Acrobat Pro DC Cannot Count its Own Words.

[defaultssfl3mzq03y8]

I was shocked to learn that the most elementary function of a word producing system, word counting, must be done by saving your Adobe document as a PDF and converting it to a Microsoft word application. Considering all the "tools" Pro DC proudly displays, how could counting words not be included? 

[kglad]

<moved from enterprise and teams >

[Abambo]

Acrobat is not a “word producing system”. I have never missed word counting, and I have been using Acrobat for more than 20 years now.

[defaultssfl3mzq03y8]

Dear All Seeing - All Knowing Abambo,

Thanks to Microsoft I've been able to count the words of my manuscript produced in Acrobat Pro DC. I type the letters and Pro DC produces the words on my iMac screen. Converting the file to Microsoft provides me with both the word count for the page I'm on, plus the grand total. 

My lengthy manuscript is for a novel and the word count must be included when one submits their work to a publisher. By rule, word count for a novel should not exceed 110,000 words. There are exceptions.

The fact that you have no need to count words is your business and totally irrelevant.

[kglad]

for others, https://www.adobe.com/au/acrobat/hub/how-to/how-to-count-words-pdf.html

[try67 · Accepted solution]

You can use this free tool I've developed to show you the word count with a single click:

https://www.try67.com/tool/acrobat-word-count-free

[Derek Williams Music]

Gosh, this works! Thank you for creating an easy-to-follow set of instructions (macOS and Windows) and for doing for free what the Adobe developers should have done 8 versions ago. As regularly is the case, I am currently in the process of marking a pile of uni assignments compulsorily submitted in PDF, and for every one of which we are required to conduct a word count. A total PITA to do by exporting each and every one to Word.doc before your script showed up.

Well done, and thanks again!

[try67]

You're very welcome!