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A
Anonymous
March 31, 2017
Answered

Combine PDF process slows down after first 30 files

  • March 31, 2017
  • 3 replies
  • 7370 views

When combining approximately 80 PDF files into one PDF file, the first 30 or so combine quickly but then the process slows to a crawl for the remaining combines. All files are about the same size. We are using Adobe Acrobat X Pro. Can you direct me to potentially a setting that we may have overlooked? Or something else entirely.

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Correct answer Test Screen Name

There's no fix for this sort of thing and it doesn't seem to have got any better in current versions. You can try combining smaller batches (20 files, 20 more, combine all these combined files).

3 replies

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Test Screen Name
Legend
November 6, 2017

Not really... and the chances are that even if Acrobat could read-simplify-save a file that would take much longer than just combining it...

T
Test Screen Name
Legend
November 6, 2017

Hmm, I read this as you have 200,000 files to combine. Do you actually have files of 200KB?

B
brianw37211784
Participant
November 6, 2017

YES, FILES OF 200kb EACH, NOT 200,000 FILES TO COMBINE...

When combining, there is an "options" button.

4 things are on the list to check or not check.  Would any combination of these possibly help me?

Always enable accessibility and reflow

always add bookmarks to Adobe PDF

Continue Combining if an error occurs

Convert all files to PDF when creating a portfolio

Also, there are 3 options for file size, small, medium and large.  Would selecting one of these affect it?

T
Test Screen Name
Legend
November 6, 2017

200K files: not a job for Acrobat. Not entirely sure it's a job for anything. But on the specific case: PDF files can range from very simple to unbelievably complex inside and you'd never know from looking at them.

B
brianw37211784
Participant
November 6, 2017

Actually i combine word docs that are 4-5Mb each (photos embedded), and combine 10-15 of them no problem.  It is not the file size that is the issue. It must be the complexity of the .pdf file.  Are there are settings that can be changed in Adobe before combining that would allow Acrobat to "dumb down" the .pdf's when combining?

T
Test Screen NameCorrect answer
Legend
April 1, 2017

There's no fix for this sort of thing and it doesn't seem to have got any better in current versions. You can try combining smaller batches (20 files, 20 more, combine all these combined files).

B
brianw37211784
Participant
November 6, 2017

I have this issue also; however, it is with only one specific file type. I download test results from a OTDR (fiber optic cable tester) in .pdf form. When i try to combine these 200K files, each file takes longer than the last. 24 files would take 20 minutes, with the first couple going right away.  I have used the same computer running the same program to combine  over a hundred VSWR tests and/or Passive intermodulation tests with no problem.  It is just the .pdf files from the OTDR machine that slows Acrobat down. I have not been able to figure out why or come up with a solution. Even when I just combine 5 at a time, I cannot then combine those into any other .pdf without a long delay.

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