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Expected a dict object and This document enabled extended features.. when trying to open in Acrobat/Reader/Designer

Forum|Forum|9 years ago
September 20, 2016
3 replies
40871 views

Suddenly getting these errors when trying to open a PDF we have used before. Oddly, it will open in Edge browser and Chrome okay but not IE11 or earlier. Acrobat or Reader (have tried DC and XI and X).

File is here:

http://www.filedropper.com/blacksburghopechapel

Correct answer Karl Heinz Kremer

The PDF file is corrupt. The last update that was made did introduce this problem. The reason you are not seeing this with Edge or Chrome is that these two browsers come with their own PDF viewers. The document was created in LiveCycle Designer, which means it's an XFA form and not a "normal" PDF form. Both Edge and Chrome will only display (and therefore process) the static portion of the XFA form, whereas Acrobat or Reader will look at all the information in the file.

You can restore the previous version of the file by opening it in a binary editor, then search from the end of the file for the next to last %%EOF (there is one in the last line, you want to get the one right before that), and then remove anything after that next to last %%EOF and save under a new filename. You can now open this newly created file, which will have everything but the last update in it.

Do you know what software was used to update the file just before it showed these errors?

R

robinGlass

Participant

I created my PDF file with Adobe PDF Pro. I edited out the next to last %%EOF but it did not improve.

The last five pages were corrupt - looked like tiny white boxes and I was getting the expected-a-dict-object error when attempting to print the file or save the file or delete the corrupt pages or copy the fields to a new PDF. I didn't like the solution to export the file to JPG and re-import it - too much hassle for a frequently updated PDF. I used an website PDF online service, ilovepdf dot come to remove the last 5 corrupt pages. It worked. I'm glad because the file had 25 pages with hundreds of fields added to each page. I wasn't looking forward to rebuilding it from scratch.

T

Test Screen Name

Legend

No, don't "edit out" the last but one %%PDF, that couldn't fix anything and wasn't the recipe given...

R

robinGlass

Participant

This is what I tried that didn't work on my Win10 | Adobe Acrobat Pro 2020 system:

"You can restore the previous version of the file by opening it in a binary editor, then search from the end of the file for the next to last %%EOF (there is one in the last line, you want to get the one right before that), and then remove anything after that next to last %%EOF and save under a new filename. You can now open this newly created file, which will have everything but the last update in it."

With all due respects, the solution above may work for most and it's possible I didn't execute the solution accurately however the ilovepdf dot com file split ended successfully after spending hours trying dozens of solutions posted graciously and in good faith for which I am grateful. However, I've had this problem several times over many years with various Windows OS and Adobe Pro versions. I would think Adobe would either update their code to prevent this corruption from occuring or post a simple fix for this problem instead.

markp80423139Author

Participant

Awesome. That worked great. Thank you so much and no, I don't know what software was used.

Karl Heinz Kremer

Community Expert

Whatever it was, it very likely introduced the problem.

Karl Heinz Kremer

Correct answer

Community Expert

The PDF file is corrupt. The last update that was made did introduce this problem. The reason you are not seeing this with Edge or Chrome is that these two browsers come with their own PDF viewers. The document was created in LiveCycle Designer, which means it's an XFA form and not a "normal" PDF form. Both Edge and Chrome will only display (and therefore process) the static portion of the XFA form, whereas Acrobat or Reader will look at all the information in the file.

You can restore the previous version of the file by opening it in a binary editor, then search from the end of the file for the next to last %%EOF (there is one in the last line, you want to get the one right before that), and then remove anything after that next to last %%EOF and save under a new filename. You can now open this newly created file, which will have everything but the last update in it.

Do you know what software was used to update the file just before it showed these errors?

A

Anonymous

Hi @Karl,

Running into similar issues, with one of the most commonly used government OPM form "SF182". If you can google/download/review this pdf which has a digital signature box on page 2 I am having an issue with some users when they sign this pdf on pro/DC versions.

Some of the users when they sign, the file gives an error message for the next user only showing the signature and hiding all the information from the form. I can see the content if I use chrome (not DC/Pro version). What do you recommend? And how exactly I can try restoring the file to previous version?

Thanks,
Dave

Karl Heinz Kremer

Community Expert

What error message are you getting? Please provide a link to the file in question.

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