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"Failed to Export PDF"

Forum|Forum|7 years ago
June 12, 2018
32 replies
101448 views

Working on a file in InDesign (13.1) and when I try to print it fails, and when I try to export it as a pdf it says "Failed to Export to pdf" with no explanation. I tried turning off downsampling, but that didn't help. Even deleted all of the photos to test doing it that way, but still no luck.

It seems to be a problem with this particular file, not with memory, because when I tested the issue by opening a different, much larger and more complex file, it exported just fine.

Tried packaging it as well, and also got the failed to create pdf error, which seems to make it not package the file, either.

Appreciate any suggestions. Thanks.

Correct answer Derek Cross

Try removing any document corruption by saving it as an IDML document, renaming it and reopening it and exporting as a PDF/X-4.

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C

Cari Jansen

Legend

Are you able to share the PDF Export settings you are using when you are seeing the hanging of InDesign?
Also have you tried resetting InDesign's preferences?

To be honest I've spend 10+hrs on a file that had a similar problem recently. IDML didn't fix the corruption in the file.However I did eventually discover the culprit in the document. One element had corrupted, but PDF creation only failed using one particular scenario. Once things started failing though Printing, Packaging nothing would work, and InDesign would go into a complete spin.

To elaborate on what was happening in my case:

I needed to export the file as PDF (Interactive) with Tagged PDF option enabled (for accessibility purposes).
When the Tagged PDF option was enabled. the PDF creation would put InDesign into an endless loop. The application wouldn't crash... the progress bar would just hang. I even left it running over night.
When Tagged PDF option was disabled... the PDF created immediately.

I ended up reconstructing the file bit by bit to finally discover there was ONE grouped anchored object that had been marked up with Object Export Options that caused the issue. Once I recreated that design element. All was OK.

M

meganm52882612

Participant

I was able to get it to save as an Interactive PDF…just not a regular PDF.

Srishti Bali

Community Manager

Hi Megan,

Thanks for getting back to us. As per your query, you can not save the file by "Save" or "Save As" neither you can export it to "Print PDF". You can only Export it to "Interactive PDF". If yes, I would need a few more details to solve this query:

Is it happening with multiple files or one particular file?
Where the file files are saved and where you are trying to export(Local HDD/ External HDD/ Network Drive/ Google Drive/ Dropbox)?
Please try Exporting to IDML and check if that helps!

Regards,

Srishti

W

wintonp26851908Author

Participant

Update: I just went through the file and printed each page as a pdf, one by one. Every page worked just fine. So that's a work-around, but obviously not ideal. Perhaps this helps identify the problem, though?

Thanks.

Derek Cross

Correct answer

Community Expert

Try removing any document corruption by saving it as an IDML document, renaming it and reopening it and exporting as a PDF/X-4.

M

meganm52882612

Participant

I am having the same problem and tried this but still no luck. I can't package the file and cannot save it as a pdf. It will only save as an interactive pdf.

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