Importing PDF in Robohelp 2019

[mackerman@tggsolutions.com]

What's the best way to import a PDF document directly into Robohelp 2019? I don't see PDF as an option under the import function. When I try to use the import > file feature, any pdfs or files I try to import show up as blank pages. Since our organization primarily utilizes PDF resurces, I want to find a way to import these documents while preserving current formatting and layout.

Currently, in order to get the content of our PDF documents, I'm uploading scanning PDFs to my desktop, then importing into the Robohelp 2019 Classic view, then converting to HTML, then importing them into the new Robohelp 2019 interface. This is a time consuming process that produces images of poor quality and text that cannot be searched.

Even when I try to import word docs, my formatting is often thrown off, making lots of work for each document.

I appreciate your feedback/suggestions.

[Karin Albrecht]

I just took a look with my version RH 2019.0.9 latest hotfix applied. There is an option in the Contents section "Import - File", where .pdf is proposed as possible file-ending. However, as you write, this PDF is only shown as blank page. Looks like an error to me. I am not really sure, but I think this already worked in previous versions.

Can anyone of the ACPs confirm this is an error?

[Peter Grainge]

It appears you can only link to the imported PDF from a topic. In the output the link will open the PDF but its contents are not part of the search.

I have asked if PDF import is part of the plan?

[Peter Grainge]

mackerman - I suggest to change your username or get a new one. Putting your email address on a public forum is a good way to get emails from the lawyers of your long lost uncle asking for money so they can get millions of dollars to you from his will.

Turning to the problem, how to get your PDFs into RoboHelp. As you have found, that's not possible in 2019 Update 9. Classic is working albeit not as you would like. It looks like that drives using the source of the PDFs which I will assume are Word docs.

The import of Word documents should work well as long as you get the mapping right. The process is described in the RoboHelp Reimagined sample project. Can you be more specific about the issues?

[Peter Grainge]

I have established that PDF import is not planned for 2019. It is there purely for linking.

[RoboFan]

I tried exporting a PDF to HTML (via Acrobat DC Pro) and then importing the HTML file into RH2019. It works. Sort of. Text doesn't align as it does in the PDF. This is particularly noticeable for bullets, headings, and sub-headings (e.g., text/heading above a bullet list is indented beyond the bullets). So, in addition to the extra work of exporting to HTML each PDF, you'd have a fair amount of cleanup once you get it into RH - which means this probably isn't a viable method. I also tried exporting a PDF to Word and then importing the Word file, but RH2019 errored out on the import attempt. You may have better luck, but I'm not terribly optimistic. 

[Peter Grainge]

I don't know why it errored but there is alway a huge problem with exporting a PDF to Word. All PDF tools create a document that looks correct but it is all inline styling. What looks to be say H1 style is in fact a Normal paragraph formatted to look like H1. In the generated document add a line with H1 applied and it will be nothing like the exported H1. Let me emphasise this happens with all PDF tools.

I would guess PDF to HTML is the same for the same reason, PDFs don't have proper styles in them.