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Question

PDF to Word creates duplicate lines

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Hi,

I'm hoping someone can help with an issue I'm having when converting PDFs to Word using Adobe Acrobat.

I generate PDF’s, then I drop them into Word.

The problem is that the resulting Word document sometimes contains random duplicated words or sections of sentences that were not duplicated in the original InDesign document or PDF.

I then have to go through the entire document manually and remove the duplicated text, which is extremely time-consuming and ultimately unnecessary. Is there a issue that can be fixed?

Mike Witherell

Community Expert

Don’t do this:

“I generate PDF’s, then I drop them into Word.”

Do this instead;

Open the PDF in Acrobat; then click Menu > Export a PDF > Microsoft Word > Word Document ?

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Mike Witherell

Eager_Wave168c

Participating Frequently

Since the original is an InDesign file, the best option is to export directly from InDesign to Word if your workflow allows it, rather than going through PDF.
If PDF is required, try a simple test PDF with the same fonts and text styles to see whether the duplication follows a particular element.
Also make sure Acrobat is fully updated and try exporting a sample PDF using Acrobat's Word export rather than opening the PDF directly in Word.
If you can share one problematic PDF and the resulting Word file, others may be able to identify exactly which PDF objects are being interpreted twice.

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Dave Creamer of IDEAS

Community Expert

If I understand it correctly, InDesign is the last step, not where the PDF is coming from.

I believe it goes like this:

External program creates the PDF;
“Drops” the PDF into Word. (Not sure what “drop” means.);
Cleans up in Word;
“Drops” Word text into InDesign.

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David Creamer: Community Expert (ACI and ACE 1995-2023)

justlearn

Community Expert

I agree wth @Dave Creamer of IDEAS it’s a little confusing with ‘drop’ too because @jackt80025615 InDesign can be either placed or imported into the document.

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m

Dave Creamer of IDEAS

Community Expert

What do you mean “drop into Word”?

If you open (or drop?) a PDF in Word, Word is doing the conversion.

Or are you exporting to Word from Acrobat Pro?

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David Creamer: Community Expert (ACI and ACE 1995-2023)

justlearn

Community Expert

@jackt80025615 What external are your creating from for bettr contect?

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m

J

jackt80025615Author

Participant

nope, its a text generator BUT I have found out in the PDF where there is a new page for example and the text breaks, the break causes a duplicate sentence when opened in word from PDF

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justlearn

Community Expert

@jackt80025615 Sorry, can I clarify something? Or maybe, I am misunderstanding this.

You use InDesign - Create a PDF - Drop into PDF into Word
Are you importing or placing the PDF inside Word to edit or using the text? Then do you export as PDF again or save as a Word document

My first thought would be just easier to work in Word entirely versus creating all thes steps to edit the text later?

Are you placing the PDF as a new document or somewhere specifically on the page?

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m

J

jackt80025615Author

Participant

Hi! Thank you for your reply.

I am using a external programme to create PDFs, which have text/copy in them. In which I then drop into word to then drop into Indesign to style up.

The issue I get is when the PDF drops into word it duplicates lines/copy.

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Dave Creamer of IDEAS

Community Expert

Can the external program create anything else besides a PDF, such as an RTF?

And, again, what do you mean by “drop”?

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David Creamer: Community Expert (ACI and ACE 1995-2023)

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