[SOLVED] Some pdf files not searchable

[joneall]

I can write my own pdf files using Libreoffice and Okular can do a search within them. On the other hand, some (most?) files I get elsewhere are not searchable. I've tried pdfgrep and that does work (find anything) either.

Is this a bug or a feature? Is there a way around it?

This question is not particular to Neon, but I was not allowed to post in miscellaneous for some reason.

[claydoh]

Some PDFs are simply images of a document, such as from a scanner, and not created from an actual text file. or have been created specifically to not be edited. It is not the OS, or even Linux in general, but simply either the whim of the doc's creator or the tools used to create the PDF.

I use a lot of large-ish PDF docs for various work documentation, and so far, all of mine are readily searchable. My last job, most of the daily forms and worksheets were created by physically scanning a doc at some point, and as such were not editable, let alone sesarchable.

[Bings]

They may just be images of text and not actual text?

Edit: too slow with the reply

[joneall]

Well, the files in question are books I purchased so I can imagine the seller did not want me to search or -- especially -- copy info therein. A large pdf file without search is very difficult to navigate. Jerks!

[Bings]

Well, the files in question are books I purchased so I can imagine the seller did not want me to search or -- especially -- copy info therein. A large pdf file without search is very difficult to navigate. Jerks!

maybe this might help https://thucnc.medium.com/convert-a-...f-1a2e8d50277f It should be in the repository.