Viewing embedded-in-PDF file's metadata in PDF

[sPretzel]

Hi,

If a file (file A), such as a PDF file, is embedded in a PDF file (file B), is it possible to view the metadata associated with file A by viewing properties of file B? For example, how can I view the title of PDF file A by looking at PDF file B?

This is for CS4.

I have read this article but it doesn't seem to apply in this case:

https://helpx.adobe.com/acrobat/using/pdf-properties-metadata.html

Thanks.

[Bernd Alheit]

You can see this when you open the file A. 

[sPretzel]

Hi Bernd,

I think you misunderstood my question. I would like to know if I can view these properties by looking at file B! Is this information contained in file B and if so, where is it accessible?

[Bernd Alheit · Accepted solution]

This information is not stored in the metadata of file B. 

[sPretzel]

So, just to confirm, once a PDF file A is embedded in another PDF file B, all its metadata is gone? Basic information such as Title, Author, Subject, Keywords of PDF file A are not stored in the resulting PDF file (file B)?

The link I provided in the original post seems to indicate that the metadata for some objects (and I would think of file A, which is embedded, as an object) can be accessed. This is in the section "View object data and metadata" of the article.

"You can view the metadata information of certain objects, tags, and images within a PDF."

[Bernd Alheit]

This is possible when the data was added. 

[sPretzel]

You mean if the metadata is added to the objects (from file A) after they were embedded in file B?

In CS4, I can't find this feature in Acrobat, as described in the article.

[Bernd Alheit]

Yes 

[Test Screen Name]

If by "embedded" you mean "added as an attachment", you can open the attachment and view its metadata. This is the common meaning of "embedded".

If you mean "the pages of A were inserted into file B", the file A is not included - only the pages. There is no place in B to keep the metadata if A, and Acrobat does not merge or combine the metadata when you insert pages.

There are other possible meanings of "embed".

[sPretzel]

Hi Test Screen Name,

No, I do not mean "added as an attachment".

By "embedded", I mean for example that a PDF file (file A) is placed in a file (like an Adobe Illustrator file, for example), and from that file, the PDF file B is created. In this case, is the metadata of file A stored somewhere in file B?

[Bernd Alheit]

How have you created file B?

[sPretzel]

In the example, file B can be created from Illustrator (where file A is placed in a .ai file) by saving as PDF or printing to PDF. 

[Bernd Alheit]

Can you access file A when you open file B?

[Test Screen Name]

Thank you for the explanation of what "embed" means in this case.

It might seem that using a PDF as a graphic in a PDF design means that the graphic PDF is stored inside the PDF and called onto the page. I have many times wished this was the design of PDF - but no. To use a PDF as graphics, it has to be broken up and all the graphic instructions found; then this has to be combined with the other graphic instructions. They are not separate, the PDF is not there, so the metadata is not there. 

[sPretzel]

Bernd: no, I don't believe I can access file A when I open file B (as far my knowledge goes). What I see of file A inside file B are its components like vector objects, text, etc.

Test Screen Name: I looked as far as I could in Properties>Description>Additional Metadata of file B but did not find anything I could relate to metadata of file A. When you say "using a PDF as a graphic in a PDF design", you mean as opposed to what? As opposed to an attachment file inside the PDF?

My search inside PDF file B seems to draw the same conclusion as you: I can't see file A except for the objects contained in file A, and I can't find metadata other than that of file B.

[Bernd Alheit]

Only the content of the PDF file is embedded, not the file.

[Test Screen Name]

"using a PDF as a graphic in a PDF design", for example placing a PDF into an InDesign document, then exporting a new PDF. 

[sPretzel]

Thanks to both of you for the explanations.