batch conversion to PDF of many hundreds of .docs? in Word General Questions    |   |  Help   Search For:     In:   Office   Word     Word General Questions     Word New Users     Word Application Errors     Word Drawing and Graphics     Word Mailmerge and Fax     Word Page Layout     Word Programming     Word Tables              Bob W 9/21/2007 3:44 PM PST   Question   What's a good way to batch-convert upwards of 1,000 or more word.docs to PDF without having to babysit the computer? We've got at least 1,000 word.docs in multiple folders that we need to batch convert to PDF....ideally overnight,while we are home asleep :-)     Was this post helpful to you?         Reply |   Top           Graham Mayor 9/21/2007 10:46 PM PST   Answer   Do you have a PDF converter that does not require human intervention, such as Acrobat? If so you can batch print the contents of a folder to the PDF driver. eg something like Sub PrintFolderContentsToPDF() On Error GoTo err_FolderContents Dim FirstLoop As Boolean Dim DocList As String Dim DocDir As String Dim sPrinter As String With Dialogs(wdDialogCopyFile) If .Display <> 0 Then DocDir = .Directory Else MsgBox "Cancelled by User" Exit Sub End If End With If Documents.Count > 0 Then Documents.Close SaveChanges:=wdPromptToSaveChanges End If sPrinter = ActivePrinter ActivePrinter = "Adobe PDF" Application.ScreenUpdating = False FirstLoop = True If Left(DocDir, 1) = Chr(34) Then DocDir = Mid(DocDir, 2, Len(DocDir) - 2) End If DocList = Dir$(DocDir & "*.doc") Do While DocList <> "" Documents.Open DocList ActiveDocument.PrintOut ActiveDocument.Close SaveChanges:=wdDoNotSaveChanges DocList = Dir$() FirstLoop = False Loop Application.ScreenUpdating = True ActivePrinter = sPrinter Exit Sub err_FolderContents: MsgBox Err.Description Exit Sub End Sub or you could simply select the files in Windows Explorer and print them to the Adobe driver. If you don't have a PDF creation tool that does not require human intervention - such as most of the free ones - then you will have to employ someone to intervene when required. It might be cheaper to buy Acrobat ;) -- <>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>><<> Graham Mayor - Word MVP My web site www.gmayor.com Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org <>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>><<> Bob W wrote: > What's a good way to batch-convert upwards of 1,000 or more word.docs > to PDF without having to babysit the computer? We've got at least > 1,000 word.docs in multiple folders that we need to batch convert to > PDF....ideally overnight,while we are home asleep :-)     Was this post helpful to you?         Reply |   Top           Bob W 9/24/2007 5:32 AM PST   Thanks G; will give this a go. "Graham Mayor" wrote: > Do you have a PDF converter that does not require human intervention, such > as Acrobat? If so you can batch print the contents of a folder to the PDF > driver. eg something like > > Sub PrintFolderContentsToPDF() > On Error GoTo err_FolderContents > Dim FirstLoop As Boolean > Dim DocList As String > Dim DocDir As String > Dim sPrinter As String > > With Dialogs(wdDialogCopyFile) > If .Display <> 0 Then > DocDir = .Directory > Else > MsgBox "Cancelled by User" > Exit Sub > End If > End With > > If Documents.Count > 0 Then > Documents.Close SaveChanges:=wdPromptToSaveChanges > End If > > sPrinter = ActivePrinter > ActivePrinter = "Adobe PDF" > Application.ScreenUpdating = False > > FirstLoop = True > > If Left(DocDir, 1) = Chr(34) Then > DocDir = Mid(DocDir, 2, Len(DocDir) - 2) > End If > > DocList = Dir$(DocDir & "*.doc") > Do While DocList <> "" > Documents.Open DocList > ActiveDocument.PrintOut > ActiveDocument.Close SaveChanges:=wdDoNotSaveChanges > DocList = Dir$() > FirstLoop = False > Loop > Application.ScreenUpdating = True > ActivePrinter = sPrinter > Exit Sub > err_FolderContents: > MsgBox Err.Description > Exit Sub > End Sub > > or you could simply select the files in Windows Explorer and print them to > the Adobe driver. > > If you don't have a PDF creation tool that does not require human > intervention - such as most of the free ones - then you will have to employ > someone to intervene when required. It might be cheaper to buy Acrobat ;) > > > -- > <>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>><<> > Graham Mayor - Word MVP > > My web site www.gmayor.com > Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org > <>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>><<> > > > Bob W wrote: > > What's a good way to batch-convert upwards of 1,000 or more word.docs > > to PDF without having to babysit the computer? We've got at least > > 1,000 word.docs in multiple folders that we need to batch convert to > > PDF....ideally overnight,while we are home asleep :-) > > >     Was this post helpful to you?         Reply |   Top           Bob W 9/25/2007 2:16 PM PST   Well, Graham, your ingenious macro works fine - I tried it with a test folder containing a dozen word docs. It asks which folder to look in; I specify 'test folder' where I have a dozen test.docs waiting to convert. Then it runs in the background and feeds all the .docs to the PDF driver. Alas, that's where the whole thing fails. Word's PDF driver jams "Save PDF File as" dialogs and "hide the progress bar" dialogs in my face for each and every document in the folder; after doing this a dozen times, the PDFs generate, but Acrobat thinks every newly generated PDF now needs to be triumphantly viewed, so window after window opens up as Acrobat creaks and groans and displays each PDF. So, the macro you provided works good, but Acrobat gets in the way like a herd of elephants, clogging the batch conversion process to a standstill. Guess I need to investigate further and see if there's any way to turn those dialogs off. If I can figure out where the heck to do that. If it's even possible.     Was this post helpful to you?         Reply |   Top           Dawn Crosier, Word MVP 9/25/2007 2:45 PM PST   Bob - Manually create a PDF document - when you are in your print dialog box select properties for your Adobe PDF printer. On the Adobe PDF Settings tab, clear the checkmark from View Adobe PDF Results. That should do it for at least this printing session. Good Luck. -- Dawn Crosier Microsoft MVP "Education Lasts a Lifetime" This message is posted to a newsgroup. Please post replies and questions to the newsgroup so that others can learn as well. "Bob W" <BobW@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message news:74718982-214F-45E4-B3C8-83157BBCFCC2@microsoft.com: > Well, Graham, your ingenious macro works fine - I tried it with a test folder > containing a dozen word docs. It asks which folder to look in; I specify > 'test folder' where I have a dozen test.docs waiting to convert. Then it runs > in the background and feeds all the .docs to the PDF driver. > > Alas, that's where the whole thing fails. Word's PDF driver jams "Save PDF > File as" dialogs and "hide the progress bar" dialogs in my face for each and > every document in the folder; after doing this a dozen times, the PDFs > generate, but Acrobat thinks every newly generated PDF now needs to be > triumphantly viewed, so window after window opens up as Acrobat creaks and > groans and displays each PDF. > > So, the macro you provided works good, but Acrobat gets in the way like a > herd of elephants, clogging the batch conversion process to a standstill. > Guess I need to investigate further and see if there's any way to turn those > dialogs off. If I can figure out where the heck to do that. If it's even > possible. > > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.5.488 / Virus Database: 269.13.30/1030 - Release Date: 9/25/2007 8:02 AM No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.488 / Virus Database: 269.13.30/1030 - Release Date: 9/25/2007 8:02 AM     Was this post helpful to you?         Reply |   Top           Bob W 9/25/2007 2:54 PM PST   Thanks Dawn, your post came in as I was rummaging through the print dialog. I de-selected that check box as you suggested and also designated the desired target folder for this test run; this time the conversion went OK; all PDFs were generated unattended. What a time-saver! "Dawn Crosier, Word MVP" wrote: > Bob - > > Manually create a PDF document - when you are in your print dialog box > select properties for your Adobe PDF printer. On the Adobe PDF Settings > tab, clear the checkmark from View Adobe PDF Results. > > That should do it for at least this printing session. > > Good Luck. > > -- > Dawn Crosier > Microsoft MVP > "Education Lasts a Lifetime" > This message is posted to a newsgroup. Please post replies and questions > to the newsgroup so that others can learn as well. > > > > > "Bob W" <BobW@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message > news:74718982-214F-45E4-B3C8-83157BBCFCC2@microsoft.com: > > > Well, Graham, your ingenious macro works fine - I tried it with a test folder > > containing a dozen word docs. It asks which folder to look in; I specify > > 'test folder' where I have a dozen test.docs waiting to convert. Then it runs > > in the background and feeds all the .docs to the PDF driver. > > > > Alas, that's where the whole thing fails. Word's PDF driver jams "Save PDF > > File as" dialogs and "hide the progress bar" dialogs in my face for each and > > every document in the folder; after doing this a dozen times, the PDFs > > generate, but Acrobat thinks every newly generated PDF now needs to be > > triumphantly viewed, so window after window opens up as Acrobat creaks and > > groans and displays each PDF. > > > > So, the macro you provided works good, but Acrobat gets in the way like a > > herd of elephants, clogging the batch conversion process to a standstill. > > Guess I need to investigate further and see if there's any way to turn those > > dialogs off. If I can figure out where the heck to do that. If it's even > > possible. > > > > No virus found in this incoming message. > > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > > Version: 7.5.488 / Virus Database: 269.13.30/1030 - Release Date: 9/25/2007 8:02 AM > > No virus found in this outgoing message. > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.5.488 / Virus Database: 269.13.30/1030 - Release Date: > 9/25/2007 8:02 AM > > >     Was this post helpful to you?         Reply |   Top           Dawn Crosier, Word MVP 9/25/2007 7:03 PM PST   Bob - Thanks for letting us know that all went well! Congrats! -- Dawn Crosier Microsoft MVP "Education Lasts a Lifetime" This message is posted to a newsgroup. Please post replies and questions to the newsgroup so that others can learn as well. "Bob W" <BobW@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message news:11016A70-5EFA-4AF0-BFB2-70D4DB670D12@microsoft.com: > Thanks Dawn, your post came in as I was rummaging through the print dialog. I > de-selected that check box as you suggested and also designated the desired > target folder for this test run; this time the conversion went OK; all PDFs > were generated unattended. What a time-saver! > No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.488 / Virus Database: 269.13.30/1030 - Release Date: 9/25/2007 8:02 AM     Was this post helpful to you?         Reply |   Top           Al3xey 8/7/2009 1:25 AM PST   Hi, Bob try to use Xml2PDF formatter to batch-convert word.docs to PDF. here is an example of such conversion: http://www.alt-soft.com/Products_Word2PDF.aspx     Was this post helpful to you?         Reply |   Top         Return to Microsoft Communities   Notify me of replies