Convert PDF to PDF/A-1A format

[local1]

Does anyone know of a way to convert a large number of existing PDF files to PDF/A-1A, not X-1A, format other than using Acrobat 8 preflight tool? Would like to be able to drag and drop to 1st choice of using a hot folder. If not a hot folder maybe an application that would do this outside of Acrobat.

Thanks

 

[DavidMa]

Re: Convert PDF to PDF/A-1A format

you can try this:

http://www.adobe.com/products/livecycle/pdfgenerator/features.html

 

[leonardr]

Re: Convert PDF to PDF/A-1A format

Are these documents already properly tagged and Unicode compliant?
Remember that PDF/A-1a (unlike A-1b) requires tagging and Unicode
compliance - which isn't something that is going to happen
automatically.

Perhaps PDF/A-1b is acceptable to you?

And be aware that you can use "Droplets" with the Preflight tool in
Acrobat 8 to do "drag and drop" conversion of lots of documents!

Leonard

 

[local1]

Re: Convert PDF to PDF/A-1A format

No. in general I do not expect them to be unicode compliant.

A1b does not do the trick for me. It is the checking and converting to unicode that I want to accomplish.

 

[leonardr]

Re: Convert PDF to PDF/A-1A format

The PDF producer needs to include something called a "ToUnicode" table
with each font that it creates inside the PDF. Either it does it (like
Acrobat and the Creative Suite) or it doesn't. If it's not done at the
time of creation, then there are very few tools that can recreate it.

Leonard

 

[local1]

Re: Convert PDF to PDF/A-1A format

Gotcha . . .
Would the "ToUnicode" table be something like this?

19 0 obj
<</Subtype/TrueType/FontDescriptor 16 0 R/LastChar 33/Widths 17 0 R/BaseFont/NLLPBF+Times-Roman/FirstChar 33/ToUnicode 18 0 R/Type/Font>>
endobj

Thinking this is what you are talking about, and the file has this, but then fails the built-in Acrobat conversion to a1a saying "Text cannot be mapped to Unicode" what can I do to get it converted to the more stable unicode?

 

[leonardr]

Re: Convert PDF to PDF/A-1A format

Actually, it would be that object #18 pointed to by the ToUnicode
reference.

Can you send me the PDF itself to look at? I don't believe you are
looking at the correct parts of the PDF...

Leonard

 

[local1]

Re: Convert PDF to PDF/A-1A format

Most likely not looking in the right place. You should now have a copy of this PDF

Look forward to your insight.

 

[local1]

Re: Convert PDF to PDF/A-1A format

DavidMa,
I will look at that more. Do you use this?

 

[DavidMa]

Re: Convert PDF to PDF/A-1A format

No I do not, I was just doing a Google for a conversion software other than Acrobat, which you stated you did not want to use. (Even tho, a droplet made from Acrobat would probably serve your purpose, but that would cause you to be using Acrobat, so I did not include that in my response.)

HTH,
David

 

[pkleinheider]

Re: Convert PDF to PDF/A-1A format

local1,

at callas software, we have a Plug-in for Acrobat Windows - as well as CLI Version for automation - to carry out necessary changes to convert a PDF document to a valid PDF/A document. However, we can not do the tagging afterwards. Tags already need to be defined properly.

A test version can be obtained from

[pdfaPilot product page|ttp://www.callassoftware.com/pdfa/doku.php/enroductslugindfapilot]


Leonard also pointed out the PDF/A implementation in the Preflight tool where you have the possibility to define certain "FixUps" and save the resulting preflight profile as Droplet.

Regards,

Peter Kleinheider
callas software

 

[mattbeals]

Re: Convert PDF to PDF/A-1A format

Let myself (I'm a Callas partner) or Peter know if you are interested in a demo of pdfAPilot or pdfAValidator from Callas. There are Mac OS X and Windows versions available.

Matt Beals
Consultant
Enfocus Certified Trainer
Callas & Markzware Recognized Trainer

 

[cjwworld]

Re: Convert PDF to PDF/A-1A format

the test version seems to work only in PC though. That is out of the question at least for my workflow