Editing a Pages document?

[Big Stevie]

Looking for advice please on how to edit a document I have received as an attachment to an email (Mail).

The document is an application form that I have to fill in, and my MacBook opens is in Pages. Clicking on the document doesn't place the cursor anywhere for me to type onto the form or edit it.

Is there a way I can do this without having to print is off an fill in by hand please?

 

[Weaselboy]

Try opening it using the Preview app.

 

[Big Stevie]

Thanks for the suggestion, sadly this didn't work

 

[Weaselboy]

What is the file extension of the document?

 

[Big Stevie]

What is the file extension of the document?

It's .doc (if that's what you meant?)

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

1. If you can put the Open Pages Document in (File menu) Page Layout mode, you can then draw text boxes where you want text and it will fill right in where you want it.

2. If you can't easily format the Word .doc into a Page Layout mode Pages doc, print the Word .doc as a PDF file and then insert the PDF version into a Pages Page Layout page. Then lay text boxes on top of it where you want text to go and type it right where you want it.

3. You could also draw text boxes on the NON-page layout (regular Word Processing) page and then choose to make those text boxes "stay on page" and "none" (text wrap) so they can be anywhere on top of the Word doc page...

 

[MacGizmo]

I hate when people/companies automatically assume that using the underscore character to make a line means that it magically becomes a fillable form element.

Saving the .doc file as a PDF and opening it in Adobe Acrobat Pro, and clicking the Create Form button would likely turn those lines into fillable form fields... but Acrobat Pro isn't free or even cheap.

I think @HobeSoundDarryl has the quickest/easiest solution, which is to accept the situation as is and just add your own text boxes where you need them.

 

[Fishrrman]

How I would handle it:

IF the document opens in Preview (OP said it does), do so.

Now go to the "tools" menu and choose "annotate --> text".

A text "box" should appear, though probably not where you want it...
... so, drag it to where you want and enter into that "space".

You can change the font, size, etc.

When you're done with that text space -- repeat the process again, and again, until the form is filled out. You can "adjust" the text boxes with the arrow keys, to get things lined up properly.

Save it, print it, etc.

This IS NOT particularly fast nor is it smooth. Sometimes it can be downright clunky.

BUT... it gets the job done.

I use this technique to fill out tax forms, etc.
Just used it yesterday to fill out a form for a health care procedure reimbursement.

 

[Big Stevie]

How I would handle it:

IF the document opens in Preview (OP said it does), do so.

Now go to the "tools" menu and choose "annotate --> text".

A text "box" should appear, though probably not where you want it...
... so, drag it to where you want and enter into that "space".

You can change the font, size, etc.

When you're done with that text space -- repeat the process again, and again, until the form is filled out. You can "adjust" the text boxes with the arrow keys, to get things lined up properly.

Save it, print it, etc.

This IS NOT particularly fast nor is it smooth. Sometimes it can be downright clunky.

BUT... it gets the job done.

I use this technique to fill out tax forms, etc.
Just used it yesterday to fill out a form for a health care procedure reimbursement.

Thank you, but for some reason it wont let me select 'Text' as it's greyed out..

 

[NoBoMac]

WAG here... maybe has read-only set on it?

Supposedly should be able to open it in Pages. I created one via LibreOffice and Pages was able to open it no problem. To take the extra step, open it in Pages and then make a copy via File > Duplicate: edit/save that one.

LibreOffice respects the read-only on the source, but allows edits on clones/copies made via the program. Basically what Microsoft says in their documentation (original is safe, copy from Word strips read-only).

2. If you can't easily format the Word .doc into a Page Layout mode Pages doc, print the Word .doc as a PDF file and then insert the PDF version into a Pages Page Layout page. Then lay text boxes on top of it where you want text to go and type it right where you want it.

This. Sort of. Just print the form as a PDF, open in Preview, then do the text boxes thing.

I do this all the time with PDFs I get that need to be filled out. Might take as much or longer time vs using a pen, but can change text size to fit in more info, make corrections, much neater than my chicken scratch penmanship.

 

[Digital Dude]

It’s been a while since I owned a Mac but I used Acrobat Pro or similar software. Now that I use an iPad, I rely on PDF Expert, and it works pretty darn well.

 

[ab22]

Pages can add text boxes on top of existing documents too.

Click the Text button or Insert menu - Text Box; then change Format - Arrange - Text Wrap to None so it can be moved around without re-flowing background.

Hold Command when dragging to place it exactly where you like.

 

[NoBoMac]

Been ages since I tried Adobe, so downloaded Reader and gave it a spin on some PDF forms I need to fill out.

Works better than Preview to fill out a PDF form when it was not setup to be a true form. Seems to still be a resource hog so don't anticipate using it over Preview for most of my usual PDF handling.

 

[Big Stevie]

Pages can add text boxes on top of existing documents too.

Click the Text button or Insert menu - Text Box; then change Format - Arrange - Text Wrap to None so it can be moved around without re-flowing background.

Hold Command when dragging to place it exactly where you like.

Thanks, this worked. On a large application form it can be time consuming creating and positioning all the text boxes, but at least I can now do it. Thank you.