PDF annotation mode

[raqbit]

Is your feature request related to a problem? Please describe.

I recently got myself a Wacom tablet and I'm looking around for software to both write notes and annotate PDFs, for which both RNote appears to be a great fit. One thing I was missing (or could not figure out how to do), was how to open up a PDF, scribble on it and save the PDF again, without any canvas around the PDF.

Describe the solution you'd like
It would be great if RNote could provide a "PDF annotation" mode, which would open the PDF and limit the canvas to be exactly and only the PDF. The page size could be adjusted to be the same size as the PDF, allowing the pages of the PDF export to be aligned with the original PDF.

Describe alternatives you've considered
By setting my canvas expand mode to "endless vertical", configuring PDF import width to 100% & importing the PDF I could sort-of get it to work, but the PDF would always be somewhat offset from the top left. Exporting this as PDF would also result in page boundaries midway through PDF pages, empty pages & a visible canvas behind the PDF.

Additional context
Xournal++ provides such a "PDF annotation" mode from the file menu, which does exactly this. It also appears to be layering the drawings on top of the original PDF (including text, etc.) instead of adding the PDF in as images (which I think is what rnote is doing (?)), but that would be another feature request.

[ViniciusGiroto]

This is the main reason why I don't use rnote as my main note taking app. I would love to see this feature being implemented.

[TeiVDK]

May I ask why you decided against using Xournal++ and instead want to use Rnote?

[raqbit]

May I ask why you decided against using Xournal++ and instead want to use Rnote?

I haven't, I'm still experimenting with both and trying to figure out which fits my use-cases best. RNote is an interesting new development in this space and thus I'd like to support its development by giving feedback on features I am missing.

[Kreijstal]

May I ask why you decided against using Xournal++ and instead want to use Rnote?

in my experience xournal lags as in mouse/pet input goes in -> 3 seconds later it starts drawing, and just has so many tiny issues. rnote feels like finally there is a good opensource note taking app!
you can't change pen size to a numeric value in xournal..

this is for me almost a deal-breaker.

Of course xournal++ has been around for longer so it has goodies such as being able to put this "notebook" background, and writing over pdfs.

[studied-sermon-gender]

Hey, I don't know if you've already made any thought about how to design this, but I would personally suggest something like Xournal++ implements it. So the PDF pages being locked to a rnote page.

This would also need a new document type, which I would suggest to be again similar to Xournal++, with multiple pages. So something like continuous vertical but with fixed pages instead of dynamic ones. You would be able to add and remove individual pages. This would result in something between the continuous vertical and the fixed size layout.

Edit: I just realized this already exist, I never noticed the button to add a page in the fixed size layout.
I also thought about another feature in the fixed sized laybot, where it is possible to have different ways of arranging pages, so like in two columns (again like Xournal++) or horizontally. This would't be a new document type, but instead the individual pages of the fixed size mode get rearranged.

What do y'all think about this?

[shetozz]

If I may add some suggestions to this feature request.

Having support for different sizes of pages will be a plus as for now if you open a PDF file that has one page larger than the others, this page will get replaced with a plank area.
I think making the PDF viewer its own thing away from the canvas will solve this problem.

Adding invert color mode, and making the floating toolbars de-float in full screen, makes it easier to focus on reading.

[mizhozan]

As someone doing many paper annotations, I do not use Rnote for light annotations like markups/highlights. For that, tons of other software do the job much better as they support standard PDF annotation (e.g. Okular and Adobe). However, reading a paper with a digital pen (e.g., Wacom) means more power/creativity/discussion. Limiting the space to the PDF page size is a downgraded experience. This happens in the Xournal++, and I do some weird maneuvers to get around it (e.g., export page/import page or add an extra page that breaks the paper flow). It's OK to have the option, but the Xournal++ way is just a nonsensical limitation that beats the purpose of these apps! They're not meant to be next Okular or next Adobe. These apps could be: GoodNotes, Flexcil, LiquidText, OneNote, and Notability but for Desktop. Instead of the Xournal++ approach, just having good PDF/SVG import and aligning and fitting the canvas size with imported (like Inkscape) addresses those who want this. Still, I think it's a pity if Rnote follows Xournal++ here.

I want them along with a Wacom tablet for their power and that power/creativity needs:

1. Extra space (as you note, as you wish)
2. Excellent import/export capabilities. You can not imagine what you can do by having reliable PDF/SVG/raster import/export what you can achieve all almost free of charge just by versatile import/export. Rnote can not only replace Okular and extends heavy annotation but also:
   • Presentation (we need a digital laser) like Prezi or impress.js (just not 3D)
   • Scientific drawing (like draw.io), or use it with Tikz (Programming+Drawing)
   • Digital Whiteboard with importing math (via TeX2SVG)
3. Being able to move things around, duplicate and align
4. Canvas/Page options to resize, have a background, etc. for example here one may press a button that fits the canvas to the PDF page.
5. Good Note-taking capabilities such as supporting digital pen, shape recognition, etc.
6. Better text support (e.g., Markdown?)
7. Just 2, but extra multimedia support like recorded sound, gifs, etc.
8. Much better zoom (faster and follow the mouse), this helps to mimic many of those complaints that want Rnote to basically for read PDFs. I personally read PDF with something else and use Rnote for what it meant to be: Taking note. But having better zoom seem to be helpful here.

My flow is the extensive notes, usually on the right side of the PDF. I need and want it to add space for further notes, discussion, even further discussion on the previous discussion, etc. So it's like putting the paper on a big whiteboard and extending your discussions in different directions.

TLDR; Being next Okular/Acrobat is not a good direction, I think. Rnote ideally can act like a digital canvas with excellent digital pen capabilities, import various formats (raster, PDF, SVG, multimedia?), and can move around and duplicate objects. The original request can also be covered under this paradigm by having the capability to resize the canvas and with some aligning tools or fit page tool plus faster, follow the mouse zoom. Here is one of my latest use cases; it can not be done seamlessly with Xournal++/Okular/PDFexpert/etc.

[latenightdef]

What if we open a PDF in a mode similar to Xournal++ by default, but allowing it to turn into an infinite canvas later? This would be beneficial to us university students needing to write on assignments that needs to submitted back to the same person that created the PDF file.

Also, I (personally) prefer the smoothness of Rnote on my Linux laptop, compared to other similar apps on the same platform.

Edit: typo

[mizhozan]

What if we open a PDF in a mode similar to Xournal++ by default, but allowing it to turn into an infinite canvas later? This would be beneficial to us university students needing to write on assignments that needs to submitted back to the same person that created the PDF file.

I think it might be easier to have a functionality like 'fit to content' in Inkscape. So when user press that, the canvas fits the pdf page size and it basically the same thing as Xournal++ PDF mode while not having its drawbacks.

[LeSnake04]

An useful option IMO for this is the option to reference the pdfs instead of copying them to avoid performance issues on big pdfs (But it should be optional to avoid breaking documents regularly).

But this might be more work than its worth.

[PhilDevProg]

A possible implementation could be to use the PDF as the background instead of importing it as an object. The parts of the page that are not covered by the PDF would just display the default background (lines/...) and if the page doesn't fit the PDF, it's format would get changed until it fits (if the user is using fixed size or infinite vertical document layout).

[LeSnake04]

A possible implementation could be to use the PDF as the background instead of importing it as an object. The parts of the page that are not covered by the PDF would just display the default background (lines/...) and if the page doesn't fit the PDF, it's format would get changed until it fits (if the user is using fixed size or infinite vertical document layout).

Xournal++ proves this is probably the best solution. Selecting and moving it should make it snap to the page with the cursor.