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ohla313

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Apr 24, 2010
778
0
I have to fill out a W-9 form for my job and I was sent a pdf. I have my digital signature set up but have no idea how I can import it into the w-9 form through preview. any ideas? :confused:
 
I don't think you can do that with Preview. You might be better off printing it out, signing it, scanning it, and emailing it back or using an image editing program to add the signature to the pdf layer and exporting it as an image or pdf.
 
I have to fill out a W-9 form for my job and I was sent a pdf. I have my digital signature set up but have no idea how I can import it into the w-9 form through preview. any ideas? :confused:

You need Adobe Acrobat or Reader for that. Preview won't do it.
 
I would disagree with needing Adobe Acrobat. You can use Adobe Acrobat, but there are other apps you can use to accomplish the same thing.
 
I would disagree with needing Adobe Acrobat. You can use Adobe Acrobat, but there are other apps you can use to accomplish the same thing.

Such as? The OP is looking for a solution. "Other apps" isn't very specific.
 
Gimp, Pixelmator, PDFClerk Pro, and PDFpen are some that can be found on Google.

I would recommend any of these versus a pirated copy of Adobe bloatware.
 
What about the Watermark PDF Documents action in Automator?
 

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What about the Watermark PDF Documents action in Automator?
It looks rather cumbersome. You'd have to do a lot of experimenting to get the watermark to the right size and location on the PDF. Why bother when Adobe Reader is designed for that purpose and it's free?
 
Who said anything about pirated copies?

PDFpen - $49.95
PDFClerk Pro - $45.00
Pixelmator - $59.00
Gimp is primarily image editing, and not well suited to filling out PDF forms.

You can do it online with: https://www.fillanypdf.com/

You can also install Adobe Reader for Macintosh - FREE

thanks a lot! I will try fillanypdf and adobe reader hopefully it works next time. I just went ahead and printed, signed, then scanned. it wasn't a pain but i rather have a better procedure.
 
Who said anything about pirated copies

I said plenty. I don't know anyone who has actually paid for any Adobe software, but plenty of people who recommend it. I, personally, have Pixelmator and PDFClerk Pro, and have paid for them. Either one would do the trick.
 
I said plenty. I don't know anyone who has actually paid for any Adobe software, but plenty of people who recommend it. I, personally, have Pixelmator and PDFClerk Pro, and have paid for them. Either one would do the trick.
I have paid for Acrobat for Windows systems. I'm in the habit of paying for the software I use, unless it's freeware. I can't speak for others, but neither can you speak for me. The OP can use the free Adobe Reader to accomplish what they wanted. Buying any app in order to do what the OP wants is an unnecessary expense.
 
Good for you, but the Adobe Reader doesn't allow for editing PDF files. Acrobat does, and that is not the free reader.

Oh yeah, I wanted to add that GIMp is free, is an imaging editing app and would do the job just as well as Pixelmator. So the Op doesn't have to pay money to print, scan, and email like they did, but if you want to have an online spat about your support for Adobe software against my disdain for Adobe software, keep it up. I'm sure the Op is done with reading either one of our posts.
 
Good for you, but the Adobe Reader doesn't allow for editing PDF files. Acrobat does, and that is not the free reader.
The OP isn't trying to edit PDF files:
Inserting signature into PDF in Preview
I have to fill out a W-9 form for my job and I was sent a pdf. I have my digital signature set up but have no idea how I can import it into the w-9 form through preview. any ideas? :confused:

http://www.adobe.com/products/reader/
Use Adobe Reader to view, search, digitally sign, verify, print, and collaborate on Adobe PDF files.
 
http://help.adobe.com/en_US/Acrobat/9.0/Standard/WS58a04a822e3e50102bd615109794195ff-7d48.w.html

Note: You cannot add an ink signature to a PDF created in LiveCycle Designer ES or the LiveCycle Form Server. PDFs created from those sources do not allow comments and markups.

A digital signature isn't needed by the OP's payroll/accounts payable department, but an ink signature is. The payroll/accounts payable department needs a physical signature from the Op to show that their social or fed ID number is accurate.

n Reader, choose Document > Sign > Apply Ink Signature. (This command is available only if the PDF creator enabled digital signature and commenting rights.)

You assume that the W-9 fits the bill, but since I refuse to use Adobe products as often as possible, I can't verify this. Can you? You seem to love their ****...
 
... but since I refuse to use Adobe products as often as possible, I can't verify this. Can you? You seem to love their ****...
There's no need to get emotional. No one is suggesting that you use Adobe products. The thread is about meeting the OP's needs, not yours. I don't "love" any product or service and have no vested interest in any particular solution. Adobe Reader happens to be the best tool for the OP's application. Your dislike of Adobe is completely irrelevant to the OP's needs.
ScreenCap 10.PNG
 
I have to fill out a W-9 form for my job and I was sent a pdf. I have my digital signature set up but have no idea how I can import it into the w-9 form through preview. any ideas? :confused:

I have found a way, even for a multi-page document. I had to email a pdf with signature on page 3. This is the process:
go to page 3 in Preview > File > Save As...
In the Save as window, select Format > JPEG (or PNG)
call it doc3.JPG (JPG automatically appended)
Open doc3.JPG in GIMP, Open your Signature file in GIMP (my signature was a transparent PNG file, which meant I could do the next step and have no white space through the line in page3)
In GIMP Signature doc: Edit > Copy Visible
Select doc3.jpg Edit > Paste and reposition your signature (I had to resize the original signature size ( Image > Scale Image)
Save and close doc3.jpg
Open doc3.jpg in Preview, File > Print, select PDF dropdown > Save As PDF call it doc3.pdf
Open original doc in Preview, make sure that both files show the sidebar in Thumbnail form: View > Sidebar > View Sidebar then View > Sidebar > Thumbnail
Drag Thumbnail of page3.pdf from its Sidebar onto original doc Sidebar
You should now have a document with 4 pages, delete the original (no signature) page 3 by clicking on it in the Sidebar and push delete key
Select all 3 pages in Sidebar and File > Print Selected Pages... select PDF dropdown > Save As PDF call it Signature Doc.pdf and you can now attach the signed form to an email
Good luck, it sounds more complicated than it is
 
Hi,
is the OP trying to digitally sign the PDF or just to insert his human signature ??
This:
I have to fill out a W-9 form for my job and I was sent a pdf. I have my digital signature set up but have no idea how I can import it into the w-9 form through preview. any ideas? :confused:
I have found a way, even for a multi-page document.
You didn't read the thread. Your method does not work for a digital signature, which is the topic being discussed.
 
But maybe the OP is using a wrong term. ...
You may be right, since the OP doesn't specify. It could be improper use of the term, or it could be that when they couldn't insert a digital signature, they opted for a written one as a substitute.
 
digital signatures and more

I invested a little in PDF Studio. At under $100 (and students get a discount) it lets me pull forms and other info into a single document. Then, I can both put the image of my handwritten signature onto the document, AND I can 'digitally sign" the PDF, which means it is also encrypted so any PDF reader can tell I signed it, and when. A digital signature (the encrypted kind) will show if the document has been changed after it was signed -- a very useful feature.
PDF Studio lets me add watermarks or stamps, too! I really like it!
 
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