Combining files - word documents

Report · Feb 17, 2023

My colleagues and I have come across a problem when we combine files that only seem to be a problem on their machines and not on mine. I am working on an Imac and they are on higher-spec PCs.

The problem occurs when combining files together. The combine file function will work fine on all PDF files, but returns an error on most word documents saying "Error during Processing", and skipping them. It doesn't seem related to the file size as it has returned the error for files under 50kb as well as on the larger ones. We have tried downloading the files and saving them to a folder on the desktop to make sure it isn't related to the path length or being online (again, the PDF files saved into the same location don't have any issues). When the files are first added to the combine file section and the previews are generated, it has no issue or errors with them.

Does anyone have any other ideas for why this is happening and how we can fix it?

Report · Feb 17, 2023

@rachels49645718

To confirm: I think you are saying you are using the Combine feature of Acrobat to combine PDFs and Word documents, but the Word documents are not working.

If so, the first thing to ask is if your colleagues have Word installed, which is required (and you didn't say).

If not, please clarify, as I may have misunderstood.

Jane

Report · Feb 17, 2023

Hi Jane,

Yes, you're right in thinking we are combining PDFs and word files, but word files are not working. And yes, Microsoft is installed. And sometimes it will convert a word file, but more often it fails.

Thanks,

Report · Feb 17, 2023

@rachels49645718

The "sometimes" thing is baffling. I wonder if it's something with those particular Word files. For testing purposes, can you try:

On the PC: Try converting one of the problem files by itself from within Acrobat and also from the Acrobat ribbon in Word.
On your Mac: does the exact same problem Word file work for you when you use Combine on your iMac?

Jane

Report · Feb 17, 2023

@jane-e
We've tried what you suggested; the word docs seem to all convert fine to PDF outside of "Combine files", either through the create PDF tool, through the action wizard, or directly from word. They even convert from word on the PC's by right-clicking and selecting convert to PDF. It's only in the combine files they seem to have the issue.

And the same files work fine for me. We've run all the same tests on both machines alongside each other, so far it always works on mine and always returns mostly errors on theirs. We've tried it across different projects (ie. different combos of files so we know it isn't just the one set of files with the issues, and files that have come from different sources) Altogether we've tried it with over 100 word-documents, some in batches of 10, some in batches of 50 and they've all been ok for me, and maybe only 10 of them ok for my colleagues.

Report · Feb 17, 2023

@rachels49645718

I'll tag Adobe Employee @S. S to see if he can assist.

Jane

Report · Feb 17, 2023

Hi @rachels49645718 @Ryan28458370p6xa

Hope you are doing well. Sorry for your experience with Acrobat combining files.

Also, thank you, @jane-e, for the tag.

I tried following the workflow at my end, and it worked fine. I suspect issues with the PDF maker on the Windows device.

You may try a few steps to repairing the Adobe PDF maker for Microsoft: Troubleshoot Acrobat PDFMaker issues in Microsoft Office on Windows.

Also, trying the workflow on a new test admin user might work, too: Create a local user or administrator account in Windows - Microsoft Support

If either of them does not work, please confirm the version of the application you are using. To check the version, go to Help > About Acrobat. Also, please collect the Adobe CC logs https://helpx.adobe.com/creative-cloud/kb/cc-log-collector.html, procmon logs https://www.adobe.com/devnet-docs/acrobatetk/tools/Labs/acromonitor.html and share them via document cloud as described here https://helpx.adobe.com/document-cloud/help/sharing-pdfs.html for more investigation.

Look forward to hearing from you.

-Souvik

Report · Feb 17, 2023

This is happening to mine as well. "An unexpected error has occured using PDFMaker"

Report · Feb 17, 2023

@Ryan28458370p6xa wrote:

This is happening to mine as well. "An unexpected error has occured using PDFMaker"

You replied to a thread instead of creating a new one. Are you also getting "saying "Error during Processing" when you are using Combine on a PC, or do you have a different issue from the OP?

Jane

Report · Feb 17, 2023

I believe it is the same issue as OP. I have word installed. When I am combining a PDF and Word document into one PDF document, an "unexpected error" occurs, and the process is cancelled.

Report · Feb 18, 2023

I've just purchased Adobe Acrobot Pro and when I try to combine an Office 365 Word document, I get an error message everytime. It says it skipped the file becasue Adobe encountered an error. Can someone help me sort this out?

Report · Mar 02, 2023

Hi @Linda28472632jnq3 @Ryan28458370p6xa

Would you mind sharing the requested logs as described in the earlier response, so that we can isolate the issue for the fix?

Regards

Amal

Regards
Amal

Report · Mar 27, 2023

Amal, I apolgoize for the late reply, but I'm unclear as to what logs you're referring to. Everytime I try to combine a Word document I get an error message

Report · Mar 02, 2023

This is also happening to me. Same fault as several are reporting

Report · Mar 09, 2023

Hi @NZShayne

Would you mind sharing the screenshot of the error message and the requested logs so that we can isolate the issue for the fix.

Regards

Amal

Regards
Amal

Report · Mar 12, 2023

Hi, what is the solution please as it's creating a lot of hassle with having to pdf everyting prior to combining, if I recall there was a similar issue 3-4 years ago.

Report · Mar 13, 2023

This is also happening to me.

I have Adobe Acrobat Pro, version 2023.001.20064-0, (23.256).

The attached pictures are in Swedish, sorry about that. The first file shows the view inside Adobe Acrobat Pro, tool Create PDF. It shows that it should be possible to uploade a docx-file. But when you click on the empty frame to view your files you wont see any docx.file, please see the next attached file below; list of possible files. I also attach the settings in Adobe Acrobat Pro, as you can see Microsoft office Word is missing, but not powerpoint and Excel. The last post is the settings in Word which shows that PDF-maker for office is installed. So could you please provide some help to solve this issue?

Regards Birgit Postol

Report · Mar 21, 2023

Hi @Birgit5EB1

Hope you are doing well and sorry for the delayed response.

Please remove the application using the Acrobat cleaner tool https://www.adobe.com/devnet-docs/acrobatetk/tools/Labs/cleaner.html, reboot the computer once and reinstall the application using the direct link
https://helpx.adobe.com/acrobat/kb/acrobat-dc-downloads.html and see if that helps.

Let us know how it goes.

Regards
Amal

Report · Mar 27, 2023

Is there any news on this issue? I have a user with the same issue occuring. It was working fine on Friday and came in today and its failing.

Report · Mar 27, 2023

Hi again. I'm afraid that I forgot to mention that I have the creative cloud, and it seems that the link you gave me, is not intended for the suit.

I have though, uninstalled and reinstalled the program from creative suit, with no improvements. Adobe Acrobat still cannot find any .doc or .docx files within the tool "Create a pdf-file from any format".

Regards

Birgit

Report · Mar 29, 2023

Hi Birgit5EB1 and Nick25695565jo5a,

Thank you for reaching out.

The issue has been reported to the team, and they are working on the fix.

We will keep you updated with the latest information we receive.

In the meantime, please try creating the PDF online. Open the following link: https://acrobat.adobe.com/link/home/ and sign in using the Adobe ID. Go to the Convet tab.

Thanks,

Meenakshi

Report · Apr 03, 2023

Thanks, but we cannot use the cloud för handling our documents.

Report · Mar 29, 2023

So I've had this happen a couple of times now. I resolved it by going into Preferences, Security (Enhanced), and disabling Enable Protected Mode at startup (Preview). It happened on the same PC more than once, so I think an update must have enabled it a 2nd time.

Report · Apr 01, 2023

Holy Cow...I am keeping this community safe...I have spent HOURS on the phone and chat with support trying to fix this issue (started for me in January). NO ONE has been able to fix it. I went in and changed this setting and it is now working again (although it could not convert one of the documents - I assume for some other reason). I am hoping this continues to work for me! Thank you for commenting and saving me more time on with support!!

Report · Apr 03, 2023

Hi, I'm afraid that this solution didn't solve my problem. Adobe Acrobat Professional (in the creative cloud) still cannot find Word-documents within the tool "Create PDF" or "Combine PDF-files". But PDF-maker works from within Word and the Explorer.