Overview
A text field is a named rectangle on a page plus the text (or regular expression) to look for inside it. Text fields are saved once per user — not inside any PDF — so the same library is available in every document. Two features consume them: Create Bookmarks From Text Fields (scans each page’s rectangle and bookmarks the pages where the search text matches) and Split by Text Pattern (uses a field’s rectangle as its search area).
Manage Text Fields is the library’s home: create, edit, and remove field definitions here. Changes are saved immediately as you make them — there is no OK or Cancel step. The name of the currently open document is shown at the top, and the preview on the right draws the field rectangles over its pages.
How to use
- Open a PDF document (the preview and the New... button need one).
- Go to Plug-Ins > Utilities > Manage Text Fields....
- To create a field, click New... — the dialog closes and the Text Field Tool activates. Drag a rectangle on the page, then name the field in the properties dialog that appears.
- To edit a field, select its row and type directly in the Selected field panel below the list. Each change is applied and saved as soon as you leave the box.
- To check where a field sits on the page, select its row and watch the preview: the selected field is outlined in red, the others in gray. Use the Page box to preview a different page.
- To remove fields, select one or more rows (Ctrl-click for several) and click Remove, then confirm.
List columns
The Group box above the list filters it to a single group; choose (All groups) to see the whole library.
| Column | Description |
|---|---|
| Title | The field’s name — also the bookmark title that Create Bookmarks From Text Fields gives every page this field matches. |
| Rectangle (pt) | The page region (Left, Top, Right, Bottom) in PDF points, measured from the page’s bottom-left corner. |
| Search String | The text pattern used to locate matching content inside the rectangle. An empty search string matches every page. |
| Group | An optional label to categorise related text fields together. |
| Description | A free-text description of the field’s purpose. |
| Original File | The document that was open when the field was created, for reference. Fields work in every document regardless of where they were created. |
Selected field panel
Selecting exactly one row enables the editable panel below the list: Title, Search string (with a Use regular expression checkbox), Group name, Description, and the Rectangle’s four edges in points (with spin buttons that nudge an edge one point at a time — watch the red outline move in the preview). Edits are applied and saved the moment you leave a box; a field cannot be given an empty title.
Action buttons
| Button | Description |
|---|---|
| New... | Closes this dialog and activates the Text Field Tool so you can drag the new field’s rectangle directly on the page. Enabled only when a document is open. |
| Remove | Deletes the selected text field definition(s) from the library after a confirmation. Supports multiple selection. Enabled only when at least one field is selected. |
| Help | Opens this help topic. |
| Close | Closes the dialog. All changes have already been saved. |
Note
Removing a text field definition does not affect any bookmarks that have already been created from it. It only prevents future bookmark generation from using that definition.
Tip
Use group names to organise text fields by document family or purpose — the group filter here and in the Create Bookmarks From Text Fields dialog keeps large libraries navigable.