Can't Save PDF as PDF/A

[afpadc]

I've moved to a new coomputer and have reinstalled Acrobat but now when I try to save any PDF as a PDF/A I get an error message.  This is true whether I use 'Save As' and select PDF/A from the pulldown options or whether I go to Save As Other and select Archivable PDF/A.  It's the same result.  I have a screenshot of the error message but didn't want to upload it unless asked.  It basically says "Could not copy file C: [complicated Acrobat path that is not the saved document]; C: [complicated appdata path that is not the intended destination]. The parameter is incorrect."

Any help?  If it fixes *either* method of creating a PDF/A I'm fine with access just to one but right now I can't make any type of PDF/A.  Thanks,

[Amal.]

Hi @afpadc 

Hope you are doing well and sorry to hear that.

Is this an issue with a particular PDF file or with all the PDFs? Please try with a different PDF file and check. If the file is stored on a shared network/drive please download it to your computer locally and then try again.

What is the version of the Acrobat DC you are using? To check the version go to Help > About Acrobat and make sure you have the recent version 23.01.2006x installed. Go to Help > Check for updates and reboot the computer once.

Try to repair the installation from the help menu (Win Only) and see if that works. Also (For testing purposes), go to Edit (Win), Adobe Acrobat (Mac) > Preferences > Enhanced Security > Uncheck 'Enable protected mode at startup' > click OK and reboot the computer
Note: Please turn on the security after testing to avoid any security risk.

Try to reset the Acrobat preferences as described here https://community.adobe.com/t5/acrobat-discussions/how-to-reset-acrobat-preference-settings-to-defau...

You may also try to create a new test user profile with full admin rights in Win or enable the root account in MAC and try using the application there and check.

Regards

Amal

[afpadc]

Thank you for responding. First, the problem is for all types of files that are presently PDF. I tested as many variables as I could -- single-page or multi-page files, files distilled from Word, distilled from WordPerfect, downloaded PDFs, scans. I did try repairing Acrobat (BTW I'm using Acrobat Pro version 2023-001-20064 64-bit on Windows 11 pc) but that didn't help. I uninstalled and reinstalled it, that didn't help. I reinstalled it again using a freshly downloaded installation file, that didn't help. I uninstalled it, copied the Adobe folder from my previous computer out of Program Files x86 then reinstalled it, that didn't help. That led me to the forum.

I just now tested your suggestion about unchecking the box in 'Enhanced Security' and it didn't work but it did, however, give me a different error message that reads, "No output intent defined. In order to convert a PDF file to PDF/A an Output Intent is needed. Please define an Output Intent in the Preflight preferences."  After reopening Acrobat I tried again, first going to Preflight and selecting Acrobat Pro 2015 Profiles --> Standards --> Save as PDF/A --> Save as PDF/A-1b.  After that there was no 'OK' or 'Apply' or 'Save' or 'Done' so I looked around but couldn't figure out what to do other than X out of Preflight and the error message came up when I attempted the save.

Thanks for sticking with this, I'll look forward to the next attempt (I've rechecked the security at startup box). Let me know whether or how I should upload screenshots of the two different error messages.  Thanks,

[Amal.]

Hi @afpadc 

Have you tried to create a new test user profile with full admin rights in Win or enable the root account in MAC and try using the application there and check?

Also, go through the help page https://helpx.adobe.com/acrobat/using/output-intents-pdfs-acrobat-pro.html and see fi that works for you.

Regards

Amal

[afpadc]

It's kind of embarrassing with all the other stuff but... I don't know how to do that.

Jack

[afpadc]

I went back to my old computer and (I think) exporterd the PDF/A settings as the help document suggests (a file called 'Convert to PDF_A-1b.kfp'.  I imported the file at different points into Preflight on this computer but I'm not sure I've done it right or am reaching it.  Anyway, same error message.

[afpadc]

I've tried a few more things without success.  Are you willing or able to take this out of the forum and try to fix this via email or phone?  I'm not sure how we'd communicate the contact info to start but let me know if you're willing to do that.  Thanks,

Jack

[Amal.]

Hi @afpadc 

We are sorry to hear that the issue persists. Would you mind collecting the Adobe CC logs https://helpx.adobe.com/creative-cloud/kb/cc-log-collector.html , Procmon logs (Win Only) https://www.adobe.com/devnet-docs/acrobatetk/tools/Labs/acromonitor.html  and share them via any cloud storage. Just upload the log file to the cloud, generate the link, and share that link with us for further investigation.

Your early response is highly appreciated.

Regards
Amal

[superhuwman]

Hi @afpadc!

Just wondering whether you managed to solve this in the end? I'm experiencing exactly the same issue as you described.

All best, Huw

[afpadc]

Sort of.  After going through two standard-level phone techs, the
problem was escalated to a supervisor who shared my computer and added a
plug-in that immediately fixed it.  Why couldn't they have used that
immediately?!  Anyway, that fixed the .pdf/a problem but it created, or
left behind, a new problem.  Now when I create a .pdf/a it wipes out the
document's bookmarks.  Same problem with standard-level techs until
finally they came up with this solution. Every document that I want to
turn into .pdf/a -- including simple black and white memos -- must be
run through preflight to retain the bookmarks.  That works but when I
complained that this was sort of burdensome to do for every document the
response came back that the problem retaining bookmarks is a known
problem and will be dealt with in a future update.

TL;DR.  Apparently we can't solve the .pdf/a problem ourselves, a
second-level tech must install a plug-in to make it work.  Sorry, good luck.

--[P.I Removed by moderator]

[Jose Roberto31977926yf9f · Accepted solution]

I think I found a solution to this problem... I hit the print button and then select save as PDF and in properties you can select PDF/A type... Hope it helps

[Minna36975621repe]

I have this same problem now. I can not make PDF/A. Printing, Save as other don´t work. 

Prefligth tool opens, but it is empty. So that way it is impossable to get my documents to PDF/A. 

I have WIN 11 and  Adobe 24.002.20687

[Amal.]

Hi there,

As you have the latest version installed. please try to repair the installation from the help menu (Win Only) and see if that works.

Also try to reset the Acrobat preferences as described here https://community.adobe.com/t5/acrobat-discussions/how-to-reset-acrobat-preference-settings-to-defau... and check

You may also try to create a new test user profile with full admin rights in Win or enable the root account in MAC and try using the application there and check.


If it still doesn't work, please remove the application using the Acrobat cleaner tool https://www.adobe.com/devnet-docs/acrobatetk/tools/Labs/cleaner.html, reboot the computer and reinstall the application using the direct link https://helpx.adobe.com/acrobat/kb/acrobat-dc-downloads.html

~Amal

[Luis259472112kbu]

I was having this same problem. Tried everything to save a PDF/a, but nothing was solving it (uninstalling, resetting preferences, deleting the DC folder in the registry, admin rights, checking firewall, etc.). Then I found that changing the “Preferences” in the category “Convert from pdf”, where “save as Pdf/a-1a” was checked, I unchecked it and checked “save as Pdf/a-1b”. It fixed my problem.

[Sona35833903jl0g]

Hi, I would like to try to use this but I am unable to change this specific preference - the button OK is not active. Any idea why?

[Christina248858089a8j]

Unfortunately Macs running Adobe do not have the ability to Print and Save As PDF anymore. Any other solution?

[Dave Creamer of IDEAS]

Check out the Print To PDF app on the Apple Store.

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/print-to-pdf-printer-app/id1639234272?mt=12

[Stefano Benatti]

same problem, lost a loto of time to do a simple passage, it seems simple but it's not and it's difficult to accept this from the user prespective, bad user experience for what I'm concerned

[Tariq Ahmad]

Hi @Stefano Benatti, 

Sorry for the troubled experience. 

If you are still experiencing trouble, it would be very helpful if you could provide us with some background about what is happening when you try to save a PDF as a PDF/A file. 

You can use Acrobat Pro’s Preflight tool to check if a PDF meets PDF/A compliance or even convert it to a PDF/A file. Here’s how:

1. Open your PDF in Acrobat Pro.

2. Go to Tools > Print Production > Preflight.

3. In the Preflight window, use the search bar to type “PDF/A”.

4. To check compliance, choose “Verify compliance with PDF/A-1b” (or another version as needed).

5. To convert, select “Convert to PDF/A-1b” and Acrobat will attempt to fix the file.

If successful, you can save your file as PDF/A in the correct format. Let us know what version of PDF/A you’re targeting, and we’ll be happy to guide you further!

Best regards,
Tariq | Adobe Community Team