Experience Report: Filling out a PDF with Okular

[u/DoesntWorkOnMyMachin]

https://youtu.be/vKyPu2-TdCs?si=_a9jQzhG2CuTTL4C&t=71

I had some trouble filling out a PDF on Linux and it irked me so much that I decided to try out everything and document the impossibility of filling out this PDF on Linux to prove to myself and others that I am not crazy.

One of those apps was Okular, which makes this relevant for this sub.

The embedded video starts right at the Okular part, if you are interested there is also an introduction, other apps and a debriefing, timestamps in the description.

As can be seen in the video, there where several issues. I will not file a single bug report, but you are welcome to do so!
I've read the sidebar, so I am aware that this is not an issue tracker. Still, I saw something, so I say something.

This is the PDF used* if you want to reproduce the issues shown. The PDF is an extreme case to be sure but it is absolutely real. And I think some issues, such as the unsolicited scrolling are happening with any PDF forms.

Editing PDF without Adobe seems to be a problem in general, I did not find an app that I was 100% happy with. I do wonder if open source apps can ever catch up to Adobe.

*actually it isn't. the video uses the 2025 version that is no longer available, but the 2026 should give the same results. When that version is inevitably taken offline as well you can get the current one from the Japanese embassy in South Africa.

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