How to Draw a Line Over Existing Text in an Acrobat PDF
Question details
The user needs to draw a line or polyline over existing text in a PDF engineering drawing, but the software automatically selects the text instead of initiating the drawing tool.
- Product
- Adobe Acrobat
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Adding line or polyline annotations to an engineering drawing where text elements overlap with the desired drawing area.
- Observed behavior
- Acrobat prioritizes text selection, preventing the user from starting the line or polyline comment tool at the chosen location.
Ensure that your Comment or Annotation toolbar is open and active, and identify whether the obstructing text is an interactive comment or a flattened part of the original document.
Draw in an Empty Area and Reposition
Creating the line away from text blocks and moving it into place completely bypasses the auto-selection issue.
Acrobat's object snapping can sometimes be too aggressive when dealing with dense engineering drawings. Drawing your annotation in a clear space avoids text-cursor conflicts entirely.
Open the Comment tools pane and select either the Line or Polyline tool from the drawing shapes menu.
Locate an empty white space on your PDF page away from any selectable text and draw your intended line.
Switch to the standard selection arrow, click on the newly drawn line, and drag it over the exact text where it belongs on the drawing.
Cancel Text Selection Before Drawing
Use the Escape key to manually override the automatic text selection so the drawing tool can engage.
Temporarily Lock Obstructing Comments
If the existing text is a text box or comment, locking it prevents it from being interacted with while you draw.
Easily Draw and Annotate on PDFs using WPS Office
WPS Office provides a dedicated set of PDF annotation tools that make it incredibly simple to draw lines, shapes, and add comments over any text without frustrating auto-selection interference.
- 1. Open PDF in WPS: Launch WPS Office and open your PDF document.
- 2. Access Comment Tools: Navigate to the 'Comment' tab located on the top ribbon menu.
- 3. Select the Shape Tool: Click on 'Shapes' and choose the Line tool from the drop-down options.
- 4. Draw Freely: Click and drag directly over any text or drawing to place your line exactly where you need it, unhindered by auto-selection.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my PDF editor keep selecting text when I try to draw?
Many PDF editors, including Acrobat, automatically detect selectable text to assist users with highlighting and text editing. This default behavior can override drawing tools when your cursor hovers too closely over embedded text blocks.
How do I draw perfectly straight lines in a PDF?
In most PDF applications, you can hold down the 'Shift' key on your keyboard while clicking and dragging the line tool. This constrains your line to perfectly straight horizontal, vertical, or 45-degree angles.
Can I flatten a PDF to prevent text selection completely?
Yes. Flattening a PDF converts all interactive elements and selectable text into a single base image layer. You can do this by using a 'Print to PDF' feature, which makes drawing over the document much easier since the text is no longer recognized as selectable.
