PDFMaker Add-in and Microsoft Office

[dschiraldi]

So we have a Terminal Server environment that has Adobe Acrobat Pro DC installed, along with a Pro Plus copy of Office 2016. My users work with the PDFMaker add-in to convert Word documents to PDF. Typically, they use the "Save as Adobe PDF" function within Microsoft Word itself. Recently, as of about 3-4 days ago, using this option results in Microsoft Word crashing. The PDF does still get created and saved successfully, but Word crashes and restarts itself every single time. I can replicate it like clock work at this point. Here is all the info I have gathered:

Adobe Version:

Adobe Acrobat Pro DC

2015 Release (Classic)

Version 2015.006.30418

Office Version:

Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2016

Version 1804 (Build 9226.2156 Click-to-Run)

Terminal Server is running Windows Server 2016 Standard, 64-Bit

I have updated both applications and they are running on the latest versions/builds. No available updates for either application. I have also run repairs on both applications. Also worth mentioning, that I can go outside of Word, no problem, and use the Adobe PDF printer with no issue. It's strictly just the "Save as Adobe PDF" function within Word itself. Here are the crash logs:

Faulting application name: WINWORD.EXE, version: 16.0.9226.2156, time stamp: 0x5af3a8ed

Faulting module name: PDFMWord.dll, version: 15.6.30418.19169, time stamp: 0x5af4ab90

Exception code: 0xc0000005

Fault offset: 0x00129fec

Faulting process id: 0xb718

Faulting application start time: 0x01d3ed765747e55d

Faulting application path: C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Root\Office16\WINWORD.EXE

Faulting module path: C:\Program Files (x86)\Adobe\Acrobat 2015\PDFMaker\Office\PDFMWord.dll

Report Id: b95da2bc-5969-11e8-9687-005056b93b12

Faulting package full name:

Faulting package-relative application ID:

I've done a ton of googling and research, and I have come across this same issue, but just nothing recent, and none of the solutions, if any, have helped me here. I'm really at a loss right now, and any help would be greatly appreciated. If there is any further information I can provide, please let me know.

[Carter5EF5]

Did you ever figure this out?

Same problem with Office 2016 Pro Plus MSI, up to date with windows updates and latest version of Acrobat

[PrepressPro1]

Sounds like a Microsoft thing to me.

[try67]

This is a Microsoft function, actually. The way to create a PDF from Word using Adobe software is either via the Acrobat ribbon (the PDF Maker plugin), or by printing the file to the virtual Adobe PDF printer.

[Christine_W]

We are seeing this same error after having just updated to the latest version of Adobe Acrobat DC.  We have Windows 10 and Office 2016.  When using either the Create PDF button on the Acrobat tab in Word, or using File > Save as Adobe PDF, Word just closes, and then when you reopen, you get an message that there was a problem with pdfMaker.

We have tried running a repair on both Adobe Acrobat and Office 2016, and the issue persists.  

Anyone have any updates on this?

[Bevi Chagnon - PubCom.com]

Word 2016 is getting pretty out of date. Maybe upgrade to either subscription (365) or the latest stand alone version.

[Christine_W]

I realize Office 2016 is getting old, but that's what our office has at the moment.  Hopefully we'll be able to upgrade to 365 within the next year.  But as it stands, we have 2016 and the latest Adobe Acrobat DC - which shows as being supported in Office 2016.  But PDFMaker is crashing Word.

The faulting module according to Event Viewer is PDFMWord.dll.  I thought I had it resolved when I replaced that file, but alas, it started crashing again the next day.  This is happening on multiple computers throughout the office.  

[Bevi Chagnon - PubCom.com]

I just checked on of our workstations at my shop that runs 2016 and yes, the Adobe PDF Maker plug-in was updated and works fine.

Suggestion: It might be something with your installation of Word...corrupted, or incomplete, or some little glitch. Try this:

• Uninstall Word 2016.
• Reboot the computer.
• Reinstall Word 2016 from your original discs or installation file.

You'll also have to reinstall Acrobat so that it drops in the new PDF Maker plugin:

• Uninstall Acrobat.
• Reboot the computer.
• Reinstall Acrobat 2022.

The reboot is necessary to clear out any residual parts of the program that are still active after the uninstall. Acrobat, especially, has a lot of fingers placed all over your computer.