Unable to save combined files anymore

[Kelly27032896x5rm]

I have recently got a new work laptop and now my Adobe Acrobat Pro DC won't save combined files. I have been savings combined files for a number of years and now it just won't save. I have unchecked both the 'show online storeage when opening files' and the 'show online storage when saving files.' I have also tried unchecking the 'save as optimizes for fast web view.' 

The only way I can save is to print to PDF which takes forever to save.

[ls_rbls]

Have you activated your Adobe ID that is associated with your paid subscription in that device yet?

The way you've described the issue sounds like if you were using Acrobat Reader DC (PDF viewer, free version) instead of Acrobat Pro DC (PDF viewer and editor, full desktop version, requires paid subscription).

If you do have Adobe Acrobat Pro DC, go online :

• https://account.adobe.com/activated-devices

And check in that page if you see listed more than one computer device activated, remove the devices that you're not using with this Adobe ID anymore, and only leave activated the new computing device.

[Kelly27032896x5rm]

Hi Is_Rbis, I have done what you have suggest and my laptop has been activated. There are no other devices activated.

[ls_rbls]

Was Adobe Acrobat installed afresh in that new computer?

Which operating system are you on?

[Kelly27032896x5rm]

Yes, it was installed fresh, our IT guys did it. It has also been uninstalled and reinstalled. IT guys don't have a solution as to why it no longer saves combined files. We are using Windows 10 enterprise.

[ls_rbls]

A few more  questions,

Is this happening with a particular set of PDFs or with any type of PDF (even if that PDF is blank)?

Are these PDFs the result of another program that exported them to PDF (i.e. Microsoft Word)?

It may be worth noting, if the PDFs that you're trying to combine are digitally signed or certified with a digital signature. In which case, the digital signatures must be removed first before combining and then sign after the PDFs are combined.

If they are digitally signed, the only way combinded signed PDfs is as a PDF Portfolio, otherwise, the security that is already enforced with signed documents will prevent that assembly or disassembly of such files.

Did you get any pop up alerts or error messages when you try to employ the Combine Files method?

And how are you employing it from Acrobat with the Combine Files tool, through an Action, or selecting files in Files Explorer and right-clicking from the context menu to choose "Combine Files"?

[Kelly27032896x5rm]

Is this happening with a particular set of PDFs or with any type of PDF (even if that PDF is blank)? I receive 254 invoices each month that I combine into one documents for forwarding by email.

Are these PDFs the result of another program that exported them to PDF (i.e. Microsoft Word)? No, they are PDF 

It may be worth noting, if the PDFs that you're trying to combine are digitally signed or certified with a digital signature. In which case, the digital signatures must be removed first before combining and then sign after the PDFs are combined. No they are not signed. Same invoices have been received for past 5 years

Did you get any pop up alerts or error messages when you try to employ the Combine Files method? No, nothing pops up

And how are you employing it from Acrobat with the Combine Files tool, through an Action, or selecting files in Files Explorer and right-clicking from the context menu to choose "Combine Files"? I am opening Acrobat and then highlighting all invoices and pasting into Acrobat. Same way I always have. 

I just did some experiments and only moved across 124 files and these I was able to save as a merged file. The total file size of the 254 files is 4.633kb. So something has changed since I changed device that I can no longer save that many files.

[ls_rbls]

In which folder did you moved them to?

[Kelly27032896x5rm]

I create a subfolder for each month that I save the invoices and the combined file.

[ls_rbls]

If you right-click in the parent folder, and select Properties from the context menu, what do you see in the "Security" tab? 

Are the user accounts restricted from having full Read/Write access? And are these folders indexed for quick searching?

Sorry about all this questions I am trying to get to the bottom of this.

[Kelly27032896x5rm]

yes, full control and folders indexed for quick searching. I really appreciate your help with this

[ls_rbls]

Ok, I think I have a few ideas of the issue.

If you can share a screenshot, Please right-click on any PDF file that you're trying to combine and select Properties from the context menu.

Post a screenshot of the dialogue window that shows the section "Opens with" and the directory path.

[Kelly27032896x5rm]

Very sorry for the delay. Here is the screenshot. 

[Abambo]

Can you save single PDF files?

If yes:

Can you combine to simple PDF files created via Word or similar? The content is not relevant, but they should not contain many pages, and you should be able to share them publicly here.

[Kelly27032896x5rm]

It allowed me to combine two word documents I created to test.  I have attached them here. Thankyou

[Kelly27032896x5rm]

I also did another test and combined 249 pages of the ones I was trying to combine. It saved this document. So it must be something to do with the size. I was trying to combine approx 750 pages. I have been successful in doing everymonth for past couple of years. It is only since July that it will no longer save this many pages.

[ls_rbls]

@Kelly27032896x5rm 

I've noticed that Acrobat seems to be glitchy when using the Combine Files tool as an export method for documents.

Before doing anything with the Combine Files tool in Acrobat, Use instead Print to PDF first on the files that you want to convert to PDF.

Then combine those newly created PDFs using the Combine Files tool and you should not run into any issues.

[Zach31408685lsgi]

I ended up save it to adobe cloud and it worked. Then download the file. It is only 28MB.. 
It is obvioysly a bug in Adobe. 

[Robert36644691d12x · Accepted solution]

I had a similar issue. This worked for me: https://community.adobe.com/t5/acrobat-discussions/i-am-having-trouble-saving-my-combined-pdf-binder...(Edit>Preferences>Documents - uncheck "Save As optimizes for Fast Web View" and then Save the combined file).

[ls_rbls]

Lifesaver!

Thanks for sharing this solution.