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catlady01
catlady01
Participant
May 9, 2019
Question

Adobe Acrobat Pro DC - How can I use the Action Wizard to combine files from one folder?

  • May 9, 2019
  • 1 reply
  • 2961 views

I just started using Adobe Acrobat Pro DC, because I can no longer use Acrobat X (long story).  I was using the Job Definitions feature in Acrobat X to create and save a list of files in a specific order that I would update and run weekly.  The file names never changed.  All I would have to do is open the Job Definitions and select/run the job.  It would create a beautiful single PDF document from about 90 different PDF files in a very short period of time.  I'm trying to duplicate this effort in Pro DC using the Action Wizard. 

I have done some research, but I can't come up with the answer on my own.  Can someone help me, please?  I can remember years ago calling Adobe and asking why they had removed Job Definitions from subsequent versions, and I was told that they didn't know that what I was doing could be done.  Apparently, I had discovered a use for JDs that no one had thought of.  Amazing.  I'm hoping that the Action Wizard will help me get back to that ease of creating this massive document in a much more timely fashion.  What use to take a few minutes is now taking me an hour or more.

Thanks in advance for your help!!

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1 reply

try67
Community Expert
try67Community Expert
Community Expert
May 9, 2019

If the exact paths of the files are known there's no need to use an Action. It can be done with a script.

For example, I've developed this (paid-for) tool that allows you to select a text file with file-paths and then it merges them to a single PDF, in the specified order: Custom-made Adobe Scripts: Acrobat -- Combine files to PDF from a list

catlady01
catlady01Author
Participant
May 9, 2019

So are you saying I need to spend $60 to buy another tool, because this can't be done with the Action Wizard?  I just want to be clear here.  I'm not looking to spend more money.  I'm trying to utilize what I'm already paying for.  Did I just trigger some kind of sales thing with my question??  That is NOT what I was hoping for at all.

Can someone else please help?

try67
Community Expert
try67Community Expert
Community Expert
May 9, 2019

You can't do it with just an Action. You would need to combine an Action with a script. My method is easier, though, as it allows you to specify the file-order much better than in an Action. Either way you will need to learn how to write the code to do it.

You can start doing so here: Adobe - Acrobat Developer Center | Adobe Developer Connection

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