build in PDF reader - two columns making trouble

LorettaDI
Working in the build in PDF reader and with pdfs with two columns there is an issue with a) highlighting and b) the order of the annotations.
a) Highlighting over two columns (a quote starting at the bottom of column 1, ending at the top of column 2) - not possible
b) The annotations (when extracted into a file) are sorted according to their place on the page, not in the text, a quote from the top of column 2 will be listed before a quote from the bottom part of column 1 - which is particularly annoying if a) was the case and I had to cut a quote in two.

Is there anyway to deal with this issues I haven't found yet?

Thanks
  • martynas_b Zotero Team
    Normally, Zotero is able to overcome your named issues. Although some PDFs, especially if they were modified after production, have incorrect text flow.

    Could you send an example PDF to support@zotero.org?
  • LorettaDI
    Email send :-)
  • dstillman Zotero Team
    edited May 27, 2021
    We didn't receive an email. Can you try again?
  • LorettaDI
    Weird, but yes, sure, I'll try again.
  • LorettaDI
    Its send ... I hope it'll work this time, there is trouble with the file being too large.
  • LorettaDI
    Hi, same problem, different file, weird behaviour when trying to mark text over two columns. Would it be helpful if I’d send that file too?

  • martynas_b Zotero Team
    At the moment not much we can do about this behaviour, because, as I mentioned earlier, some PDFs have incorrect text flow. I.e. another text like header, footer, notes, etc. is inserted between columns. Some other PDF readers are able to overcome this behaviour, and in future we will improve here as well.
  • LorettaDI
    Thanks for the feedback!
  • manouchk
    An alternative possibility would to find a (possibly free) tool that could allow for correcting the text flow. Highlighting over two columns in pdf file is realy a major problem.
    With mac, it seems they are some options in order to select text of a single column. See: https://ruk.ca/content/selecting-text-columns-pdf-mac
    I don't know if there is a similar option for annotation.
  • samvimes
    I just wanted to report that in the current Zotero 7 Beta, problem b) still remains. I can highlight text spanning two columns, but the annotation list will be wrongly sorted (https://i.imgur.com/1EkTHu8.png - the PDF in question is https://doi.org/10.1177/00224871231160373)
  • bujatt
    Dear Zotero team,

    first of all, thanks for your efforts. I started using Zotero ~2 years ago, and I fell in love. Especially, the Zotero 7 is a significant improved version.

    I found the same problem with 2-column PDF file. When I try to select text, selection appears across columns. This makes highlighting very difficult, and when converting highlights,

    1. File:
    https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/(SICI)1097-0266(199708)18:7<509::AID-SMJ882>3.0.CO;2-Z

    2. Open PDF in Preview (Mac), select text. Selection happens within the column, correctly. This enables me to highlight or copy select properly. See image:

    https://s3.amazonaws.com/zotero.org/images/forums/u12669119/dghvm5snanih5olc3f35.png

    3. Open PDF in Zotero's built-in PDF viewer. Select text. Selection stretches across columns, making highlight improper. See image:
    https://s3.amazonaws.com/zotero.org/images/forums/u12669119/e35jpa4xw2aktvj36yel.png

    4. Convert highlights to notes. I ended up with a quote barely usable. “Another distinct class of approaches empha- learning. Because these fields are often viewed sizes building competitive advantage through cap- as outside the traditional boundaries of strategy, turing entrepreneurial rents stemming from funda- much of this research has not been incorporated mental firm-level efficiency advantages.” ([Teece et al., 1997, p. 510](zotero://select/library/items/6C3FWSQY)) ([pdf](zotero://open-pdf/library/items/5JU4QVLY?page=2&annotation=5G5T2PFE))

    I would appreciate your attention to this issue.

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