Error messages when loading PDFs from embedded Excel document

Report · Oct 08, 2019

Hello,

I am currently looking into two error messages that seem to occur when trying to open up embedded PDF documents from an Excel document. These error messages do not seem to occur when opening the PDF files directly from file explorer.

Any advice on how to resolve these error messages would be greatly appreciated.

Kind Regards,

Ryan

Report · Oct 09, 2019

Hi Ryan,

Thanks for reaching out. As described above, you are getting error messages when loading PDFs from embedded Excel document, correct?

As the documents are opening fine when opened directly from the file explorer, there seen to be an issue with the excel file.

Is the file located locally on your computer or is it on a shared network? Please try to download the file to your computer and check.

Please try to add the location of the file in Adobe Acrobat/Reader. Go to Edit (Windows), Adobe Acrobat/Reader (Mac) > Preferences > Enhanced Security > Add File And Add Folder Path > Click OK and check.

For testing purpose, please try to turn off the protected view. Go to Edit (Windows), Adobe Acrobat/Reader (Mac) > Preferences > Enhanced Security > Turn off the Protected view and uncheck the Enhanced security > click OK > Restart the computer and check.

Note: Please turn on the security after testing, irrespective of the result.

If turning off the security works for you, please refer to the steps in the help article - https://helpx.adobe.com/acrobat/kb/protected-mode-troubleshooting-reader.html

Additional information: Make sure you have the latest version of Adobe Acrobat/Reader installed. Go to Help > Check for Updates. For detailed information please use the help link https://www.adobe.com/devnet-docs/acrobatetk/tools/ReleaseNotesDC/index.html

Let us know how it goes

Regards

Amal

Report · Apr 20, 2022

I have the same problem. I've embedded a PDF file (not a link) in an Excel spreadsheet, The source file opens fine if I open it in Windows, but I get the following error if I try to open it from within Excel:

I followed all the suggestions in the previous post and nothing works. I'm running the ltest version of Acrobat. I tried disabling all of the advanced security features. I added the folder and file name to trused sources (not sure why that would matter since the embedded file isn't a link). Nothing works.

How do I fix this?

Report · Apr 20, 2022

I should add that if I embed the file as a link instead of the actual file, it opens fine. But I need to embed the actual file.

Report · Apr 20, 2022

This is not the correct answer. I need to embed the actual file, not a link.

Report · Apr 20, 2022

Hi there

Hope you are doing well and sorry for the trouble.

Is this an issue with a particular PDF file or with all the PDFs that you embed into Excel? 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 check again.

Also, please share a small video recording of the steps you are doing and the issue you are experiencing for a better understanding.

Make sure you have the recent version 22.1.20117 (Win), 22.1.20112 (Mac). Go to Help > Check for updates and reboot the computer once.

Regards

Amal

Report · Apr 21, 2022

> Is this an issue with a particular PDF file or with all the PDFs that you embed into Excel?

This only happens when I try to open a PDF that was created using the BarTender label printing software, using "Microsoft Print to PDF". The file that is giving me the problem is attached.

> If the file is stored on a shared network/drive, please download it to your computer locally and check again.

I've tried both ways; it doesn't work in either case.

> please share a small video recording of the steps you are doing and the issue you are experiencing for a better understanding.

I recorded a video as requested which is attached.

> Make sure you have the recent version 22.1.20117 (Win)...

As I stated in ym original post, I already verified that I'm running the latest version of Acrobat.

Report · Apr 21, 2022

Hi there

Thanks for sharing the video recording and the PDF file in question.

I have checked the video and the PDF file that you have shared and found that the PDF file is created using Microsoft print to PDF (MS Process), please try to create the PDF using Adobe Acrobat Pro DC application and then try again.

I have tried the steps below and it's now working for me:

Open the PDF file in the Adobe Acrobat Pro DC application.
Go to File menu > Print
Select Adobe PDF from the Printer dropdown menu and save the PDF with a different name on your computer

Then try to add the PDF as an object to the Excel sheet.

Hope this information will help

Regards

Amal

Report · Apr 22, 2022

Thanks, Amal, but that's a workaround, not a fix. If Acrobat can open the file directly from Windows File Explorer, it should be able to open the same file embedded in Excel. This appears to be a bug that is somehow unique to the contents of this file.

This is part of an automated production system. Once labels are printed for a given work order, the label printing software generates a PDF file containing images of all the labels that were printed. An Excel macro imports all the production data into a spreadsheet and embeds the PDF file into the spreadsheet. It's all done automatically and there is no acceptable way to manually open the file in Acrobat and save it again before the macro imports the file.

Report · Apr 25, 2022

Hi there,

Hope you are doing well and sorry to hear that.

There isn't much that we can do as the issue is related to how the PDF is created. Since in your case its the MS process, please try to get in touch with the MS support team and see if that helps.

~Amal

Report · Apr 25, 2022

Hi Amal,

There is also an option within the BarTender software to print to a PDF file that doesn't use the Microsoft "Print to PDF" driver. I tried that and get the same result so this is not an issue with the Microsoft PDF driver.

There has to be a reason that Acrobat can open the file from Windows File Explorer but cannot from within Excel. It's the exact same file. Can you please escalate this issue to someone who can actually troubleshoot the problem?

Report · Apr 27, 2022

Hi there

I have checked the PDF file and run some tests and found that the issue is due to some syntax error.

Please open the PDF file with Adobe Acrobat Pro DC

Go to Tools
Preflight
Under PDF fixups > Select, convert all pages to RBG and click on analyze and fix.

Save the PDF file on your computer locally and then try again to embedd it into Excel and check.

Regards

Amal

Report · Apr 27, 2022

Hi Amal,

Thanks for digging into this. But I don't have Adobe Acrobat Pro so I cannot get to the tools you referenced.

In any case, as I explained in my prior email, this is part of an automated process so inserting an intermediate manual step is not an option. Acrobat needs to deal with this condition in the same way it does when it opens the file from Windows File explorer. Why does it behave differently when it opens the file from within Excel?

Also, can you please provide specifics on what the syntax error is so I can pass it along to the label printer software developers?

Best regards,

Bill

Report · Apr 28, 2022

Hi Bill

Please find the syntax error report below for your kind reference:

Regards

Amal

Report · Apr 29, 2022

Thank you, Amal!