You could try seeing if Inkscape can import it, I'd guess that's your best bet outside Adobe applications (Acrobat (not Reader) can edit unless the file is protected from editing, and Illustrator can import single pages).

I used Acrobat to build a very interactive character sheet (for a Swedish game called Eon) a couple years ago, but couldn't complete it because it Acrobat would refuse to work when the embedded Javascript got too long (for randomising values and automatically filling in fields based on the content of other fields - the whole point of building the thing, automation, or one-click character creation).

The trouble is, as have been said, PDF isn't built for editing, and cannot be converted 1:1 into something else as it's purely describing the layout of the page, no semantics of text flow, tables or paragraphs - but since PDF describes separate pages and may also contain video, flash, and javascript, it can't even be 1:1 converted to other graphic formats like SVG (no concept of pages, though can contain other media and scripts, depending on support in the application) or Postscript (can only embed bitmap images, no scripts or other media).

Its for the new D&D Next, which is currently in playtesting. I can step back for a moment and realize its ridiculous that I feel the need to copy & paste certain parts of text onto the actual character sheet, but anyone with OCD, Aspergers, or High Functioning Autism will understand my (admittedly) irrational compulsion.

Maybe I should just try printing it out & filling it in by hand...maybe it'll bring me back to the 80s when the only option was to handwrite it in. Might bring me a bit of comfort and who knows, I might even like it better.

Oh, and I'm downloading & installing Inkscape to give that a try...takes quite a while to install!

Adobe also have trials for most of their software. Fully functional, but stops working after a while (I forget whether it's two weeks or a month).
Acrobat XI Pro
Illustrator CS6

Also, you could try looking up Creative Suite 2, it went free a while back (though the official excuse was so that existing licensees should be able to use their software despite the activation servers being shut down, they didn't try in any way to limit access to such customers, and even removed the requirement to log in on the site to get them after the site broke down from the pressure). If the PDF isn't too new, that version of Acrobat might work.

I would try signing up for Google docs and uploading the PDF file. Then export it to whatever format you want.

Uploaded it to Google Docs (which is now called Google Drive?), but can't find the option to export.

File > download as ...

I've never had any luck with any of the free converters, most are trialware not free, and they only seem to want to keep the text and not the graphics.
When I need to edit a pdf, I usually copy it to the clipboard in Acrobat Reader and paste into a new MS paint file.
Make sure the canvas of the paint file is smaller than the document you're pasting in.
White out any text you don't want by selecting the text and cutting it.
Save the paint file.
Import a picture into either an existing word doc or new.
Make sure the Text wrapping of the picture is set to behind the text.
You may need to resize the picture in word.
You can also import it as a watermark, but it usually lightens the picture up.

Yuppers. That one.

Sometimes I feel like a dope.

*sigh*

Ok, so its not converting it to Word/Excel, but Adobe Reader X does allow me to enter text...its not quite as easy to use as I was hoping for, but it does let me put my own text over the PDF.

Don't know how I missed this post, but this works perfect for my needs, thank you! I'd like to mark this as the "Solution" because it meets my need, but it doesn't give a way to convert PDF to Word/Excel as per my original wording...damn you, OCD!!

Ok, I'm going to mark it as Solved anyway because my needs have been met.

Actually ,if you have MS word 07 installed, try donwloading an add-on for ,and then you could save sa pfd files.For pdf to word ,I would like to use a pdf converter ,so many avaliable on Google, such as pdf converter ,capable of converting pdf to word, html, image ,etc

The PDF is designed to keep up with today's fast-paced and highly demanding workload.However,as we use it,we may easily find that PDF is not an editable document format.So are you striving to improve your PDF document? I recommend you PDF Converters. With the help of PDF Converter, you can conveniently transfer to PDF file formats to Word, Excel, PowerPoint and so forth.IfCoupons.com is an online shop where you can assess to PDF Converters coupons and promo codes from a variety of brands.

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Try this PDFelement, easily convert PDF documents into a word format.

I have just purchased a very old, classic game.
the game manual is in pdf
However,all pages are blank!!!!
please help me out

thanks