Hi

I've got a Word document which, when converted to PDF, shows a dotted line that is not in the original document. I've selected the whole page and removed borders, tried deleting the tables etc etc but the line KEEPS appearing. I've tried different PDF conversion software and it still appears. Even copy and paste into a new word document .... and it's still there. Any advice, please help!!!

Attached Images

Word to PDF Phantom Dotted Line.jpg (43.2 KB, 18 views)

Could you attach the page that is causing the problem? If it is protected, please unprotect it. Delete any proprietary or confidential information.

How to attach a screenshot or file in this forum.

Thanks Charles, I've stripped out the document text and replace it with random stuff.

Since posting my original query I've found a couple more points.

1. I installed Adobe Acrobat. This is a mail merge document. If I merge the document and then convert the resulting Word documents (I use an Addin to create multiple output documents and PDF's from Word) using Acrobat I don't get the strange line appearing. Only appears if I use Save As PDF in MS Word

2. I found if I delete page 2, the line stops appearing. Given it appears at the top of page 1 (between title and gender text), I am double baffled.

Thanks for looking into this. I have found a temporary solution but Adobe doesn't really work for me as when I merge this into multiple individual documents Adobe prompts me to save each one. If I use the native PDF Save As it creates all the merge documents without prompting. And I'm on a free trial for Acrobat and will need to purchase it. Seems extreme just because of one random line

Attached Files

Strange Line Doc.docx (24.4 KB, 11 views)

I cannot reproduce this problem, using your document.
I used the PDF settings:


You indicated that you used an add-in, but didn't say which -
http://www.gmayor.com/individual_merge_letters.htm. or

http://www.gmayor.com/MergeAndSplit.htm should handle this - even http://www.gmayor.com/ManyToOne.htm if your data source is Excel.

__________________
Graham Mayor - MS MVP (Word) (2002-2019)
Visit my web site for more programming tips and ready made processes www.gmayor.com

Thanks for trying. I'm using this addin (are you the developer? In which case big thumbs up, its excellent)

http://www.gmayor.com/MergeAndSplit.htm

When using the Addin, if I select Office PDF, I get that strange line. If I select Adobe PDF I don't, but the Save dialog pops up once per record during the merge which is a pain.

I also get the strange line if I simply choose 'PDF' in the Save As dialog in Word. Didn't change any settings (see attached).

Guess I will have to recreate page two of the document as the line seems to disappear if I delete page two.

Attached Images

Strange Line.JPG (45.5 KB, 17 views)

Ahhh, hold on, the error is showing in your image! When I deleted / replaced text on page two to remove proprietary information for reasons I don't get the random line moves slightly upwards. Check the Word document and its not present or visible in print preview.

[QUOTE=gmayor;109560]I cannot reproduce this problem, using your document.
I used the PDF settings:

Attached Images

Strange Line.JPG (68.2 KB, 17 views)

Hmmm. My eyes were deceiving me

The line is an artefact relating to the borders used in this case the LastName border. In Print Preview the lines are clearly 'dotted', whereas the PDF has them 'dashed'. Printing to the Adobe driver reflects what is shown in the print preview.

The 'line' is also not necessarily shown above the Gender. In some experiments it has been above 'Title' and in others above 'Contact Details'

I suspect that this might be a document that began life as a Word 97-2003 document and some artefacts from the original format remain. Clearly the formatting changes as you save the document in different formats, which is not ideal.

As you have Acrobat, I would recommend that you use it, and to stop it prompting for each document - see the Adobe setup instructions at http://www.gmayor.com/individual_merge_letters.htm

__________________
Graham Mayor - MS MVP (Word) (2002-2019)
Visit my web site for more programming tips and ready made processes www.gmayor.com

Hi Graham

I don't see the line in print preview, which is odd. If I select the top table and remove ALL orders, the line still appears. It also stops happening if Page 2 is deleted.

I created this document from scratch using Word 2013.

Thanks for the Acrobat instructions. No prompting now and its much much faster.

I am reproducing your line in SaveAs pdf using Word 2010.

I tried emptying the headers and footers (they already appeared empty). No change.
I tried deleting the first two tables. Still there.
I tried deleting everything. Line was gone, too.
I tried putting six blank paragraphs before the first table. Line disappeared from first page but appears at top of second page. I am at a loss.

Thank you for trying! The document took me quite a while to put together. Guess I will either have to buy Acrobat or redo from scratch. Neither option overly appealing. How bizarre!

Before you fork out for Adobe Acrobat, consider instead PDF Creator, which my add-in will also accommodate when present.

PDF Creator doesn't exhibit the problem either. I do however suggest using the older less bloated version of PDF Creator which is linked from my web site. Beware when installing that you deselect all the free junk that comes with it - see the link and warning at http://www.gmayor.com/MergeAndSplit.htm

__________________
Graham Mayor - MS MVP (Word) (2002-2019)
Visit my web site for more programming tips and ready made processes www.gmayor.com

Thank you, that is very helpful.