Does Acrobat (NOT Acrobat Reader!) allow you to open and edit a PDF file made by someone else?

If you create a PDF file by Illustrator, you can't edit the file that has been saved in PDF format. But what about Acrobat?

Well you can create them with the full version, so I guess that comes with an edit option also. ;)

You can create PDF files in Illustrator too but you can't edit them. You would have to edit the original Illustrator document and then save it as a PDF file again. Once saved, you can't edit the PDF file.

What I am trying to do is edit PDF files for which I do NOT have the original Adobe Acrobat file. Can an PDF file made by someone else in Acrobat (not Acrobat Reader) be opened and edited in Acrobat?

Originally posted by Ron
You can create PDF files in Illustrator too but you can't edit them. You would have to edit the original Illustrator document and then save it as a PDF file again. Once saved, you can't edit the PDF file.

What I am trying to do is edit PDF files for which I do NOT have the original Adobe Acrobat file. Can an PDF file made by someone else in Acrobat (not Acrobat Reader) be opened and edited in Acrobat?

It depends.
Illustrator v. 9 and later can edit many pdfs made with Acrobat 4 and later. With AI9, Adobe made major changes to the programming in AI to use pdf as the underlying structure. When saving as pdf in AI9 and 10 you have the option of keeping it editable in AI.
Acrobat may be able to edit a pdf, unless it is locked or otherwise created to be uneditable. Acrobat doesn't create the files. It just transforms them. So it may not have the capability of editing a particular file. For example, I do my contracts in InDesign and then export as pdf. Acrobat can't edit them. Illustrator can't edit them.
I've had a lot more luck editing pdfs with AI9 than I have with Acrobat 4. However, I think Acrobat 5 may have more capabilities.

Usually you can edit a PDF file. You need the full (latest version is v5.0) of Acrobat of course.

Acrobat offers options that lock the PDF against editing, copying or printing but they can all be circumvented - rather easily - I don't think Adobe intended the encryption to be strong.

Originally posted by Ron
You can create PDF files in Illustrator too but you can't edit them.
Strange, I can...

I have no problem with editing pdf files in Acrobat. Just choose the right tools...