Posted by BrendaTx on 3/18/06 2:20pm
Msg #106603

PDF Converters...

Does anyone have the name of a good one? I have used a couple...the most recent was something that started with an A but it is on my other computer. I was not impressed by any so far. I don't mind paying up to $100 so if you know one, please post it.

I asked on another forum last night but was told to go do a search by PAW...I have searched on Google, Paul...so in case you did not see my response...as I told you in a previous email when you asked me how I found things like I sent you...I can find anything I want to find, just about.

Yeah and even look at the invisible internet...I just need some input from those who have been there and done it. I already know how to search the net!

Reply by PAW on 3/18/06 2:44pm
Msg #106615

Well, how much do you want to pay? $0 to $500. The only one I ever used was one form Nuance Software. I don't know which version, but it was quite a while ago and worked really well. I think the enterprise licensed edition was somewhere around $450, but single editions were under a $100.

I just looked at their site and notice they're up to version 3 and have 3 different "types".

Other than that one, I haven't had a need to convert PDF into Word. Always the other way and I use Adobe Acrobat and Distiller for that.

Reply by BrendaTx on 3/18/06 2:54pm
Msg #106618

Re: PDF Converters...Thanks for the info, Paul.

I had said *I don't mind paying up to $100 so if you know one* because I have seen some for $89 - $200. I could go up to $200 now. I'd be interested in any referrals no matter what the price because I can save the money out of one of my resources.

I used CUTE for doing PDFs when I just want to archive or fax. It's free.

Reply by BarbaraL_CA on 3/18/06 2:50pm
Msg #106617

If you are talking TO PDF - download free software called CutePDF at http://www.cutepdf.com. They also have "pay for" versions with more features. Reasonably priced.

If you are talking FROM PDF - Try "PDF Convert" - You can download a Trial version at http://www.pdf-convert.com/

I use CutePDF all the time to print to PDF format, and I'm trying the PDF-Convert - used it to convert PDF to image formats.

Hope this helps.

Reply by BrendaTx on 3/18/06 2:56pm
Msg #106619

Re: PDF Converters...thanks Barb.

I'll try it. I was looking for anyone who had found a good one to use and had passed it along.

Cute is GREAT STUFF.

Reply by BrendaTx on 3/18/06 3:00pm
Msg #106622

Re: PDF Converters...thanks Barb. Correction Policeman....

**and had passed it along. **

and WOULD PASS it along.

Reply by Glenn Strickler on 3/18/06 3:21pm
Msg #106628

Try this one

http://www.pdf995.com/

or

http://www.primopdf.com/

Reply by BrendaTx on 3/18/06 3:55pm
Msg #106634

Re: PDF Converters...thanks Glenn...I definitely will.

Thank you for your help. Have you had an occasion to use either?

Reply by DonR_NYC on 3/18/06 4:08pm
Msg #106642

I have been using "edocprinter pro" which converts almost ANY windows based doc, eyc to pdf format. the link is http://www.iteksoft.com/

Reply by BrendaTx on 3/18/06 4:12pm
Msg #106644

Re: PDF Converters...Many thanks Don. That's exactly

the kind of info I am looking for.

Reply by Charles_Ca on 3/18/06 8:44pm
Msg #106676

Re: PDF Converters...I haven't found a better one than

Adobe Acrobat pro in my opinion

Reply by BrendaTx on 3/18/06 8:56pm
Msg #106677

Re: PDF Converters...Asking again in a different way...

If I want to go from PDF to Word or Excel...are all of you telling me I can do that with Acrobat Pro? I know how to make a PDF...I did not know I could go backwards.

Thanks.

Reply by PAW on 3/18/06 9:06pm
Msg #106682

Re: PDF Converters...Asking again in a different way...

I have Acrobat Pro and no, it does not create Word docs (or Excel spreadsheets) from a PDF file. (If it does, I don't know how to do it, and none of the literature shows how to do it.)

Reply by eXpedN_TX on 3/18/06 9:18pm
Msg #106688

www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/access_adv_form.html

"Adobe PDF Conversion by Simple Form
To convert an Adobe® Portable Document Format (PDF) file to HTML or text, simply type a URL for an Adobe PDF document into this electronic form and select "Convert". The Adobe PDF document will be converted and returned to you in your browser application. Depending on the complexity of the document and the number of requests being made on the server at the time, the conversion process may take a while."

Maybe this will help??? PDF file is within a URL, though.

Reply by PAW on 3/18/06 9:34pm
Msg #106695

Re: www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/access_adv_form.html

But that doesn't convert to an MS-Word "doc" file nor an Excel "xls" file. That service will simply convert an existing PDF file to an simple HTML or an unformatted text file. Additionally, the file must be internet accessible. That is, the PDF file must be addressable by URL addressing (i.e., stored on a web server). For "local" files, it must be uploaded and sent by email to Adobe for processing. Adobe will return an HTML or TXT attachment after the conversion is completed.

http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/access_onlinetools.html

Reply by eXpedN_TX on 3/18/06 9:36pm
Msg #106698

Re: www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/access_adv_form.html

True, but from a TXT to a word doc is simple. It does add a few steps, that's for sure.

Reply by BrendaTx on 3/18/06 9:39pm
Msg #106699

Re: www.adobe.com/products/ - Melissa I will also try this

Thank you! It seems like to me I saw somewhere on this forum there was a PDF to Word but cannot find it.

As an aside, I have read info about cutting and pasting by using the table functions in Adobe. I forget exactly how, but it's not always as easy as I want.

Reply by BrendaTx on 3/18/06 9:36pm
Msg #106697

Re: www.adobe.com/ - Yes Paul that WILL help. Thank you!

Going to HTML will help. I can upload what I need to convert. Thanks again!!

Reply by PAW on 3/18/06 9:39pm
Msg #106700

Re: www.adobe.com/ - Yes Paul that WILL help. Thank you!

I've never used the PDF -> HTML -> DOC conversion route so I have no idea how sucessful it will be. Let us know how things turn out.

Reply by BrendaTx on 3/18/06 9:40pm
Msg #106702

Re: www.adobe.com/ - Will do Paul! NM n/m

Reply by PAW on 3/18/06 9:42pm
Msg #106703

Oops, didn't spel chek

sucessful -> successful

Reply by eXpedN_TX on 3/18/06 9:32pm
Msg #106693

One more thing, I have Adobe Professional, which does not do the reverse you want, but I do have another, cheaper way, around it. If you have a scanner, you can print the Adobe docs...yes this can be time consuimng if there are tons of pages, then scan them in and output as text. I have had to do this a few times with docs at the office that we could not find a soft copy for. Sometimes the "to text" can be an issue (i.e. o's become 0's, 0's and B's become 8's, etc). But it is an option?!?!

I saw that investtech.com has a free trial, but since I have not personally used it, I am not sure how well it works?!?! It costs under $100 to buy. The one at Nuance.com costs $50...even better.

Reply by BrendaTx on 3/18/06 9:35pm
Msg #106696

Re: PDF Converters...THANK YOU MELISSA...

That was my problem - I need to take some PDFs and go to MS WORD. Whew. I thought I was losing my mind.

What is a better way to say what I am looking for? I have had several helpful people tell me adobe. I use Cute most of the time because it aint so dang chunky and greedy on my system.

Reply by Charles_Ca on 3/18/06 9:50pm
Msg #106706

Re: PDF Converters..MS recommends PDF converter 3

it is available for free trial and purchase from

http://www.nuance.com/marketplace/pdfconverter/

This is the converter that MS says will do the job flawlessly. I have not tried it and so I'm not recommending it but thought you might test it out and report

Reply by rdowns_in_CA on 3/18/06 10:23pm
Msg #106711

Re: PDF Converters..MS recommends PDF converter 3

I've tried it and it works okay - most of the time. It seems to be a bit buggy - often interfering with other programs I might be running simultaneously, but I see significant improvement in the success of conversions in version 3 versus version 2, which I'd used previously. I've only used it to convert from pdf to doc, not to xls or any other formats. It includes the ability to convert pdf files to "fillable" forms with a single click, which I really like. It doesn't always work exactly right, but if it's even close, it's much quicker than manually creating forms by adding the form fields one at a time.

I also own Acrobat 6 Professional, which does not convert from pdf back to other formats, though it does allow some limited editing within the pdf format. When creating pdfs from doc or other formats, Acrobat 6 Professional works much better than PDF Convertor 3 Pro, which seems to lose resolution - particularly in the conversion of graphics.

I've also used pdf995, and it works really well, if memory serves, though it sets itself up as a printer. One enters the Print dialog and selects the pdf995 printer, which produces a pdf file. This works well for most applications, but there are a few programs that don't utilize a Print dialog. In other words, when you tell the application to Print, it just prints - without giving you the option to select pdf995 as your printer. If you have one of these programs, you must make sure that pdf995 is set up as your default printer, for it to work. There are several other pdf creation programs that work similarly. Paperport software has one, called Docucom pdf driver, or Paperport pdf in your printer selections. I was fairly impressed with the quality of pdf995 products.

Ron Downs

Reply by RickinVA on 3/19/06 10:50am
Msg #106785

Brenda, I use http://www.docsmartz.com/ but I don't much care for it as I can't EDIT the Word doc. BUT, it's free.

Rick