PdfGrabber (macOS) FAQs

Information on and answers to some of the most frequently asked questions in conjunction with the use of our software “PdfGrabber Mac-Edition“.

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Since macOS High Sierra 10.13.4 Apple displays the following message when starting PdfGrabber (or other 32-bit apps) for the first time:

Screenshot (macOS): PdfGrabber ist not optimized for your Mac and needs to be updated

Apple plans to support only 64-bit apps with one of the next macOS versions. The migration process at Apple is not finished yet. 32-bit apps can still be used with the last two macOS versions High Sierra and Mojave.

Simply confirm the message with “OK” and PdfGrabber starts immediately.

Please note that PdfGrabber will not work with macOS Catalina!

For more information about the transition, please visit Apple’s support homepage.

Ensure that the missing objects are not merely fill areas without outlines. To this end, repeat export with the option ‘Fillings – paint fillings’ activated.
In the PDF document all objects which look like letters/text are, in reality, character commands. Take, for example, an ‘i’:

Instead of the command ‘Text output:i’ in the PDF source text, the instructions: ‘Draw a point’ and ‘Draw a short vertical line’ are issued. If there are no text output instructions in the PDF document, no text entities will be generated in the DXF. Character instructions will be exported as character entities and text output instructions as text entities. Changing the preferences for the text output has no influence upon this, this is also true for the preference that no texts are to be exported.

The PDF does not contain vector graphics but rather an embedded image and/or the page was scanned. This means that no character/line information is available which would enable (re)conversion to a DXF document. If only parts are missing then these are often either the legend or the logo of the CAD original file of a CAD drawing which otherwise has character and line information available. As part of a crosscheck, the page can be exported with the profile: Images – Contained images. If images are exported, there is no output to DXF for the corresponding areas.
Many PDF documents contain embedded fonts. Yet within these fonts the characters are ‘mapped’ differently, i.e., the assignments are mixed up (for example, the ‘b’ is the ‘a’). With the exception of special cases, PdfGrabber is able to ‘break down’ this mapping and display the correct letters. To ensure this, however, the original font from the PDF document must be used to display the text in the exported document. Yet, with export to DXF this is not possible given the restrictions as regards the fonts available in DXF. Depending on the setting, when exporting to DXF attempts are made to use a replacement font whereby the ‘broken down’ mapping is lost.
For scan-based documents you need to activate OCR (Optical Character Recognition) because what you see in the PDF is not text, but a graphic image (picture).
The “output quality” can be defined in Excel’s format options. This sliding scale can be used to choose between “exact (many columns)” and “easy to edit (few columns)”. The setting should be made or adjusted to suit each new PDF document. It is recommended to start the export with a mid-range setting. If the Excel file output has too many columns, you should select a higher setting (move slide to the right). If there are not enough columns, select a lower setting (move slide to the left). If necessary, conduct several test runs in order to obtain the best setting for each particular document.
To export your PDF files as a RTF/Word file, proceed as follows:

1. Start up the PdfGrabber and select the desired output format in the upper section of the window. The software offers a number of different output formats which satisfy different requirements. To achieve your goal, select the format ‘Word/RTF Text box-layout’. All of the settings that are necessary for the most detailed possible export into RTF/Word format are preselected here.
2. In the middle section of the window select the relevant ‘Source Document’. In order to add a document to the list, press the ‘Add’ button. Select the required PDF file from the subsequent file dialogue.
3. Next press the ‘Start’ button to begin the export process. During export, a message window appears showing the latest status information.
4. Once the export process is complete, the exported Word document is opened in Microsoft Word, provided that this program is installed on your computer.

NOTE: Please note that the export time depends on the size of the document and the type of the PDF document. PDF documents that contain numerous images usually require a longer export time.

If the PC receiving the document displays it incorrectly, this is usually due to missing fonts on the target PC. To solve the problem, activate the “Embed TrueType fonts” option in “Profile — Edit — Format — Rich text format options”. Be aware that this option will increase the size of the file.
If you open the exported documents with Microsoft Word, make sure that you have selected the “Page layout” or “Online layout” mode under “View”. The phenomenon described can occur in “Normal” mode.
A lot of resources are required to export very large PDF documents. For example, although images in the PDF document are compressed and therefore relatively small, they have to be decompressed before they can be exported. One high-resolution image can easily take up 50 MB or more, which can lead to lengthy processing times where there are a lot of images or for large documents.

The following options are available to solve this problem:

a) Make sure your system has sufficient storage space.
b) Deactivate the export of “images” and “lines as background image” under “Format — format options” in profile settings in order not to export any graphic images and to keep file sizes smaller.
c) Export the document in stages (pages 1 – 100, pages 101 – 200, etc.). You can set the page ranges you require in the profile options in the index card “Ranges” tab.

There can be various reasons for a faulty output. If possible, send the PDF file concerned to our support team by e-mail. Also specify the format you want to export to, and how we can reach you. Naturally all documents sent to us will be treated confidentially and only used for internal error analysis.
Yes, as long as the password for the file is known. PdfGrabber supports you in processing password-protected documents by means of extensive password administration services.

You can order the full version of the PdfGrabber software from our online shop or your software dealer. Delivery is via download. You will be sent an unlocking code by e-mail. If you do not want to order via the Internet, you can also fax your order to us (+49 421 24778-24).

The demo version adds random Xs to the exported text. This no longer occurs in the full version of the PdfGrabber. If you have already purchased a license for the full version of the software, and the Xs still appear, ensure that you have activated the software with the license data. The demo version also places a stamp on graphics; this is also no longer the case with the full version. You can order the full version of the PdfGrabber from our shop or contact your software dealer.