It is great to see Logseq continues to invest in PDFs. Thanks a lot for that.
However, there are still two important features missing (at least for me).
1- Embedding Highlights to PDF file
One of the biggest selling points of Logseq is having our own data. However, this is not the case for PDF highlights because they are not shown in any other apps.
It would be great to know that my highlights will still be with me if I stop using Logseq. So, please embed highlights (and notes of highlights) to PDF itself.
2- Working with already highlighted PDFs
Over the years I’ve accumulated lots of annotated PDFs, and time to time I re-read those PDFs to make connections with other notes/ideas.
Unfortunately, Logseq does not recognize highlights if they are made in any other apps.
It would be great if Logseq would import old highlights (and notes of highlights) as they are made in Logseq itself.
I agree with the second point, but not necessarily the first. I store everything in git and this would cause lots of changes to large files and balloon the repo size. If the first could be made optional, yes.
Agreed, or at least have the choice. Most PDF editors allow you to edit highlights and annotations, and those annotations can be viewed in other PDF editors, so I see where OP is coming from.
Would also love to have the PDF viewer available when a graph is being exported to HTML.
This capacity would be more secure from my point of view. At present, I can highlight text and refer to it in my notes. If something goes wrong with these references to highlights (and I have seen posts on exactly that), it would be great to at least have the highlights preserved.
This would also enhance established interoperability with Zotero, which has its own PDF reader with highlighting and annotations.
Simply, one PDF with one set of highlights and annotations that can be referred to and edited across readers, one of which is Logseq.
I suggest Logseq have an option to refresh/sync its listed highlights and annotations on the relevant page.
I would like to own my highlights as well.
However, highlights can be stored separately from a PDF file.
E.g., as plain ol’ Logseq blocks. Since blocks can have arbitrary data on them in properties, describing on what PDF file they’ve been made and where exactly, plus any more data we may want - who made it, when, possibly a comment.
A PDF file can be stored separately at a location of your choice, be it a local fs (not that future-proof), a private cloud (a bit more future-proof) or a public immutable cloud (e.g., IPFS) (future-proof as much as it can be).
Import of highlights sounds great.
However, sources are many and imagine that would require substantial effort from the Logseq team, not giving all that much value in return.
One way is to have community-maintained importers.
If we’d have a data model of Logseq highlights as blocks, then we can write importers ourselves, publishing them as plugins.
I highly doubt that. I haven’t come across to a PDF reader that doesn’t import highlights from a particular PDF highlighter. This indicates that every highlighter (hence the reader) uses the same underlying technology.
Are there any updates regarding this? I also think that the option to embed highlights to PDFs is very important (either always or as an explicit export function) so that I have the option to switch to another tools later if wanted to.
Agree, this would make my life much better, I’m used to having the highlights embedded so that I can work on PDFs anywhere, without depending on an specific tool or device. Currently, I have to manually recreate highlights in Logseq, and can’t continue working on a pdf partially highlighted/annotated in Logseq.