Combining Files Duplication

[criceisnice]

Good Morning,

I've been trying to combine a set of 34 files from interview evaluations, but every time I select all the files and click "Combine Files", it dishes out 34 copies of the first one selected.  I tried combine just two, and started from a different file, but it still duplicated the first file over and over.  Help!

[~graffiti · Accepted solution]

Adobe Reader (the focus of this forum) can't combine files.

At any rate, when you combine files that have identical field names, all fields will be populated with the same data. This is by design.

Depending on what software you are actually using, there is a chance you could flatten the files first essentially removing those fields but leaving the data. After that, you cold combine them.

[criceisnice]

Hi!  I'm using Acrobat, but didn't see that as an option when trying to post about my issue, so chose Reader instead.  All the file names are unique, since I knew that was something to be wary of.  I'll try flattening, though!

[~graffiti]

I'm assuming that all of these eval forms you are combing are the same form (only with different information in the fields). That would mean you would have multiple copies of the same field, therefore, not unique and that's why they get filled in.

[criceisnice]

GOT IT.  That's a pain in the butt.  Is there any workaround?

[~graffiti]

Other than flattening the files first? Not that I'm aware of. Maybe a Javascript that changes the field names (maybe it could append the field name with a unique identifier). You would be able to get that info in the acrobat scripting forum at JavaScript . Once you have that you can create an action that runs the script and run that action on the pdf's.

Might be easier to just flatten the files first if you aren't going to be doing this a lot.

[Billy5C57]

Having similar problem, but using the Adobe function within windows explorer to combine files, all with similar names, but each with a suffix _1, _2, etc...   It is as if Adobe is looking at all the files and thinking they are the same name.  I moved the files from our network drive to my desktop and it would only work for 4 photos maximum, it would not allow me to combine any more.  File size is ~3 Mb each.  Is there a file size limit to the combine file app?

[Bernd Alheit]

There is no limit when you use Adobe Acrobat.