and newsletters. These templates are specifically for MS Word.

MS Word Document Converters

MS Word content is always needed in another format no matter how “widely used??? the Office Suite is. So a separate category on Word converters seemed appropriate.

70.Online Conversion

Convert all your documents to MS Word without buying or downloading any software with ACI’s Online Conversion Service.

71.Open XML/ODF Translater Add-ins for Office

Have the best of both formats by using this translator from sourceforge.net.

72.WordtoHTML

A simple Word to HTML converter for converting to webpages.

73.Save as PDF plug in

The most talked about plug in for PDF creation functionality right within MS Word 2007.

74.Easy MS Document Word Conversion

The Convert PDF to Word website is focused primarily on accessing and extracting PDF data into MS Word documents. Upload from your computer or popular cl

75. Free Online PDF Creator

Create PDFs from Word documents with the same ease as Acrobat, but without the price.

76.Able2Extract Professional

A PDF to Word converter with a lot more options and features than your regular document converter. Convert native and scanned PDF.

Word Experts

When manuals, tips and tutorials can’t help, contacting the right Word experts might. Or, perhaps you’re a Word expert yourself, looking to do the helping. In either case, have a try at the following websites.

77.JustAnswer

JustAnswer.com is a site where you can just about any question on any topic. Why not MS Word?

78.Microsoft Office Specialist

If you’re looking to become a certified MS Word expert yourself, MS gives you the 411 on how to get certified.

79.Experts Exchange

Quick responses, an original source of tech information, unlimited access to IT experts and 1000 zones of interest–one being MS Word.Although this forum will cost you, they have a free trial option available.

80.UpWork (Former oDesk)

Looking for a community of freelance tech experts? Looking to freelance your own MS Word skills? UpWork is the site to check out.

81.PrestoExperts

Get in touch with an MS word expert with credentials and experience. The PresetoExperts “live person” community lets you choose the MS word expert that gets to answer your question.

82.Word MVP Site

This site links you to a roster of specialized Word experts. This community is full of knowledgeable volunteers helping MS Word users because they want to.

Technical & Developer Resources

Taking your MS Word knowledge to the highest level can be overwhelming without the right developer and tech resources. Here’s a starting list of basic resources for developing with MS Word.

83.MSDN Magazine

If you’re looking to create your own ribbon customizations, here’s an article to help get you started.

84. Word Developer Center

A good place to start when developing for Word is the MSDN Word Developer Portal. It has the resources needed to develop, build, and deploy Word-based solutions.

85.MS Office Word 2007 Developer Reference

From MSDN, here’s an essential quick link to detailed information you’ll need before you start developing your own Word based solutions.

86.Office Open XML Formats Architecture Guide

Linked here is a webpage with information on Microsoft’s new OOXML format.

87.XML in Office Community

This webpage has it all when it comes to Word and XML: blogs, videos, new groups, user groups and top rated articles, downloads and tutorials.

88.Manipulating Word 2007 Files with the Open XML Object Model

A detailed 3 part article for advanced developers on Word 2007 files and OOXML from the MSDN library.

MS Word Technology

Is MS Word interoperability important to you? Of course, it is. And it’s the raison d’etre for this next list.

89.Office 2008 For Mac

With Office Word 2008 for Mac just released, you’ll need a resource of help. Just click here.

90.Open Office for MS Word users

Different apps have different key functions. How do you know what’s what from one application to the next? This page has a listing of MS Word 2003 functionality and their equivalent in Open Office.

91.Crossover Linux

Not satisfied with a Windows OS, but love the apps? Crossover Linux is a support system software that lets you get those familiar MS applications on the Linux OS.

92. CDEV Computing

This company specializes in templates and macros for MS Word. They offer custom Word Document services and even free Word utilities.

93.MS Word Solutions Directory

Everyone’s looking for a Word based solution, but not everyone knows where to look. Start here. Linked is the homepage for Word solutions from Microsoft Office’s Developer Network.

94.Syncfusion

Just one resource for .NET developers looking to integrate Word document creation and functionality within their applications.

 Miscellaneous

And last but not least, is the miscellaneous category where you can find a mish-mash of MS Word related resources.

95.Writeroom

A simple, stripped down text writer for Mac. You can also download the Darkroom Windows version for the .NET frameworkand the jDarkRoom Java version .

96.Qjot v.5.8

A portable WordPad replacement that can literally fit in the palm of your hand like a real pad. Qjot’s 900kb size means that it can fit on any portable USB key!

97.MS Word 2007 Introduction Quick Reference Guide (Cheat Sheet of Instructions, Tips & Shortcuts – Laminated) by Beezix Inc.(Author)

A handy resource right at your fingertips– and under 5 bucks.

98.MouseTrax

Just for interest’s sake, here a few utilities developed by MVP, Greg Chapman, for MS Word.

99.Word Perfect to Word

An article worth taking a look at if you need to import WordPerfect Files into Microsoft Word.

100.iOrganize

The iTunes for organizing all your notes and ideas.

101.Google Notebook

If you’re online and need to jot down a few things–reminders, ideas, some contact information, or even a few lines of poetry, try out Google Notebook.

Now that you’ve got 101 links to explore and get better acquainted with, you can honestly say that you really know MS Word.