Scanned book chapter converted to word then back to pdf - final pdf chops off pages

Report · Apr 05, 2016

Hi,

I downloaded the free trial of Acrobat Pro DC because I was told that instead of having to take manual notes of scanned book chapters in my referencing system, I could convert them to a readable/editable word document then back to a pdf (which is easier to use in the likes of Mendeley, Papers2 etc.).

I successfully converted the original scan - which has two pages of the book per page, landscape format - into Word, and the landscape format and all text was maintained. That bit was fine. The problem occurred when I tried to convert this word document back to a pdf. At this point, only the left side of each page (so the left page of the open book) was complete and the right side was cut in half. I tried rotating all the text in the word document so that is was flowing sideways across a portrait layout (which is how the original scan was, and I simply rotated it in my reference program). The same thing happened when I tried to convert this to a pdf. The right side of each page was still cut off, even though the Word version had everything there.

Does anyone have a suggestion how to get around this?

Thanks.

Report · Apr 05, 2016

Why do you use this workflow?

Report · Apr 05, 2016

Hi,

Because the referencing system I am using for my PhD - which I've been

using for the past 4 years - imports pdfs that you can then highlight, with

the highlights being picked up automatically and copied in a notes panel,

and also annotate with site specific notes. I can't do this with scanned

copies of articles and book chapters because the text is not readable.

Having to take manual notes is hugely time consuming and it would be much

more efficient if I could treat scans the same way as all my other pdfs.

My friend told be about converting pdf's to word. As I said, that part

worked fine, but when I tried to save that document as a pdf, the pages

weren't maintained. I can't import word documents into the reference system

- well I can but they come in tiny, text blurs once magnified and

highlighting/annotations don't work. It's only the final conversion back to

pdf that doesn't seem to be holding. I'm imagining there is some issue

converting any word document that is entirely in landscape to pdf and that

the same solution might word for me?

Thanks for responding.

Paula Arcari

<http://www.rmit.edu.au/research/urban>

*PhD Candidate - Beyond Behaviour Change Research Program

<http://www.rmit.edu.au/research/urban/beyondbehaviour>*

*Research Officer - 'The Rise of Ethical Consumption' ARC Discovery Project

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Report · Apr 05, 2016

You can use "Recognize Text" under Tools > Enhance Scans

Report · Apr 05, 2016

Hey - that worked!! Thanks so much! Great. Very happy about all the time

I'm going to save.

Much appreciated Bernd.