Can't open .pdf in InDesign New

[darkloom52]

I am trying to open a .pdf in InDesign.  I've had no problem with other .pdfs from the same source;  it will open in Photoshop Elements, and Acrobat.

It doesn't snow up in the dialog box until is select All files (*.*), which is a clue.  It also shows the error: 

Cannot open the file ".pdf." Adobe INDesign may not suppor the file format, a plug-in that supports the file format may be missing, or the file may be open in another application.  Anything I can do?

[Willi Adelberger]

InDesign cannot open any PDF. But you can import them. via Menu > File > Place …

Aktivate import options to choose pages and other choices. 

[darkloom52]

My problem is that the pdf file I want to use has 117 individual card in it, and when I import it, I only get the first card.  

Grateful for your help.

[Lukas Engqvist]

If you show import options it is possible to choose which pages you want to import. (You can import all).
see also https://community.adobe.com/t5/indesign-discussions/placing-a-multiple-page-pdf-into-indesign/m-p/39...

There is also a script, see https://creativepro.com/placing-all-the-pages-of-a-pdf-inside-indesign/

If you are doing imposition I would recomend a software for imposing.

[darkloom52]

Thanks so much Lukas; I should have had faith that somebody would come through - 

[darkloom52]

I went ahead and subscribed to Acrobat Pro and did it there. It's pretty easy there. I'm grateful to you for your knowledge sharing

[Willi Adelberger]

What you name cards are pages. I wrote in my first answer that you can use options to select the pages. You should read the answers.

[darkloom52]

I have read your answers diligently, and I thank you for offering them.  I say "card" because each "page" of the master pdf is a place card or table assignment card.  I decided to split the pdf files into individual pages in Acrobat, because doing it in InDesign seemed more cumbersome (although I fully allow that I was misunderstanding).  As I say, I'm grateful to you, but I would observe that your answer to me presumed misbehavior on my part, which was not the case.

[Michael Bullo]

Were you perhaps previously opening your PDFs in Illustrator?

[darkloom52]

Thanks for addressing this; I forgot that I was trying out Acrobat Pro to see if I could build a page with multiple pdf files, and learned that InDesign was better for that.  I opened a file in AP that had 117 individual .pdf cards, and use Organize to split them into separate files.  I then imported them in InDesign to place them.  I then ended my subscription to AP because I subscribed to InDesign.  Do you have any idea if InDesign can split pdfs? 

Grateful for your help.

[Peter Spier]

What sort of subscription do you have? Is it just InDesign, or a full Creative Cloud Subscription? A full subscription includes most of the applications, including InDesign, Ilustrator, Photoshop and Acrobat, plus many more, all for one price.

[darkloom52]

Thank you for reaching out. I have just InDesign; I'm doing sets of place
cards and table assignments for my daughter's wedding - otherwise my
creative days are mostly behind me. And I've pretty much got this job
done. I do appreciate this community, you are very generous.

DKloomok

[aniri5j9ox8tw2ln]

Indesign is not a PDF editing program!

There are online tools, i.e. websites where you can split PDFs - just google it.

If you have a Mac, you can also do it with Automator.

[darkloom52]

| Indesign is not a PDF editing program!

I am not using InDesign to edit PDFs, I'm using it to place PDFs on a page.  I used Acrobat to split the files - it was helpful because I needed to rotate some of them before importing them into ID.  I thank you for trying to get something through my thick head