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Participant
June 2, 2016
Answered

The document could not be saved. There was a problem reading this document (14)

  • June 2, 2016
  • 2 replies
  • 4497 views

I work with PDF files that typically contain up to 200 pages (created from MS Word). I use highlights, comments, shapes, lines and text boxes in the PDF file to annotate the document. I frequently will have a few hundred comment objects in each pdf document.

The problem is that, almost always, my documents get to the point where I start getting this error message whenever I try to save the annotated pdf. Many times I can just try the save again and it will work the second time.  But, almost always when I keep working with a document and keep adding comment objects, the annotated pdf eventually just won't save anymore.

Is Acrobat DC known to become unstable at a certain file size or after adding a certain number of comment objects?  Or after saving a file a certain number of times?

I've tried optimizing the files, but that doesn't seem to help. 

Are there any utilities that will find and fix corrupted pdf files? 

Yours from a world of pdf pain...

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer Document Geek

I hear ya! If your document has tons of comments that you need to save, export them as an FDF file. Then go back to a non-currpted, uncommented version of the file and import that FDF file. Voila! Your comments are back.

As far as fixing the PDF, I often have great success opening them in Apple Preview. Save, close, and go back to Acrobat. I don't know why, but Preview can sometimes open PDFs that Acrobat can't... not sure why.

2 replies

Ted_M_HAuthor
Participant
June 4, 2016

Hey Document Geek!

I tried the fdf solution and it worked perfectly (after I figured out how to export to and import from an fdf file!).  I'll be interested to see how long the document lasts before it gets corrupted again, but at least now I have a workaround.

Thanks so much for taking the time to respond to my question.  I'm much obliged.

Document Geek
Community Expert
Document GeekCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
Community Expert
June 3, 2016

I hear ya! If your document has tons of comments that you need to save, export them as an FDF file. Then go back to a non-currpted, uncommented version of the file and import that FDF file. Voila! Your comments are back.

As far as fixing the PDF, I often have great success opening them in Apple Preview. Save, close, and go back to Acrobat. I don't know why, but Preview can sometimes open PDFs that Acrobat can't... not sure why.