Skim is a popular PDF reader and note-taker for macOS, designed specifically for academic and research use. It allows users to annotate PDFs, highlight text, and add notes, making it an invaluable tool for students, researchers, and professionals who deal with large volumes of PDF documents. This article will guide you through the installation and basic usage of Skim on macOS, highlighting its importance and how it can streamline your workflow.

Examples:

1. Installing Skim on macOS: To install Skim, you can download it directly from the official website or use Homebrew, a package manager for macOS. Using Homebrew simplifies the installation process and ensures you get the latest version.

   Using Homebrew:

   /bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"
   brew install --cask skim

2. Opening a PDF in Skim: Once installed, you can open any PDF document with Skim. Simply right-click on the PDF file, select "Open With," and choose Skim. Alternatively, you can open Skim first and then use the "File" menu to open your PDF.

3. Annotating PDFs: Skim provides various annotation tools such as highlights, notes, and circles. Here's how to use them:

   • Highlighting Text: Select the text you want to highlight, then click on the "Highlight" button in the toolbar or use the shortcut Cmd + Shift + H.

   • Adding Notes: To add a note, click on the "Note" button in the toolbar or use the shortcut Cmd + Shift + N. Click on the location in the PDF where you want to place the note and start typing.

4. Using Skim with AppleScript: Skim supports AppleScript, allowing you to automate tasks. Here’s an example of an AppleScript that opens a PDF in Skim and adds a note:

   tell application "Skim"
      activate
      open POSIX file "/path/to/your/document.pdf"
      tell document 1
          make new note with properties {type: text note, bounds: {200, 200, 300, 300}, text: "This is a note"}
      end tell
   end tell

5. Exporting Annotations: Skim allows you to export your annotations to a separate file or to a new PDF. To export annotations, go to File -> Export -> Notes as Text or File -> Export -> Notes as PDF.