Edit text in a .jpg file!!

MC
Posted By
Mark_Corbyn
Jan 29, 2004
Views
1952
Replies
9
Status
Closed
Hi,
I desperately want to be able to edit the text in a .jpg image file. I have a digital camera and use it to take photos of paper containing text for university work (much the same way as a scanner is used).
I would like to be able to alter this text but don’t seem to be able to do it. Anyone know a way that I can do this using photoshop or know any software which will enable me to do it?

Thnaks in advance,
Mark

PS. the text in the image is very crisp so it looks just the same as a word document would when i open the image.
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RL
Robert_Levine
Jan 29, 2004
PS. the text in the image is very crisp so it looks just the same as a word document would when i open the image.

But it’s not text, it’s a picture of text.

You need to use some combination of the clone tool, patch tool or healing brush, depending on the image, to get rid of the text that’s there and then use the text tool to type in new text.

Bob
J
JasonSmith
Jan 29, 2004
Or if there are letters you can sample – ie you need an ‘R’ and you have one, you can select and drag in place.

either way it wont be the easiest thing to do.
MC
Mark_Corbyn
Jan 29, 2004
I don’t really understand how I can use them to do that. Do you effectively mean doing the same as cutting bits and moving them around to make space to add new text?

Isnt it possible to seperate the white background from the black text and then tell photoshop that the black layer is a text layer (or something like that)

As you can probably tell, im not an advanced photoshop user 🙂
RL
Robert_Levine
Jan 29, 2004
Isnt it possible to seperate the white background from the black text and then tell photoshop that the black layer is a text layer (or something like that)

No.

Bob
B
BLUDVLZ
Jan 29, 2004
Isnt it possible to seperate the white background from the black text and then tell photoshop that the black layer is a text layer (or something like that)

Nope. That’s not what you’re dealing with. It’s not actual text (in the traditional sense) that you can edit and manipulate. It’s pixel data embedded into the image… it’s part of the image. There’s nothing underneath that will miraculously reveal itself if the text is removed.

As the others have said, you need to clone out the text and then reinput the new text (if you want new text).

I’d suggest looking at the Photoshop users manual and finding out how to use the Clone/Stamp tool. For what it sounds like you’re trying to do, it’s your best bet.
L
LenHewitt
Jan 29, 2004
Mark,

Well, you may be able to run an OCR application on it to ‘extract’ the text, but that’s about your best bet…..
Y
YrbkMgr
Jan 29, 2004
One way to think about it, is OCR. Photoshop isn’t an OCR program. When you scan in a document that contains text, it isn’t immediately recognized as text. It’s an 8.5 x 11 picture. In order to get text out you have to use OCR software.

Photoshop doesn’t do that. Your text is "burned" in, and as others have said you have to clone it out, and then add a text layer of "real" text if you want to add text.

Peace,
Tony
SG
shecky_greene
Jan 29, 2004
..or know any software which will enable me to do it?

Sounds like you really want is something like a good OCR application like Expervison’s TypeReader Pro.

If you save your .JPG aa a .TIF file, TypeReader can process it into a document you can edit in a word processor.
Note: good OCR (opitical character recognition) software is quite pricey. There is a free 30 day trial of TypeReader, but the actual purchace price is in the $300 range, I believe.
B
Brian
Jan 29, 2004
Isnt it possible to seperate the white background from the black text and then tell photoshop that the black layer is a text layer (or something like that)

No. There is nothing different here than if you took a traditional picture of a document and were holding the photo in your hand – you would recognize it as a photograph of text, not anything editable. Same for Photoshop.

To put it another way, what you’re asking is similar to hoping photoshop would recognize specific components of a photograph – this object is a car, this is a signpost, that is a woman, etc. and provide tools appropriate to editing those objects. Photoshop just doesn’t analyze image contents in that way.

Unless it’s currency, of course. Then we’re all potential criminals.

Brian

How to Master Sharpening in Photoshop

Give your photos a professional finish with sharpening in Photoshop. Learn to enhance details, create contrast, and prepare your images for print, web, and social media.

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