.PMD To .EPUB or doc/.docx Format Conversion

[Maithil26908858pkif]

Hello,

How can I convert the original .PMD file (written using the Adobe Pagemaker 7.0) in to the .EPUB file without having any formating issue? Is it possible to convert this file into the Word (.doc/.docx) format? I have the Adobe Creative Cloud Desktop app installed on my pc. 

I found the following post, but it doesn't help much. 

Open PageMaker files in Adobe InDesign

Thanks for your help.

[James Gifford—NitroPress]

The last version of InDesign that could open PM files was quite a while back (CS6?) and is nearly as obsolete as PM itself.

There are services that will convert PM files to a more useful format; at least one individual who does so regularly notices these discussons.

But other than having the obsolete tools or specialized converters that can read a PM file, there is no simple path to EPUB or any other modern format.

[Maithil26908858pkif · Accepted solution]

Thanks for your quick response!

Could you please point out to that one individual or services that would help me convert this PMD file into a more useful format for publshing the eBook?

[James Gifford—NitroPress]

I'm never quite sure where the line is in recommending commercial services, or the like, so let me DM him to be sure he notices this discussion. He might contact you through a direct message as well.

[Brad @ Roaring Mouse]

Hi @Maithil26908858pkif .

"Is it possible to convert this file into the Word (.doc/.docx) format?"

No.*

"can I convert the original .PMD file (written using the Adobe Pagemaker 7.0) in to the .EPUB file without having any formating issue?"

No*. Not directly. Especially if you want a reflowable EPUB, you best approach is to convert to InDesign, but that process in itself can/will mess things up. There's no such thing as a perfect conversion. You WILL have to massage the converted file to match your PM file, and depending on how complex your document is, that process could be very quick, or very very long. It's complicated by placed graphics and fonts too.

But then, a reflowable EPUB will likely mess that up anyway. You'd be better off sticking to a Fixed Layout version.

If you have InDesign now, but it's a version that cannot read PM files, you might look at downloading and installing an older CS6 or earlier trial, which would give you several days to convert files before it expires.

*If your PMD file is in good shape and all fonts and graphics are available, your best bet is to create a new PDF from PM. This will give you a master that has all the formatting as you already know it. You can then use this PDF to either export a Word file (in the limiations of that type of conversion, which is still a crapshoot), or there are several online sites that purport to convert PDF to EPUB.

What *I* would do, however, is this ( if I didn't want to mess around with reworking the files in InDesign):

1. Get PDFs made of the PM file as is.

2. PLACE those PDF pages into a new InDesign document

3. Export as a Fixed Layout EPUB

So, the hard part for you would be getting someone to make PDFs from the PMD files...
and of course you would need InDesign or another page layout program .

This is something I can do. If it's just one file, and you want to see what's possible, I can look at it for you and advise what's possible.

PM restoration and conversion is something I do regularly as part of my business, and as such it's a service I normally charge for, so if you are looking for a free way of doing this, I'm probably not what you're looking for.

[James Gifford—NitroPress]

PDF to FXL is just... such a poor option. But I guess it would be the shortest path.

Depending on why the OP needs EPUB, it's either hack things from PM to EPUB via one of those paths, or go PDF to Word and reformat a clean version in ID, which would allow a very polished reflowable EPUB to be created. It's all in how much time is worth committing to the project, plus any associated cost.

[Michael321458293v5s]

Hi Brad

Long ago post, but here's hoping.

Can you give me. a quote/estimate to conver a 264KB .p65 file to text? The file contains no graphics. Preserving formatting would be good but not essential. I also have it as a .pmd but I think it's exactly the same file. Thanks!

Michael

[Brad @ Roaring Mouse]

Hi @Michael321458293v5s . I can check the file and advise. If it's simple, I'll just do it, no compensation required (that's not what we're here for!). I will send you a DM.