How to Work with PDF Files Using ONLYOFFICE Docs in Linux

Linux users who manage PDF files have a wide array of programs at their disposal. Specifically, there are numerous specialized PDF tools designed for various functions.

For instance, you might opt to install a PDF viewer for reading files or a PDF editor to enable modifications like text entry, annotations, or page cropping.

Yet, there's another approach to handling PDF files on Linux. This article will guide you through viewing, editing, and converting PDF files to various formats, as well as creating fillable PDF forms using the office suite – ONLYOFFICE Docs.

What is ONLYOFFICE Docs?

Simply put, ONLYOFFICE Docs is an open-source, self-hosted office suite available as ONLYOFFICE Document Server on GitHub.

It offers various installation methods, allowing easy deployment on your Linux server. You can integrate ONLYOFFICE Docs with cloud storage platforms like Nextcloud, ownCloud, and Seafile, content management systems such as Alfresco and Confluence, e-learning platforms like Moodle and Chamilo, and more. Integration with custom web applications is also possible via API or WOPI.

Like other Linux office suites, ONLYOFFICE Docs supports various office file types including text documents, spreadsheets, and presentations.

However, ONLYOFFICE uniquely offers the creation and editing of fillable forms, a feature not commonly found in other office suites.

Another distinguishing feature of ONLYOFFICE Docs is its high compatibility with Microsoft Office file formats like Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, and PowerPoint presentations, making it an excellent alternative to Microsoft Office on Linux. It also supports other popular formats.

Designed for online collaboration, ONLYOFFICE Docs enables real-time sharing and co-editing of documents, spreadsheets, fillable forms, and presentations. It can be thought of as a self-hosted Google Docs for Linux, offering enhanced privacy and security.

It includes comprehensive collaboration tools such as flexible sharing permissions, version history and control, track changes, document comparison, user mentions, comments, and online communication.

For local editing, a free desktop client is available for Linux, Windows, and macOS, which is easy to install and runs seamlessly across different distros, maintaining the same user interface.

Why Use ONLYOFFICE Docs for PDF Files?

While ONLYOFFICE Docs is primarily designed for office documents, recent updates have improved its PDF compatibility, including PDF editing capabilities.

Using ONLYOFFICE Docs, you can manage both office documents and PDF files within one application, eliminating the need for separate PDF tools, which can be quite convenient.

Let's explore the capabilities of ONLYOFFICE Docs for PDF files.

Editing PDF Files

Since version 8.0, ONLYOFFICE Docs has included a comprehensive PDF editor that not only allows viewing and annotating PDFs but also enables content editing and page management.

Here's a brief overview of the main PDF editing features.

To begin editing, you must switch to Editing mode as ONLYOFFICE PDF Editor defaults to Viewing mode, which prevents modifications.

The Viewing mode safeguards your files from unintended changes. To edit, simply switch to Editing mode by clicking the respective button in the top right corner.

In Editing mode, you can annotate PDFs with comments, highlight text, underline, or strike through text. You can also use the Pen and Highlighter tools to draw shapes and utilize the Eraser tool to remove unwanted drawings.

For text editing in PDFs, ONLYOFFICE PDF Editor allows you to modify text, add objects like images, text boxes, tables, equations, and shapes, and adjust their properties.

You can also manage PDF pages by adding, deleting, or rotating them using tools found on the Home tab.

When collaborating on the same PDF file, you can communicate via the built-in chat. While collaborative PDF editing isn't yet available, it's planned for future updates.

Additionally, while editing PDFs, you can utilize ONLYOFFICE plugins like Telegram for text messaging, Jitsi for video conferencing, and Deepl for online translation, alongside alternatives such as Google Translate or Apertium.

Saving Office Files as PDF

ONLYOFFICE Docs enables you to save text documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and fillable forms as PDF or PDF/A files. PDF/A is an ISO-standardized format designed for long-term electronic document preservation.

To save an office file as a PDF in ONLYOFFICE Docs, open the file, navigate to the File tab, and select either:

• Download as…
• Save Copy as…

The first option saves the PDF version to your computer. The second option creates a PDF copy in your file storage. Choose your preferred method and select the PDF or PDF/A icon.

Viewing PDF Files

ONLYOFFICE Docs can also serve as a quick and efficient PDF viewer. The integrated viewer allows you to open and navigate PDF files, with a thumbnail pane displaying miniatures of all pages for easy access.

The navigation pane facilitates quick access to the PDF content. You can enter a page number in the bottom left corner to jump directly to it.

The Select tool lets you copy text and graphics from PDF files, while the Hand tool enables browsing. You can switch between these tools in the bottom right corner.

Additional features include downloading, printing, and zoom adjustment for enhanced PDF viewing. For night reading, you can switch to Dark Mode.

Converting PDF Files to DOCX and Other Formats

ONLYOFFICE Docs acts as a converter, allowing you to open a PDF file and convert it to formats like DOCX for editing. Other conversion options include ODT, TXT, DOTX, OTT, RTF, HTML, FB2, and EPUB.

To convert, open the File tab and select either Download as.. or Save Copy as… depending on your preference.

Creating Fillable PDF Forms

With ONLYOFFICE Docs, you can transform PDF files into fillable forms or create them from scratch. These forms, akin to MS Office content controls but with Adobe Forms settings, allow online filling and are compatible with other PDF editors.

You can add various fields such as:

• Text fields;
• Combo boxes,
• Drop-down lists,
• Images,
• Checkboxes,
• Radio buttons.
• Complex fields.
• Email address.
• Phone number and more.

Each field's properties can be customized. For example, with a text field, you can change its border and background colors, set it as required, limit character entry, or add a comb of characters.

In ONLYOFFICE Docs, you can start with a blank form template or convert a Word file into an editable DOCXF template. After configuring the interactive fields, you can save the template as an interactive PDF file for sharing.

For more detailed instructions on creating fillable PDF files in ONLYOFFICE, consult our guide.

If you're ready to experiment with ONLYOFFICE Docs for document editing and collaboration, visit the official website or follow our detailed installation guide.

Conclusion

As demonstrated, managing PDF files on Linux doesn't always necessitate specialized tools. Many essential functions can be performed using an office suite like ONLYOFFICE Docs.

The only downside to this method is that ONLYOFFICE Docs lacks the advanced PDF editing tools found in some popular Linux PDF programs. Nonetheless, it's a solid choice for handling various office documents while offering satisfactory PDF editing features.

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