[Solved] Scrivener keeps trying to convert my PDFs int RTF for some reason?

[LindaJeanne]

Hi!

I'm having a really hard time importing PDFs into the Research folder.

For some reason, the default seems to be to convert PDFs into RTF -- but since these are academic journal articles heavily noted and marked up in Okular, converting to RTF results in gobbltygook.

But I've been unable to find where I can turn off this bizarre auto-conversion. I must be missing something obvious, but I just can't find the option.

How do I import PDFs as just simple, read-only PDFs, without it trying to turn them into something else?


edited to add: Or linking to it, instead of "importing" it would be just as viable a solution

Thanks!

[DavidR]

Are you importing by drag-and-drop? That should work. But I wonder if perhaps you're accidentally dropping into a document rather than a folder, and whether that could cause this bizarre behavior. I find it hard to get the "cursor" positioned just right to drop a document into the right level.

[LindaJeanne]

DavidR -- Nope, I don't do drag-and-drop uploads with anything, because it's too easy to slip and drop something in the wrong place . I'm too much of a klutz to like that UI feature

I'm going to the folder, then right-clicking on it in the binder, and choosing "Add --> Files..."

It gives me a warning that it's going to convert the file into RTF, but it doesn't give me a way to tell it not to: either I can import it and have it do the conversion, or cancel, and not have it at all.

[krastev]

I just tried few of my PDFs. Not a problem at all. I don't get a message nor the files are converted to RTF.

Maybe there is a problem with your pdf files. Find a PDF you are sure is properly saved and try to import it.

You can use this file as an example: https://www.cca.edu/sites/default/files/pdf/08/word-to-pdf.pdf

I imported it with no errors or conversion.

[LindaJeanne]

OK, that sample one imported without difficulty.

So it must be that it can't handle PDFs that have taken advantage of the newer features that let you add annotation and mark-up to the text? If so, is there a way I can have it just store a link, and open it using an external application, rather than attempting to import?

[tomwood]

Try this to add a reference to a PDF:

http://gwenhernandez.com/2013/10/23/ref ... scrivener/

She's talking about the Mac version, but the Project References are the default in Windows.

Edit: Once it is there, select it and right-click, then choose Open in Default Editor to open in Acrobat Reader (or whatever your default PDF program is).

[LindaJeanne]

That did it! Thanks .