Coding PDF-files

The coding techniques for PDF-files are similar to the text coding and image coding techniques. For text-searchable PDF-files (most modern PDF-files are text-searchable), the file can be coded in the same way as text documents. For PDF-files where the text is not searchable (e.g. scanned copies), the file can be coded in the same way as image files.

Coding PDF-files as Text Documents

Text-searchable PDF-files can be coded just like text documents. To code a PDF-file as a text document, first open the file and then select "Text" in the PDF-menu above (highlighted in red in the screenshot below). Now you can code the PDF-file as a text document.
Please see the Coding Text Documents module for more information on how to code text document.

The Text button is selected in the PDF tab in NVivo

Coding PDF-files as Image Files

PDF-files without searchable text (e.g. scanned copies, old research articles, etc.) can be coded just like image files. To code a PDF-file as an image file, first open the PDF-file and then select "Region" in the PDF-menu above (highlighted in red in the screenshot below). Now you can code the PDF-file as an image file. Please see the Coding Image Files module for more information on how to code image files.

The Region button is selected in the PDF tab in NVivo