<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2004-01-12</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001011344</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>PACKETEER INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>PKTR</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001275117</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>CAZARES ARTURO</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O PACKETEER, INC.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>10201 N. DE ANZA BLVD</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>CUPERTINO</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>95014</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>0</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>Vice President, WW Sales</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><derivativeTable><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>18.10</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2004-01-12</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>220000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>18.10</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2005-01-12</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2014-01-12</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>PKTR Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>220000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>220000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction></derivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Option grant to purchase shares of Common Stock under the Packeteer, Inc. 1999 Stock Incentive Plan. </footnote><footnote id="F2">The option is exercisable as follows: (i) 25% of the option shares upon completion of one year of service from the grant date; and (ii) 1/48 of the option shares upon completion of each additional month of service.</footnote></footnotes><remarks/><ownerSignature><signatureName>Terrie Leivers, Attorney-in-fact</signatureName><signatureDate>2004-01-14</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

