# Fresh from Our Labs: Adobe PDF Import Improvements > TX Text Control 18.0 overhauled its PDF import filter with support for layered z-order elements, floating text with font and paragraph recognition, complex table-based form layouts, and PostScript vector graphics with editable text. Multi-section landscape and portrait pages import. - **Author:** Bjoern Meyer - **Published:** 2012-05-09 - **Modified:** 2026-07-17 - **Description:** TX Text Control 18.0 overhauled its PDF import filter with support for layered z-order elements, floating text with font and paragraph recognition, complex table-based form layouts, and PostScript vector graphics with editable text. Multi-section landscape and portrait pages import. - **4 min read** (744 words) - **Tags:** - Release - Sample - **Web URL:** https://www.textcontrol.com/blog/2012/05/09/fresh-from-our-labs-adobe-pdf-import-improvements/ - **LLMs URL:** https://www.textcontrol.com/blog/2012/05/09/fresh-from-our-labs-adobe-pdf-import-improvements/llms.txt - **LLMs-Full URL:** https://www.textcontrol.com/blog/2012/05/09/fresh-from-our-labs-adobe-pdf-import-improvements/llms-full.txt --- ![TX Text Control PDF import](https://s1-www.textcontrol.com/assets/dist/blog/2012/05/09/a/assets/tx_pdf_import.webp "TX Text Control PDF import")I was just able to get hold of the latest builds fresh out of our development labs. Our engineering is currently working on innovative new features for version 18.0 of TX Text Control. In this article, I will give a deep look into the drastically improved Adobe PDF import functionality. Since version 15.0, the .NET versions of TX Text Control can import PDF files. While the first version was able to import text only, later versions already recognized paragraphs, fonts and positioned text using anchored text frames. While these essential features describe the basement of such an innovative technology, version 18.0 is the next big milestone. Thanks to powerful new features in the TX Text Control core, the PDF import filter converts even complex pages into editable documents that can be easily modified and converted. A very commonly used feature in PDF documents are layers. A PDF can consist of unlimited layers with a different z-order, so they can overlap each other. This z-order of objects was required in TX Text Control for images and text frames to enable the import of more complex PDF files. The following screenshots give an overview of what will be possible with the next version of TX Text Control. Floating Text ------------- This sample document shows how text is converted into floating text. On the right-hand screenshot, you can see that text can be selected like any other text in a TX Text Control document. Fonts, font weights, colors and paragraph margins are recognized and applied to the document. If a document contains more sections with different page sizes, they are converted to the proper landscape or portrait settings as well. | **Original PDF in Adobe Acrobat Reader** | **Opened in TX Text Control 18.0 (Beta)** | |---|---| | [![Original PDF opened in Acrobat Reader](https://s1-www.textcontrol.com/assets/dist/blog/2012/05/09/a/assets/tx_pdf_import_1_pdf_zoom.webp "Original PDF opened in Acrobat Reader")](https://s1-www.textcontrol.com/assets/dist/blog/2012/05/09/a/assets/tx_pdf_import_1_pdf_zoom.webp) | [![PDF opened in TX Text Control 18.0 (Beta)](https://s1-www.textcontrol.com/assets/dist/blog/2012/05/09/a/assets/tx_pdf_import_1_tx_zoom.webp "PDF opened in TX Text Control 18.0 (Beta)")](https://s1-www.textcontrol.com/assets/dist/blog/2012/05/09/a/assets/tx_pdf_import_1_tx_zoom.webp) | Modify Text in Complex Forms ---------------------------- Form documents with complex tables and perfectly positioned elements can be imported 1:1. You can easily change each string using the editor interface or you can find and replace text programmatically using the powerful TX Text Control API. | **Original PDF in Adobe Acrobat Reader** | **Opened in TX Text Control 18.0 (Beta)** | |---|---| | [![Original PDF opened in Acrobat Reader](https://s1-www.textcontrol.com/assets/dist/blog/2012/05/09/a/assets/tx_pdf_import_2_pdf_zoom.webp "Original PDF opened in Acrobat Reader")](https://s1-www.textcontrol.com/assets/dist/blog/2012/05/09/a/assets/tx_pdf_import_2_pdf_zoom.webp) | [![PDF opened in TX Text Control 18.0 (Beta)](https://s1-www.textcontrol.com/assets/dist/blog/2012/05/09/a/assets/tx_pdf_import_2_tx_zoom.webp "PDF opened in TX Text Control 18.0 (Beta)")](https://s1-www.textcontrol.com/assets/dist/blog/2012/05/09/a/assets/tx_pdf_import_2_tx_zoom.webp) | Import Postscript Vector Graphics --------------------------------- When importing business reports from PDF, they often contain charts or diagrams to visualize data. Using TX Text Control 18.0, these vector graphics can not only be imported, the included text can be changed as well. | **Original PDF in Adobe Acrobat Reader** | **Opened in TX Text Control 18.0 (Beta)** | |---|---| | [![Original PDF opened in Acrobat Reader](https://s1-www.textcontrol.com/assets/dist/blog/2012/05/09/a/assets/tx_pdf_import_3_pdf_zoom.webp "Original PDF opened in Acrobat Reader")](https://s1-www.textcontrol.com/assets/dist/blog/2012/05/09/a/assets/tx_pdf_import_3_pdf_zoom.webp) | [![PDF opened in TX Text Control 18.0 (Beta)](https://s1-www.textcontrol.com/assets/dist/blog/2012/05/09/a/assets/tx_pdf_import_3_tx_zoom.webp "PDF opened in TX Text Control 18.0 (Beta)")](https://s1-www.textcontrol.com/assets/dist/blog/2012/05/09/a/assets/tx_pdf_import_3_tx_zoom.webp) | These are just a few samples that gives an impression of the power of our new PDF import functionality that will come with TX Text Control 18.0. In the next couple of days, we will publish a live preview demo that enables you to test this functionality on your own. Stay tuned. --- ## About Bjoern Meyer As CEO, Bjoern is the visionary behind our strategic direction and business development, bridging the gap between our customers and engineering teams. His deep passion for coding and web technologies drives the creation of innovative products. If you're at a tech conference, be sure to stop by our booth - you'll most likely meet Bjoern in person. With an advanced graduate degree (Dipl. Inf.) in Computer Science, specializing in AI, from the University of Bremen, Bjoern brings significant expertise to his role. In his spare time, Bjoern enjoys running, paragliding, mountain biking, and playing the piano. - [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/bjoernmeyer/) - [X](https://x.com/txbjoern) - [GitHub](https://github.com/bjoerntx) --- ## Related Posts - [TX Text Control X8: Inserting Chart Controls](https://www.textcontrol.com/blog/2012/08/02/tx-text-control-x8-inserting-chart-controls/llms.txt) - [Updating TX Text Control](https://www.textcontrol.com/blog/2005/06/23/updating-tx-text-control/llms.txt) - [TX Text Control 34.0 SP4 is Now Available: What's New in the Latest Version](https://www.textcontrol.com/blog/2026/05/20/tx-text-control-34-0-sp4-is-now-available/llms.txt) - [TX Spell .NET 11.0 SP1 is Now Available: What's New in the Latest Version](https://www.textcontrol.com/blog/2026/04/08/tx-spell-net-11-0-sp1-is-now-available/llms.txt) - [Announcing TX Text Control DS Server 5.0](https://www.textcontrol.com/blog/2026/03/12/announcing-tx-text-control-ds-server-5-0/llms.txt) - [TX Text Control 34.0 SP2 is Now Available: What's New in the Latest Version](https://www.textcontrol.com/blog/2026/02/18/tx-text-control-34-0-sp2-is-now-available/llms.txt) - [TX Text Control 34.0 SP1 is Now Available: What's New in the Latest Version](https://www.textcontrol.com/blog/2025/12/03/tx-text-control-34-0-sp1-is-now-available/llms.txt) - [Introducing TX Text Control 34.0: Your Next Leap in Document Processing](https://www.textcontrol.com/blog/2025/11/10/introducing-tx-text-control-34-0-your-next-leap-in-document-processing/llms.txt) - [PDF/UA vs. PDF/A-3a: Which Format Should You Use for Your Business Application?](https://www.textcontrol.com/blog/2025/10/24/pdf-ua-vs-pdf-a-3a-which-format-should-you-use-for-your-business-application/llms.txt) - [Validating PDF/UA Documents in .NET C#](https://www.textcontrol.com/blog/2025/10/21/validating-pdf-ua-documents-in-dotnet-csharp/llms.txt) - [Sneak Peek: TX Text Control 34.0 Coming November 2025](https://www.textcontrol.com/blog/2025/10/02/sneak-peek-tx-text-control-34-0-coming-november-2025/llms.txt) - [TX Text Control 33.0 SP3 is Now Available: What's New in the Latest Version](https://www.textcontrol.com/blog/2025/08/14/tx-text-control-33-0-sp3-is-now-available/llms.txt) - [High-Performance Text Replacement in Large DOCX Files using C# .NET](https://www.textcontrol.com/blog/2025/07/30/high-performance-text-replacement-in-large-docx-files-using-csharp-dotnet/llms.txt) - [Document Viewer 33.2.1 Released: New Event and Bug Fixes](https://www.textcontrol.com/blog/2025/07/30/document-viewer-33-2-1-released-new-event-and-bug-fixes/llms.txt) - [Upcoming Support for PDF/UA Compliance and Tagged PDF Generation in Version 34.0](https://www.textcontrol.com/blog/2025/07/24/upcoming-support-for-pdf-ua-compliance-and-tagged-pdf-generation-in-version-34-0/llms.txt) - [TX Text Control 33.0 SP2 is Now Available: What's New in the Latest Version](https://www.textcontrol.com/blog/2025/06/18/tx-text-control-33-0-sp2-is-now-available/llms.txt) - [Service Pack Releases: What's New in TX Text Control 33.0 SP1 and 32.0 SP5](https://www.textcontrol.com/blog/2025/05/07/service-pack-releases-whats-new-in-tx-text-control-33-0-sp1-and-32-0-sp5/llms.txt) - [Introducing DS Server 4.0: Linux-Ready and Container-Friendly](https://www.textcontrol.com/blog/2025/04/30/introducing-ds-server-4-linux-ready-and-container-friendly/llms.txt) - [The Wait is Over: TX Text Control for Linux is Officially Here](https://www.textcontrol.com/blog/2025/03/12/the-wait-is-over-tx-text-control-for-linux-is-officially-here/llms.txt) - [Full .NET 9 Support in Text Control .NET Components for ASP.NET Core, Windows Forms, and WPF](https://www.textcontrol.com/blog/2024/11/11/full-net-9-support-in-text-control-net-components-for-asp-net-core-windows-forms-and-wpf/llms.txt) - [DS Server 3.5.0 Released](https://www.textcontrol.com/blog/2024/09/24/ds-server-3-5-0-released/llms.txt) - [Using the Document Editor in SPA Applications using the removeFromDom Method](https://www.textcontrol.com/blog/2024/09/02/using-the-document-editor-in-spa-applications-using-the-removefromdom-method/llms.txt) - [TX Text Control 32.0 Service Pack 4 Released](https://www.textcontrol.com/blog/2024/09/02/tx-text-control-32-0-service-pack-4-released/llms.txt) - [Service Pack 3: MailMerge Supports SVG Images](https://www.textcontrol.com/blog/2024/04/29/service-pack-3-mailmerge-supports-svg-images/llms.txt) - [TX Text Control 32.0 Service Pack 3 Released](https://www.textcontrol.com/blog/2024/04/29/tx-text-control-32-0-service-pack-3-released/llms.txt)