<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>3</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2008-01-01</periodOfReport>

    <noSecuritiesOwned>0</noSecuritiesOwned>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001011344</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>PACKETEER INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>PKTR</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001422063</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Winikoff David A</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>10201 N. DE ANZA BOULEVARD</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>CUPERTINO</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState></rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>95014</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Vice President, Marketing</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Packeteer, Inc. Common Stock</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>10000</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>8.33</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2017-07-27</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Packeteer, Inc. Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>25000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>7.89</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F5"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2017-10-17</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Packeteer, Inc. Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>75000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Award of Restricted Stock Units under the Packeteer, Inc. 1999 Stock Incentive Plan (as Amended and Restated Dec. 12, 2007)</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Award of Restricted Stock Units vests at the rate of 25% per year from the grant date of July 17, 2007</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Option to purchase shares of Common Stock under the Packeteer, Inc. 1999 Stock Incentive Plan.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">The option is exercisable as follows: (i) 25% of the option shares upon completion of one year of service from the grant date of 7/27/2007; and (ii) 1/48 of the option shares upon completion of each additional month of service.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">The option is exercisable as follows: (i) 25% of the option shares upon completion of one year of service from the grant date of 10/17/2007; and (ii) 1/48 of the option shares upon completion of each additional month of service.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Robert F. Julien, Attorney-In-Fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2008-01-23</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
