PDF File used in the inDesign document as link not converting to HTML but coming as image

[Fawwadhk]

Hello Everyone, I am new to the inDesign tool. I am trying to convert some inDesign files to HTML. Files that contain the pdf file as an external link are not converting properly. They are coming as images in the exported HTML document, not in the text form. Is there a way to get those documents converted as text not as images in the output.

[JonathanArias · Accepted solution]

when you export to HTML  everything get converted to images, thats what it does.

are you doing publish online? what exactly is your end goal?

[Fawwadhk]

Thanks for the response. I am not doing publish online, just a normal export to HTML documents from the file menu. The inDesign files which are not calling the external PDF files in its content are coming fine as text, but those files which include PDF files in its content are not converting to text but coming as images in HTML.

[BobLevine]

What is the goal here? What are you going to do with the HTML?

[Fawwadhk]

To search for the text in the HTML doc.

[Fawwadhk]

@bobLevine. Please let me know what could be done to make it used as text, not images. Is there a process to convert those external PDF into proper HTML?

[Test Screen Name]

You can try to use Acrobat Pro to convert the separate PDF to HTML. This is often a very difficult and painful process because the two formats are really not compatible. Often the only way to do this is to convert to an image. You could consider converting to Word, and going from Word to HTML. The file may not look similar.

Note that PDF files are searchable by Google, and searchable individually in most web browsers, so it is not clear why you would want to convert a PDF in this way - PDF is a much more useful format for long documents.

[JonathanArias]

right. when you export to HTML items in your layout become images. you can do an overlay that display a .pdf in the overlay. but again. whats the end goal? why are you thinking that exporting to html is the format you need?

[Fawwadhk]

The end goal is here to get the HTML document in which the searching of text can be implemented in the doc for future use. It would not help if the whole page is converted to the image.

[JonathanArias]

i understand.

ok. i understand. so we know that objects you place in the layout become images. so those .pdf files will become images, that is just what it does, IN5 will do the same.

you may want that copy as text you typeset in indesign.

[BobLevine]

No. in5 will keep it as a PDF and open it in a browser window / lightbox depending upon how you set it up.

It will not convert it to HTML.

[JonathanArias]

I learniend something new, thanks.

question, when i have exported to keep text as text and not images, i experienced issues with text keeping the formatting. Bullet levels/indentation was an issue i flagged for Justin.

have you experience that bob?

[rob day · Accepted solution]

Linked PDFs get converted into a .png image. You should be able to edit the HTML and replace the img tag with an embed tag with the src set to PDF path on the server. Something like this:

<embed width="100%" height="100%" name="plugin" src=".../myPDF.pdf" type="application/pdf"/>

[Derek Cross]

The best way of producing HTML documents from InDesign is to use the InDesign plugin, in5:

https://ajarproductions.com/pages/products/in5/?ref=footer

[BobLevine]

+1 for in5 which would indeed allow you to add the PDF and have it as a pop up to be viewed in whatever browser you're using.

[Laubender]

Hi Fawwadhk,

if the placed PDF contents' origin is an InDesign page. then you need to copy/paste and perhaps scale the contents over in your document you are using for the HTML export. That's the only logical thing you could do. If the creator of the PDF is not InDesign I would rebuild its contents with InDesign.

Regards,
Uwe Laubender

( ACP )

[Sheena Kaul]

Hi there,

I hope your issue is resolved already but in case you need more assistance please reply to this thread. 

Else, if any of the solutions above helped, please confirm. 

Regards,

Sheena