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>The PDF opens properly the first time, so de facto it is "valid" as determined by the product that later corrupts it. While I agree with your main point that,
by dkonofalski 6y ago
>The PDF opens properly the first time, so de facto it is "valid" as determined by the product that later corrupts it.
While I agree with your main point that, to the user, this looks like a problem with Preview, I think it's actually because Preview is doing something beneficial to open the file which is to ignore "bogus" data. Preview, from what I can tell, ignores additional data that it doesn't expect specifically to allow for opening PDF files where the document data is fine but the metadata is corrupted. The fact that it opens it means nothing since the file would not be able to be opened at all otherwise and Preview is actually doing the user a favor by salvaging it. Once Preview "fixes" it, though, it looks like the OCR pointer is still there but the metadata that contains the plain-text content is not so it's pointing to binary document data instead. Another option is that Preview has "fixed" a font and the mapping is no longer correct which, while I can't really see the text in the image, would be obvious as you'd see words that map to the same corruptions. In either case, Preview's behavior is "correct" and the fact that it was less strict before does not mean that it's now broken - the source PDF is still what was "broken".
- interestica 6y agoI think a big issue is that 'preview' is used as just a pre-view. The metaphor is that you haven't actually opened/viewed the file yet 'for real'. Yet, preview has morphed into a program that makes changes to files even without any kind of save dialogue.
- dkonofalski 6y agoAre you confusing Quick Look with Preview? Preview is not just for PDFs and allows you to view, annotate, and edit lots of document types...
- interestica 6y agoNo, really. Preview. Yes, it can open everything (I don't know where I suggested that it is only for PDFs?) But it doesn't act like other editors. There's no save dialogue when you, for instance, rotate a PDF. The term 'Preview' in other programs, like when using a scanner or other text editors, is a non destructive type of viewer. Just a viewer. "preview before you make changes" But preview on OSX changes that.