We are scanning old typewritten documents and trying to create searchable images (PDF files). We are required to preserve an exact copy of the old document, with the searchable text “hidden” under the image. The problem is that we cannot find software that will allow us to easily edit the hidden text under the image to correct OCR errors. For example, when the OCR picks up the word “book” as “look” we have not found software that allows us to easily correct the “l” to show a “b”.

Adobe Acrobat 7 and 9 have very cumbersome procedures you can perform to “trick” the software into showing the hidden text superimposed on top of the scanned image, and then you can use the “TouchUp Text Tool” to go in and make corrections, but that procedure is too time consuming for our budget. (My description here makes it sound a lot easier than it really is.)

Can anyone recommend software that will allow easy editing of the Hidden Text layer behind the PDF scanned image? (Please be aware that I am NOT referring to “normal“ editing of a PDF document – editing the HIDDEN TEXT behind the image is what I need.) Does one of the Readiris products allow easy editing of the hidden text?

Thank you.