Mass Conversion, Word to PDF

Report · Sep 08, 2020

I get hundreds of Word docs at a shot. I need to convert each one to PDF. Using Pro 2017, going to Tools, Create PDF, "Create Multiple PDF Files", each doc takes a couple of minutes, partially because I get a "Document uses Ink annotations" message I have to click past to get the process to continue (timed it this morning, 37 minutes to do 16 documents) . Isn't there an easier and/or faster way? Currently I can do it faster by opening each document and saving as a PDF manually.

Report · Sep 08, 2020

When you work with with large amount of files as a batch you need to define import settings presets.

This is done via "Edit" --->> "Preferences" --->>> "Convert to PDF"

Before you do this process you'll need to carefully examine and test which settings work the best for you. See slide below:

These settings are important because if those files have images or embedded font types you would want to factor in all of these additional considerations.

My other suggestion would be to creat a folder where you put all theMS Word files that you're gonna work with, select all, right-click and choose from the context menu "Convert to PDF" .

This method uses the dobe PDF Maker add-in, which is basically the Distiller program. It is a lot faster, however, user manual intervention is needed to save the newly created PDFs as they get converted to a PDF .

See more suggestions here: https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/msoffice/forum/all/need-to-batch-convert-word-to-pdf-files/4ee38...

Report · Sep 08, 2020

Thanks so much for walk-through on editing my preferences, and for the suggestion on the simple right-click method. I'll work with both to see which is easiest/fasted, and i'm also starting to explore the link you provided. I appreciate all the help!

Report · Sep 08, 2020

Okay, I tried the Right Click method. Maybe a little faster, but I didn't notice much improvement. So, since I'm more familiar with Office VBA I went the macro route. My macro is below, and it's incredibly much faster, but still has one issue; the prompt for "Ink Annotations" still shows up for each document and I can't figure out how to defeat it in the macro. I would think one of the two "Application.Display Alerts..." lines would do it, but neither of them do.

Sub MassConvertToPdfs()

'Converts every docx in the folder you select
    Dim xIndex As String
    Dim xDlg As FileDialog
    Dim xFolder As Variant
    Dim xNewName As String
    Dim xFileName As String
    Set xDlg = Application.FileDialog(msoFileDialogFolderPicker)

    If xDlg.Show <> -1 Then Exit Sub

    'Application.DisplayAlerts = wdAlertsNone
    Application.DisplayAlerts = False
    xFolder = xDlg.SelectedItems(1) + "\"
    xFileName = Dir(xFolder & "*.*", vbNormal)
    While xFileName <> ""
        If ((Right(xFileName, 4)) <> ".doc" Or Right(xFileName, 4) <> ".docx") Then
            xIndex = InStr(xFileName, ".") + 1
            xNewName = Replace(xFileName, Mid(xFileName, xIndex), "pdf")
            Documents.Open FileName:=xFolder & xFileName, _
                ConfirmConversions:=False, ReadOnly:=False, AddToRecentFiles:=False, _
                PasswordDocument:="", PasswordTemplate:="", Revert:=False, _
                WritePasswordDocument:="", WritePasswordTemplate:="", Format:= _
                wdOpenFormatAuto, XMLTransform:=""

            ActiveDocument.ExportAsFixedFormat OutputFileName:=xFolder & xNewName, _
                ExportFormat:=wdExportFormatPDF, OpenAfterExport:=False, OptimizeFor:= _
                wdExportOptimizeForPrint, Range:=wdExportAllDocument, From:=1, To:=1, _
                Item:=wdExportDocumentContent, IncludeDocProps:=True, KeepIRM:=True, _
                CreateBookmarks:=wdExportCreateNoBookmarks, DocStructureTags:=True, _
                BitmapMissingFonts:=True, UseISO19005_1:=False
            Application.DisplayAlerts = wdAlertsAll
            ActiveDocument.Close
        End If
        xFileName = Dir()
    Wend
    MsgBox "All Done. Check 'em out", vbOKOnly
End Sub

Report · Sep 08, 2020

I think there should be a command or a parameter to flatten the ink anootations but the key detail is if they're treated as image objects.

This seems to be true if instead of using the "Covert to PDF" method from you use the Print to PDF method, for example.

So I'm thinking if there is a parameter in the VBA Macro that allows to treat these annotations as image and flatten them as part of the export.

The issue seems to be related to the export task trying to apply compression, downsampling, and/or color corrections by default (this is where the lag is taking place in my opinion).