Apple Pencil PDF markup issue

DEVONthink To Go
21

To confirm there is an issue with the PDF framework, I’ve been using DTTG with pencil and iPad pro 12.9" regularly for 18 months, and the appearing line has only started with DTTG version 2.7.6 or 2.7.7. I imagine other users have the same issue. The lines make markup almost impossible, and appear regularly, as in every 60 seconds or so, depending on hand gestures. Hopefully this is a patch the PDF framework developers are able to make. I can provide a video of the issue, if it would assist.

2 Likes
22

I can confirm this. The “line” has appeared in the past every now and then, but rare enough to not worry about it. Since the last upgrade (2.7.7), it appears so often that editing has become almost useless. I also established that it happens without the wrist being on the screen.
(iPad Air 3, Apple Pencil, DTTG 2.7.7)

There are other issues: sometimes, the “undo” in the edit panel is grayed when there are clearly things to undo. That was never a problem prior to the last upgrade.

P.S.: in another post, someone flat out dismissed the idea of editing within DT, recommending the usual “round-tripping” to iAnnotate et al. I strongly disagree with that. Apart from the issues reported above, the DT editor is fantastic, even more so with the edit panel at the top of the screen. Switching apps and keeping the annotations synced is always a hassle, so DT-native editing is very important and much appreciated! I’ve proof-read numerous PhD theses in DTTG in the pre-“line” era.

2 Likes
23

Just want to agree with a few things posted recently:

  • The line occurs even when the pencil is absolutely the only thing touching the screen; so I’m not sure we can entirely blame palm rejection
  • Annotating PDFs is DTTG is indeed handy and would work well if it weren’t for these bugs, which long ago prompted me to give up on DTTG for all but the most basic in-app annotations
  • Separate issue, but: the undo button greys out for me too, when there are clearly things I can (and want to!) undo
1 Like
24

I can also confirm that with the latest update (2.7.7) this has gone from an occasional problem that I saw perhaps once every few weeks/months to a constant issue happening every few pencil strokes. Annotations in DTTG are currently unusable because of it.

25

Having the same problem. Hope to fix it as soon as possible.

1 Like
26

I am having the same issue here.
Setup is iPad Pro and Apple Pencil. Happens around once in every two sentences and came with an update.

Please fix, it’s annoying.

27

May I ask, has this request indeed been passed along? Or do you need more info from users experiencing this issue? Should I record a screencast showing it?

It makes annotating PDFs an impossible task.

1 Like
28

I’ve been experience this since my return to using dttg for annotation purposes a couple of days ago.

As a side note, I also used to experience it with MS OneNote for ordinary handwritten notes (ie not pdf annotation as such) - no idea if that still happens as I’ve stepped away from that app now)

29

Same issue here, iPad Pro 10.5, iOS 13.4.1, Pencil 1st Gen. and DTTG 2.7.7
Hope this will be fixed soon as reasonable marking of pdfs Is no more possible.

1 Like
30

Same issue. iPad (7th gen), iOS 13.4.1 (17E262), Apple Pencil (1st gen), DTTG 2.7.7 (16398).
Even when my palm rests on the screen, it does not alway jump towards it. Sometimes it jumps up.
Drawing inside the Notes app from Apple works as well as ever.

31

Same issue. iPad pro 2019, iOS 13.4.1 and 2nd gen and DTTG 2.7.7

32

An update on this issue: I’m currently testing a private beta where the “line” issue seems completely gone, and undo works as expected. High hopes for 2.8! Hang in there.

33

I just wanted to add that I’ve experienced this happening when my hand hasn’t been resting on the screen at all

34

This should be addressed in the next maintenance release.

5 Likes
35

IpadPro 2017, Apple Pencil classic.

Same problem here.

Thank you

36

Again, see my response. Thanks.

37

Hi. Same problem here, and we are one month and a half after the last comment. Could you please confirm when the issue will be corrected?

Best regards

38

Sorry but we do not give out development timeframes. We are currently working on several things in DEVONthink To Go. Thanks for your patience and understanding.

39

This issue is horrible. It makes it impossible to write to a pdf on devonthink to go. It has been reported since December 2019 !!

40

Welcome @nicolier

The behavior was not consistently reproducible so there was no instant fix. In fact, it’s still not consistently reproducible in all cases, but we believe it has been ironed out for the future release.