Converted PDF to Word

RickGaud · #1 07-09-2018, 07:30 PM

Hi everyone,

I'm looking to see if there is a better way to edit a large document that was converted from a report we produced where the software generated a PDF file. I converted the PDF file into Word (I know this is not always good) but all the tables and pictures are there and in the correct place. The problem I have is that I want each image scanned and its info on one page but the PDF generated it in two pages. Right now, in order to remove the page breaks, the continuous breaks, etc... I have to go through about 20 steps. I was wondering if anyone can take a look at the sample pages I've attached to tell me if there's a simpler way of doing this. The entire report has 454 pages, if I do it this way it's going to take forever! Thanking you in advance for looking. The last page in the report is what the final report for each IR scan should look like.

I tried setting tabs, deleting "Section Breaks", "Section Breaks Continuous", "Column Breaks", "returns", etc.. and again the results I want can only be achieved through about 20 steps!

Any help and a detailed step-by-step instructions on simplifying this process would be greatly appreciated. THANK YOU.

gmayor · #2 07-09-2018, 08:09 PM

There is no magic bullet to cleaning up converted files. The bottom line is that PDF is not intended to be edited. It is a medium for viewing. Essentially an equivalent of a printed copy.

If the original was created from a Word document, and is not protected, then simply opening the PDF in Word might produce a better start point.

As the process that creates the PDF appears to be in house, it would be better to explore whether that process can output to a Word document instead.

You may be able to create a macro that performs the necessary replace functions. e.g. http://www.gmayor.com/document_batch_processes.htm has an option to loist replacements pairs in a table and will run all those pairs on a document, but it will still take a deal of effort to work out what needs changing.

kilroy · #3 07-10-2018, 05:52 AM

Rick when ever I'm opening a PDF in word I first run text recognition in Adobe or BlueBeam and then when I have extra page breaks I run the following macro to remove all breaks:

Code:

Sub DeletePageBreaks()
Dim arr() As Variant
Dim i As Byte
Selection.Find.ClearFormatting
Selection.Find.Replacement.ClearFormatting
arr = Array("wdSectionBreakContinuous", "^m", "^n", "^b")
  For i = LBound(arr) To UBound(arr)
    With Selection.Find
      .Text = arr(i)
      .Replacement.Text = ""
      .Forward = True
      .Wrap = wdFindContinue
    End With
  Selection.Find.Execute Replace:=wdReplaceAll
  Next
End Sub

eNGiNe · #4 07-11-2018, 10:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gmayor

There is no magic bullet to cleaning up converted files. The bottom line is that PDF is not intended to be edited. It is a medium for viewing. Essentially an equivalent of a printed copy.

Hooray! can't be said often enough :-}

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