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Crop Pages error - Page size may not be reduced

Forum|Forum|13 years ago
June 5, 2012
13 replies
80585 views

I am using Adobe Acrobat 8 to make changes to PDF files.

In Batch Processing -- Crop Pages it will not let me add a custom size. It says that the page size may not be reduced.

I tried it two ways:

1. With a document open that was 9.5in by 10.25in. Crop Page to 10in by 10.75in to create some space around the document. Did not work. Gave me page size errror.

2. No document open. Set size to 10 by 10.75 with same page size error.

I am able do the crop under Document -- Crop Pages. Works great, but I need a batch process for this.

We created a Crop Pages process on other files and it worked just fine.

Any ideas as to why it's not working now?

Thanks!

Correct answer

I know this is an old thread, but in case anyone finds it with the same problem, this workaround should help.

I wanted to increase the margins around several documents so that they would print smaller on a given paper size. Whereas I could do this on a single document using the crop tool by entering new dimensions in the Change Paper Size Custom width and height boxes, when I tried to create a new action, the dreaded 'Page size may not be reduced' warning appeared, irrespective of any actual dimensions entered.

Here is the workaround.

1 Open any document, apply the crop tool, and enter the required new paper size in the 'Change Page Size' custom width and height boxes. Make sure that the Page Range is correct; it can’t be changed later. Click on OK. Keep the document open without saving.

2 Click on File>Action Wizard>Create New Action and choose Pages>Crop Pages. Click on the crop options and the settings should be as last set in 1 above. Click on Cancel, and then Save to create a new action with these settings.

This work with Acrobat X.

K

kara__0475

Participant

This is a super old thread, but I tried all the suggestions and ended up going to https://www.pdf2go.com/resize-pdf to resize it there. I can't believe this is still an issue. Hope I can help someone!

J

Jerry34793507uk7l

Participant

I ran into the same issue. After many trials, I found out that it works if the page size is large. Then I realized that it could be the orientation problem.

For example, the USPS shipping label is shown as 4" x 6". I could not increase the page sizae to 5" x 7", but 7" x 5" works. If the page size works and then Center option is checked, XOffset and YOffset are calculated automatically.

Not that page layout shown in top right of the dialog box is not correct.

A

aisuyh yutdfr.srekuhjtgh_

Participant

sdgv

Q

Q Byrd Law

Participating Frequently

The one thing I found that worked was to print to PDF. I noticed that when I went to print, it showed the page size as being my normal 8.5 x 11. I selected to print to PDF and it stayed that size. I saved/printed and it made it that size!

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Tim Personal Profile

Participant

Here's my workaround. Open a pdf file in Adobe. Print the document, selecting Adobe as the printer, and selecting the desired page size from the print menu. That will create a new document, using whatever page size was selected. Save the new file, and discard the original pdf. I receive invoices in all sorts of odd sizes, so I do this to convert them all to letter sized pdf files.

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Cindy31034114ghaf

Participant

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!

danm1551784

Participant

There is still, in 2022, not a way to crop all pages in a document to the same final cropped size (which is not the same as cropping all pages by the same amount). However, you can use this process to accomplish the same effect:

1. In the Crop tool (Under Edit) use the Change Page Size to set a custom height and width 10 inches larger than your final desired page size for all pages in the document.

2. Go back into the Crop tool and set all Margin Controls (Top, Bottom, Left, Right) to 5 inches.

3. Your pages are now all exactly the same size and you can make minor adjustments (centering images etc) page by page.

danm1551784

Participant

Update: Make custom height and width 2 inches larger than your final desired page and set all margin controls to 1.

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aceofficial

Participant

Hey! I found an answer which worked.

When it says the 'page size may not be reduced', this is because I was seeking to crop the page through the 'Change Page Size' section at the bottom (entering a custom size or selecting a fixed one), rather than the 'Page Boxes' section at the top (see image below):

If you need to increase the page dimensions, I've found change page size works great.

However, it seems the top section allows you to CROP by increasing the margins - thus cropping the page. If you have a page size in mind, you can check the 'constrain proportions' box and type in, say, '1' inch. Then take a look under the page preview on the right there and see your new 'Cropped page size'. Increase inch by inch until close enough to your desired page size to increase by decimal numbers until you get to your desired page size. It really isn't as complex as it sounds.

CHANGING TO DIMENSIONS WITH A DIFFERENT PROPORTION?

If your desired new dimension is specific yet different in proportion, 'constrain proportions' may only help for getting to the correct 'top' and 'bottom' margins for your desired page height. Then once you want to change the page width, you can uncheck 'constrain proportions' and change the 'left' and 'right' margins until your displayed 'Cropped page size' is correct or close enough.

CHANGING TO DIMENSIONS WITH A NEED TO CROP HEIGHT BUT INCREASE WIDTH (OR VICE VERSA)?

I'm not sure about this. If you need to both increase the page size one way (e.g. height) and decrease the other (e.g. width), I would first try the 'Change page size' options (at the bottom) and see if it'll let you. If not, you'll have to maintain or slightly increase the size of the dimension you'd like to crop and then later change the margins through the upper Margin controls - only adjusting the dimesion you'd like to crop down.

(NOTICE: I'm no expert and may be wrong about some of these things I've found have worked for me, but this is what I believe to be true based on an answer I found on another thread. All I can say is this has worked for me!)

D

defaultw7t3y22t2kkn

Participant

This does nothing. On thé Mac's I've used at Uni they can enlarge to 10 x 13 (which is standard orchestral paper size) ... but in Windows to no prevail.. I'm almost tired of Adobe's with what works on what platform and vice-versa...

i need to enlarge some parts that were painstakingly cut down by some librarian when they were added to the collection. I do not want to print them to size (10 x 13) I want true margins on the top/bottom and sides instead of enlarging the image itself.. how complicated can Adobe get when it's been 10yrs since the initial thread began with no answer.

(remarks removed by moderator)

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cstoddard02

Participant

thinkdolphinweb

Again, this is an old thread but I found another work around that might help until Adobe adds an easier option to fix the margins. Going through the action wizard you can still select the Crop Page option and view the command options. In the page options, rather than setting custom distances for the margins, I selected one of the "Fixed Options" and this did not give me the same error.

I use this to save my course PDF's and edit them by hand on my iPad, the ledger size has been perfect, giving me a little more elbow room to annotate lecutre notes.

Hope this helps you or someone else who was frustrated.

beetleblaster

Participating Frequently

This bug still hasn't been fixed! None of the workarounds save any time over manually editing my documents.

1) Using Fixed sizes is not an option, as I am using 4x8" or 4x6" labels, which are not listed as options.

2) The other workaround requires first cropping the page and then running the macro, but this defeats the purpose, as I have to crop the document every time I open a shipping label after closing Acrobat. I'm not batching lots of labels, but rather running a number of steps on a single label at a time, which I want to automate.

B

Bob Caused This

Inspiring

yes, this has been one the most reetardid non-features of this version of acrobat software. i mean c'mon, how difficult would this have been to code, at the time, adobe? some may call using dead / archaic software with no tech support, ill-advisable. but i luv using vintage software. keep the legacy alive i say!

JoeArgyle

Participant

Absolutely ridiculous that this bug still exists. 7 years and counting guys.... I can't imagine this is difficult to fix, 3rd party PDF editors don't seem to have any trouble.

By the way the workaround posted in this thread isn't a long term solution. The next time you use the crop tool your settings will be modified.

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RafalJanicki

Participant

Hi

Workaround still sort of works for Acrobat DC but I have an additional question.

I have a set of pdf documents edited in word to which I have to add "artificial" bleed.

Documents have both vertical and horizontal pages. For printing I had to rotate the horizontal pages (no problems here) but when I apply "Change Page Size" tool it only works on pages which were originally vertical, it does not change the size of pages which WERE horizontal but had been rotated. Hope this makes sense.

Anyone knows of a workaround to resize all pages (without touching the content).

Thanks!

M

marvelmovieruiner

Participant

I have a document that is roughly 69 x 48 inches and I am unable to scale it down to 15 x 10. How would I scale this down?