6 Replies Latest reply: May 5, 2012 9:42 PM by JRgville

Save a portion of a pdf as another pdf?

JRgville May 4, 2012 9:55 PM

I'm on Mac, OS 10.6.8, Snow Leopard.

I just upgraded to Acrobat X Pro from version 8. With the v8 print driver, I could display a portion of a pdf file, then print that view, fitted to the size paper I wanted, and create a new pdf file of just that portion of the original pdf.

With Acrobat X, in the print window I follow that procedure, then since there's longer an Acrobat printer, I click on the 'Printer' Button which gives me the system print window. Again, I can't choose Acrobat printer because there isn't one, so I click on the 'PDF' button and can then choose 'Save as Adobe PDF'. I then get a message that "Saving a PDF file when printing is not supported. Instead, choose File > Save"

The problem is that I can't use Save to create just a portion of a pdf file. There isn't any choice for that when you save or save as! I've also tried to 'Take a Snapshot' from the Edit menu, but again going to Print, I can't print to PDF. I get the same 'not supported' message as before.

So can you no longer create a pdf file from a portion of another larger pdf? I'm an architect and deal with large drawings all the time. 24 inches by 36 inches or larger. I often need to create a pdf of just a detail within a drawing to then email to someone. Is my only choice to reinstall the Acrobat 8 printer driver somehow so that I can get that capability back?

What's the point of having that 'Save to Adobe PDF' if you can't use it for anything?

1. Re: Save a portion of a pdf as another pdf?

try67 May 5, 2012 1:55 AM (in response to JRgville)

That option is now available under More Options in the Print dialog.
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2. Re: Save a portion of a pdf as another pdf?

JRgville May 5, 2012 9:10 AM (in response to try67)

The only thing I see in 'More Options in the Print dialogue box is Current View, which I've tried to use. When I choose it, then click on printer, go to the System print window, and select 'save as Adobe PDF', I get a message that 'save a PDF file' when printing is not supported. Same result. I'm afraid this suggestion is a dead end also. It looks like Adobe doesn't want you to be able to print just a portion of a PDF file as another PDF.
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3. Re: Save a portion of a pdf as another pdf?

Steve Werner May 5, 2012 12:42 PM (in response to JRgville)

See if this works for you: Do a File > Save As > PDF and save a copy of your original.

With the copy open, choose Tools > Pages > Crop.

Create a crop area of the part of a page (or pages) you want to include. Double-click the crop area to bring up the Crop dialog. Choose either the current page or the range of pages you want to include in your selection PDF. And click OK.

Print from this file.
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4. Re: Save a portion of a pdf as another pdf?

JRgville May 5, 2012 1:58 PM (in response to Steve Werner)

Thanks, Steve. This work around will let me do what I need to do. I went ahead and marked your answer correct because it works, but the real correct answer would be for Adobe to let people save as PDF from the print dialogue, which give you a lot more choices in output than the limited 'Save. Thanks again.
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5. Re: Save a portion of a pdf as another pdf?

Daniel Flavin May 5, 2012 5:34 PM (in response to JRgville)

It was Apple's decision to change architecture with 10.6 that has caused the inablity to print to pdf.
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6. Re: Save a portion of a pdf as another pdf?

JRgville May 5, 2012 9:42 PM (in response to Daniel Flavin)

I don't understand how this is Apple's doing. Print to Adobe PDF is available on every application except Acrobat.
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