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More PDF Blackout Follies

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the it's-even-secret-what-they-want-secret dept.

georgewilliamherbert writes "The latest installment of "As the PDF Blackouts Turn" hit today, with a U.S. government apparently releasing a redacted version of their court filing in the Balco grand jury leak case which merely stuck a black line over the text, which remains available in the document. As with prior documents, entering text cut/paste mode in a normal PDF browser such as Acrobat allows a reader to access the concealed text. Previous incidents include an AT&T filing in the NSA case." This works with Xpdf and KPDF, too; for KPDF, use the selection tool (under the Tools menu) around the redacted section, copy to clipboard, then paste into the text-manipulator of your choice.

2 of 309 comments (clear)

  1. How about less by QuinceyL · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    Yuck, who wants to use kpdf, xpdf or gpdf (or adobe!)

    less file.pdf

    no cut and paste necessary.

    Or even better

    less file.pdf > file.txt

    You'll probably have to hit Ctrl-C for a second to get less to quit, I couldn't find an option to do this.

  2. Re:And these are... by jimktrains · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    This replies to a few below me too...

    I know, it is ironic that I won't take the time to spell-check a quickly typed rant on a /., but I bash people for not caring and being lazy intellectually. I bash people for not wanting to learn. I bash people for thinking that they are better than everyone else and above the rules. I bash people for not paying attention to details in code. I bash people for hurrying through an important job just to get done.

    I'll try better next time; I'll spell-check quickly types, unimportant documents next time. I promise.

    (Let me guess, everyone here types perfect English on AIM too?)

    --
    "You will do foolish things, but do them with enthusiasm." - S. G. Colette