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Re-combining pages into one large map.

Forum|Forum|7 years ago
August 15, 2018
3 replies
1492 views

I made a large map, 24 inches by 29 inches, using Acrobat IX. When I open the map in Pro DC, it appears as 16 separate pages.

How do I recombine it or open it in the original format? It is worthless as 16 pages and needs to be one large map.

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Correct answer Dov Isaacs

I believe I know what is going on now. Neil e-mailed the “before” and “after” PDF files.

The first file is a one page (24"x29"), 4MB PDF file created directly from an Autodesk application using MacOS' native PDF production capabilities. It contains a mixture of text, vector artwork, and raster graphics. The following is what shows in Document Properties => Description within Acrobat Pro DC:

The second file is a 16 page (8.5"x11"), 2MB PDF file created from Microsoft Excel using MacOS's native PDF production capabilities. It is totally low resolution raster graphics. The following is what shows in Document Properties => Description within Acrobat Pro DC:

The reality is that nothing was done to the original PDF file itself. Rather, the evidence points to someone creating an Excel spreadsheet and importing the PDF file into that spreadsheet. That spreadsheet was then saved from Excel as a PDF file. In doing that save, Excel adhered to the defined page size of the spreadsheet (8.5"x11" portrait) and “tiled” the content in producing the output. In reality, Excel was doing exactly what it was supposed to do. If a custom page size of (24"x29") for the spreadsheet was defined with layout of 0" margins and no headers or footers, possibly output from Excel would have appeared on one page. Note that importing PDF into any Microsoft Office document is somewhat iffy and often leads to low resolution output, which is what we see here.

Bottom line summary is that the 16 page PDF file was not modified by anything, but rather, it was imported into Excel from which the tiled, 16 page version was created. By itself, Acrobat has no way of doing that tiling (other than through a convoluted set of labor-intensive manual operations which would challenge even the most tech-savvy on these forums).

- Dov

Dov IsaacsCorrect answer

Brainiac

I believe I know what is going on now. Neil e-mailed the “before” and “after” PDF files.

The first file is a one page (24"x29"), 4MB PDF file created directly from an Autodesk application using MacOS' native PDF production capabilities. It contains a mixture of text, vector artwork, and raster graphics. The following is what shows in Document Properties => Description within Acrobat Pro DC:

The second file is a 16 page (8.5"x11"), 2MB PDF file created from Microsoft Excel using MacOS's native PDF production capabilities. It is totally low resolution raster graphics. The following is what shows in Document Properties => Description within Acrobat Pro DC:

The reality is that nothing was done to the original PDF file itself. Rather, the evidence points to someone creating an Excel spreadsheet and importing the PDF file into that spreadsheet. That spreadsheet was then saved from Excel as a PDF file. In doing that save, Excel adhered to the defined page size of the spreadsheet (8.5"x11" portrait) and “tiled” the content in producing the output. In reality, Excel was doing exactly what it was supposed to do. If a custom page size of (24"x29") for the spreadsheet was defined with layout of 0" margins and no headers or footers, possibly output from Excel would have appeared on one page. Note that importing PDF into any Microsoft Office document is somewhat iffy and often leads to low resolution output, which is what we see here.

Bottom line summary is that the 16 page PDF file was not modified by anything, but rather, it was imported into Excel from which the tiled, 16 page version was created. By itself, Acrobat has no way of doing that tiling (other than through a convoluted set of labor-intensive manual operations which would challenge even the most tech-savvy on these forums).

- Dov

- Dov Isaacs, former Adobe Principal Scientist (April 30, 1990 - May 30, 2021)

Bernd Alheit

Community Expert

How did you create the PDF file?

Dov Isaacs

Brainiac

Are you saying that a PDF file you produced in the past as a single page PDF file 24"x29" and displayed as such in Acrobat now appears as a sixteen page PDF file? There is no function within Acrobat that would cause something like that to happen at any time.

- Dov

- Dov Isaacs, former Adobe Principal Scientist (April 30, 1990 - May 30, 2021)

N

nfotx6708Author

Participating Frequently

Dov,

That is exactly what has happened. And today was the second instance. I have attached the map I used as a base (Fresno - West 1/2). Once colored and labeled it opened up in Pro DC as 16 pages. I want my old file back. Also attached the 16 pages (Parcels of Fresno County . . .)

Thanks,

Neil

Dov Isaacs

Brainiac

Dov,

I am aware of the non-attachment policy as of this morning. I will get them to you today.

Neil

Thanks. At this point, I see only two possibilities of what is happening …

(1) When you first look at the PDF file, you are using a viewer (of PDF or of something that you are about to download as PDF) that is tiling the pages into what looks like a single page but when you open it up with Acrobat (or Reader), the actual pages are shown.

(2) Somehow a PDF with a large page is being “printed” to PDF using print tiling option.

Yes, I know these are really wild-*ass guesses, but so are the symptoms!

- Dov

- Dov Isaacs, former Adobe Principal Scientist (April 30, 1990 - May 30, 2021)

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