Idiot has a problem with a PDF. Can said idiot turn it back into a Word document?

Cyia · Jun 23, 2009

I'm sure someone will come along to explain how to strip the file of its PDF format, which can be done... I just don't remember how.

In the meantime does your idiot

D) not have a saved copy lurking somewhere in his computer temp files?

Haggis · Jun 23, 2009

Totally clueless, but sending best wishes to the idiot.

Williebee · Jun 23, 2009

I just did a test drive of this freebie converter.

I converted a full MS from pdf to Word .doc and opened it in Office 2007.

It worked just as advertised.

NOTE: Uncheck the "Use text box" box or you get each line as a separate text box.

*As always, your mileage may vary. Any advice is good for five feet or five seconds from first read. Void where prohibited by flying monkeys.

Matera the Mad · Jun 23, 2009

Looks like Williebee has it in his pocket

NEVVAH delete originals! she ranted softly

Chumplet · Jun 23, 2009

Did the idiot look in his Sent email folder? Does idiot publisher still have the Word file lurking in their Received folder?

Williebee · Jun 23, 2009

Did the idiot look in his Sent email folder? Does idiot publisher still have the Word file lurking in their Received folder?

Nice, Chumplet.

K.I.S.S.

Cassiopeia · Jun 23, 2009

Or did the idiot perchance happen to send the original to someone to read?

Chumplet · Jun 23, 2009

Usually I just do the laying on of hands, but in this case I can't. I think that's the only reason they keep me around at work.

They scream, "I can't get this to work!"

I reply, "Is the cable plugged in?"

Face palm ensues.

Williebee · Jun 23, 2009

Oh yeah. My favorite phone calls usually sound like:

"Is it plugged in?"

"Of course!"

"At both ends?"

"Click."

Cassiopeia · Jun 23, 2009

KTC said:
NO. The idiot made changes in the file...lots of changes. Hours of changes...

I'm very sorry.

Haggis · Jun 23, 2009

Let us know what the idiot says when he gets back to you, Kevin. I'm hoping Williebee's suggestion does the job.

Williebee · Jun 23, 2009

more in a pm. we'll get you right.

ETA: Oh yeah, and WHEN we get it right, we'll come back and say how.

(how 'bout that for optimism?)

scarletpeaches · Jun 23, 2009

I'm sure glad you're not an idiot, Kev.

scarletpeaches · Jun 23, 2009

No way!

Cassiopeia · Jun 23, 2009

KTC said:
Damn. Just got a message...there are too many spelling and grammar errors in file for word to continue checking. I can't believe the mess I'm in.

Yes...it's me. I'm the idiot!

Listen, idiot...please check your email for very important information. *rolls eyes* sometimes people just don't pay attention to instructions.

Williebee · Jun 23, 2009

Breathe friend. We'll get you back to good.

Matera the Mad · Jun 23, 2009

Yes, there would be line breaks. That is the tragedy of PDF. Nothing survives PDF-ing without line breaks. I've unmuddled lots of things like this, I convert all PDF's to text or Word docs so I can read them with a sensible font instead of Times New Eyestrain.

Unfortunately, Word is not too smart about Search and Replace when it comes to indents, the only way to get the real paragraphs back. Now I remember why I don't use that converter!

There is one other rather cool way to convert a PDF to a doc. If you have the Microsoft Document Image Writer (installed with MS Office) in your list of printers, you can "print" a PDF to an MDI, run Optical Character Recognition on it, send it to Word, and save it as a more easily editable doc. This method preserves the paragraphs, though it uses "soft" or manual line breaks instead of hard line breaks. All you have to do then is replace the soft breaks (^l) with hard breaks (^p).

There is still some formatting pain to go through, but at least you have a doc.

I lost my connection and had to wait a bit to post *rolls eyes*

Chumplet · Jun 23, 2009

Poor Idiot. Hope you wake up with fresh eyes and brain! Even if you have to go through the whole thing again to correct the line breaks, at least you'll have the doc again.

Good luck with your morning session with Willie.

Cassiopeia · Jun 23, 2009

I'm sure he'll be sorted out soon. But man, that avatar of his gives me the creeps. *shudder*

It's a jinx, I tell you! A jinx...the avi did it...that's it..it was the avi..not the idiot.

Williebee · Jun 23, 2009

Well, thanks Matera. NOW you tell us.

It's converted and in the mail back to KTC.

Weird process, made longer because I was using Office 2007.

Oh, and I cheated. (at least folks like Matera and I will think so.)

I used Adobe Acrobat Pro 9. It has a "convert to Word" feature. It still left it with each line as a "field". Then I opened it in OpenOffice, and saved it back to Office 97-2003 format.

Opening that in Office 2007 caused 2007 to crash, repeatedly. Weird. I moved it to a different machine (one with Office 2003 on it) and it opened fine. EXCEPT that some of the bolding (The chapter headings) was partially gone. (First word and last letter of line was bolded, rest of line was normal font.) weird.

Haven't worked out yet, why it crashed 2007. That's for later.

It "should" open normally for KTC. "Should" -- quotes added because, hey, it's Microsoft. The file converted and looked great in Open Office.

Haggis · Jun 24, 2009

Matera the Mad · Jun 24, 2009

How many ways are there to skin a ~~cat~~ PDF?

We covered a few, anyway

Okay, so I was burning most of my midnight oil helping out with something else :tongue

Stew21 · Jun 24, 2009

I have ABBYY which is a PDF transformer. It will convert PDFs back failrly simply with just some minor formatting errors to correct (typically I find some odd hard return issues to fix, but nothing major).
I'm glad you got it fixed!!!

Williebee is awesomesauce!

Williebee · Jun 24, 2009

Glad it worked. Truth told, when I volunteered I figured it would be straightforward. This one had some odd formatting buried in it, though.

Glad you're in good shape, KTC. Happy to help.

Idiot has a problem with a PDF. Can said idiot turn it back into a Word document?

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Otherwise Occupied

Evil, undead Chihuahua

Capeless, wingless, & yet I fly.

Otherwise Occupied

Capeless, wingless, & yet I fly.

Bartender, gimme a Linux Mint

This hat is getting too hot

Otherwise Occupied

Capeless, wingless, & yet I fly.

Evil, undead Chihuahua

Bartender, gimme a Linux Mint

Capeless, wingless, & yet I fly.