Why does Acrobat insert pages backwords? A bug?

[Unknown]

I have 300 separate PDF files (from a scanned document) named 001.pdf, 002.pdf, 003.pdf, etc. saved in a folder and named such so they can be inserted in ascending order into a new larger pdf. I run the document>insert pages command to merge them all into one pdf file, and after the insert, Acrobat inserts the pages in descending order instead, with the last page in the original document inserted as page one in the new pdf file, and the first page in the document inserted as page 300. Why does Acrobat do this?

Does this mean that every time I insert multiple pages into a document when creating an e-book, I have to name the pdf's backwards so that Acrobat can sort them backwards and then they will be in the correct order?

I have tried the 001, 002 003 naming scheme and also 1.pdf, 2.pdf, 3.pdf .... 10.pdf 11.pdf, also a.pdf, b.pdf, c.pdf .... aa.pdf, ab.pdf etc all with the same results.

It's very frustrating that Acrobat not only inserts pages backwards, but also does not have any sort command to re sort pages that were inserted out of order. Is this a bug? Its a waste of time going through 300 pages and individually dragging and dropping them into the right place. That literally takes hours for a several hundred page book - I know, I've done it a couple of times and it's not very enjoyable.

If I have to name the files backwards that's also time consuming, because it makes things even more confusing; I go by the printed page numbers in documents to name the pdf file names after a scan when importing scanned material. If I'm on page 27, I have to think, gee, that's page 266, etc. Mind numbing.

[Reinhard Franke]

By the way, if you search here for "insert" you some pages answers (at least topics) to your problem.

[Reinhard Franke]

Well, you did interesting things. Here one more:

Open the first file in Acrobat. Open the Explorer, sort the files however you want and drag&drop into Acrobat. If you want it to special places (if you have already a multi-pdf) drag&Drop it into "Piktogramme" to the place where you want it.

That should work. Perhaps you can use it also for "re sort" in combination with the batch sequence "Extract pages". But this make only sense if you have to do much re sorting and a good sorting tool (spreadsheet or whatever).

HTH, Reinhard

[Unknown]

Thanks Reinhard,

That seemed to do the trick. It seems very strange that Acrobat is unable to -

1.) Sort pages by itself without the help of a third party application. That is a very basic function, especially for an application like Acrobat whose main function is to create large books and documents.

2.) Unable to import separate PDF documents in order of their file names. The way Acrobat works now, it either imports separate pdf's backwards, and Acrobat has even imported pdf's in random order (for me at times, even when separate pdf files have been named in sequential numerical order).

Those two issues should be addressed in any new versions of Acrobat.

[Guy Smiley]

There are no issues to address, as Acrobat has no problem importing separate PDFs in order of their filenames if you do it properly. As was already explained to you, the proper way to do this is to drag-and-drop the PDFs from a Windows Explorer window onto an open PDF. Did you try this? Did it work?
--Mike Nitabach

[Unknown]

Hi Mike,

Yes as I explained above, it did work.

My point is that - my opinion, Acrobat should be able to sort pdf pages by itself, without relying on Microsoft Windows Explorer to do it.

Actually Acrobat does have a problem importing PDF's sequentially, because it needs software from a differnt company to do it.

Just my opinion, this is an issue that Adobe software engineers in the Acrobat group may want to address in any upcoming version. Like a feature request - add a "Sort Pages" function.

It also seems wierd that Acrobat will not insert pages sequentially on it's own, but a microsoft product is able to do so.

At any rate it did work when I used Explorer, so I'm happy now, I just need to remember how to do it from now on. I think Adobe products are great. I own seven of their applications including Photoshop, Illustrator, etc. Acrobat (not Acrobat Reader, Acrobat) just needs a little fine tuning, that's all. If Adobe had a feature request in this forum like the other Adobe product forums, I would add this request.

[Unknown]

To submit feature requests to Adobe use the "Contact us" link.

<http://www.adobe.com/support/feature.html>

[Unknown]

By the way, if anyone at Adobe is reading this, what I mean by a sort function within Acrobat - it would be good if a person could select a range of consecutive thumbnails in a PDF and then run a sort command; a dialogue box would come up asking if the selected range of pages should be sorted in ascending or descending order. Something like that.

Either that and/or add a feature in Acrobat so that when running the "Document>Insert Pages" command, the dialogue box that comes up also includes a prompt asking if the selected pages to insert should be inserted in ascending or descending order based on numerical, and/or alpha file names. Something like that would solve the issue of Acrobat relying on MS Explorer to sort.

[Jan Schroeder]

an application like Acrobat whose main function is to create large books
and documents.

Actually, DBS, Acrobat's 'main function" has never been to "create" anything. It is, and has always been, a print driver more than anything .... a way of converting an already created document into a more portable data format that anyone and everyone can easily read by downloading a nifty piece of free software.

[Unknown]

Gary,

I'll put in a feature request today, thanks.

Jan,

I respect your opinion. You are correct, Acrobat reader does not create anything on it's own. However Acrobat 5 does lots to further create and alter documents. Case in point - Acrobat 5 creates forms on documents that have been converted to PDF from other word processor applications. Acrobat can also add hypertext links to pdf documents, etc. :). Lots of other stuff.

Creating server side Perl supported forms is a more complex operation than sorting pages. It just seems to me that if Acrobat can do some complex stuff with documents distilled into PDF, then it should also be able to do a simple thing, like sort pages, or at least import them in correct order, unlike what Acrobat can presently do (unless apparently with the help of a different application - if I'm wrong and Acrobat 5 can in fact do this on it's own - please inform).

Also, Acrobat Capture which is part of the Acrobat lineup, does OCR on scanned documents for creation of fully searchable documents, with embedded fonts, so in the strict sense Acrobat products do create documents. If the acrobat products did not create documents, I would not have spent one thousand dollars for capture and Acrobat combined (last year Capture was 700 bucks, the price dropped).

Anyway, sorting pages within a pdf is not creating anything, it is merely arranging the document, which is one of the many functions Acrobat is used for - arranging and maintaining those converted pdf documents. If we can arrange manually by dragging and dropping pages then a simple sort function would be a good addition to cut down on manual labor, which is also what Acrobat is used for.

Granted, there is no reason to convert Acrobat to a word processor, however it should have some basic ability to sort pages in documents created in word processors or from scans once converted to pdf, IMHO.

[Reinhard Franke]

Back to the roots. Perhaps you have a look at this discussion with a IAC/VBS solution:

Reinhard Franke "Insert many pdf sort" 9/15/02 12:51pm </cgi-bin/webx?14@@.1de5aba7/6>

Especially it is usefull, if you have already a file list - perhaps as distribution list - in a spreadsheet.

HTH, Reinhard

[YrbkMgr]

Acrobat sorts files fine in the dialog box for Insert Page - if it didn't they wouldn't be listed alphabetically there. Select your last file first, then shift, your first file. I have seen this behavior in other programs where the last file of a series to be selected is first. Its not a sorting issue, it's a file selection order issue. <shrug>

[Unknown]

Hi Yrbk,

That dialogue box that comes up doesn't have a sort function, just asks where you want the pages inserted. Yes the files do come up alphabetically in the files list, but they are not inserted alphabetically, at least not with my copy of acrobat, when inserting hundreds of pages.

Hi Reinhard, thanks for the info. I'll try out that script. Something like that should be included with acrobat as a standard function so we don't need external scripts to sort pdf pages. Your first suggestion worked fine too.

[Guy Smiley]

Do you have a problem with reading comprehension? You don't need any "external scripts" or new "standard function" to append PDFs in a desired order. All you need to do is sort them appropriately in a Windows Explorer window in "details" or "list" view, and then drag-and-drop them onto an open PDF in Acrobat. This is not complicated, and you have yet to explain what need you have that is not perfectly met by this procedure.

Just to repeat: *DON'T* use the Acrobat "Insert Pages" dialog box to sort the PDFs or to insert them into an open PDF. *DO* use the sorting capacities of Windows Explorer in "list" or "details" view to arrange your PDFs in the desired order, select them all, and then drag-and-drop them onto an open PDF. They *WILL* insert in the *EXACT* order that they appeared in the Windows Explorer window.

Capisce?

--Mike Nitabach

[Unknown]

Hi Guy (or MIke?),

Yes I can comprehend. If you look at my above posts, you will see that I said above on two occasions, two days ago, that the problem has been solved, that I was able to sort them in Windows Explorer and drag and drop them. This is the third time I have stated that in this thread, and stated that the problem has been solved. Two days ago.

If you don't know how to read all posts associated with a thread, please click "Show All Messages" and you will see that I said above that this problem has been solved, thanks to the helpful advice I got here....

As I said above - " Thanks Reinhard, That seemed to do the trick." And " Hi Mike, Yes as I explained above, it did work."

I was only suggesting that in any future release, that Acrobat Software engineers may wish to consider adding a sort pages function as a standard, built in feature in acrobat so we would not need to depend on MS Windows Explorer to sort pdf documents. Methinks you did not comprehended my suggestion, confusing it with the problem that had already been solved.

No software application "Needs" any new functions Guy. New features that make life easier are what keeps software fresh. Does Photoshop 7 really need the Liquify filter? Not really, but it sure is fun to play with, a great filter and could be useful for some things.

[Guy Smiley]

"I was only suggesting that in any future release, that Acrobat Software engineers may wish to consider adding a sort pages function as a standard, built in feature in acrobat so we would not need to depend on MS Windows Explorer to sort pdf documents."

But don't you realize that this makes no sense at all? Why would Adobe's software engineers ever want to add to the Acrobat software a function that is already provided by the operating system? You do realize that Windows Explorer is an integral part of the Windows operating system, right?

Saying you don't want to depend on Windows Explorer is as nonsensical as saying you don't want to depend upon the Windows file system, or the Windows print drivers, or any other function provided by the Windows operating system. Now, if you could explain to me some way that you would like to sort separate PDFs for combination in a particular order *that is not already possible* using the method that is *already provided*, then we might have something to talk about. Otherwise, you are just complaining that you wish Acrobat provided a function that is already provided by the Windows operating system.

--Mike Nitabach

[Frater Wotson]

Why would Adobe's software engineers ever want to add to the Acrobat software
a function that is already provided by the operating system?

Like copying, deleting, moving files or creating new folders? (Functions available within Acrobat that are also duplicated by the OS.)

Flame me if ya like!

[Unknown]

Guy Smiley or Mike Nitabach,

Makes no sense? Tell that to the Adobe Photoshop Group - they just added a file browser to version 7 Photoshop, which Windows Explorer for PC already has in a very stripped down version. You highlight the file names, a thumbnail shows up.

"Now, if you could explain to me some way that you would like to sort separate PDFs for combination in a particular order *that is not already possible* using the method that is *already provided*, then we might have something to talk about. "

I already did above, two days ago, If you don't know how to find it, I suggest that you click "Show All Messages in this thread and read it above. And learn some more about the other Adobe Applications and how they duplicate fuctions.

Adobe applications even duplicate features that other Adobe applications have. For example the pen tool is in Photoshop, Livemotion, Illustrator, After Effects, etc.

[Guy Smiley]

These functions are indeed *available* within Acrobat, but they are *implemented* by calls to the Windows API. There is no "duplication".
--Mike Nitabach

[Guy Smiley]

"The sad thing, without MS Windows Explorer, Acrobat can only import files backwards, which is kind of silly."

You really don't realize what a ridiculous statement this is, do you?

-Mike Nitabach

[Unknown]

OK Enough with the ad hominym attacks. I'm asking you nicely to please stop. If you are embarrassed with yourself because you had to ask for information several times which was already posted in this thread, there is no need to insult people to save face and to post under multiple names. There were several people who were very helpful in this thread, try to be like them.

I am finished with this thread, if you wish to continue flaming, you can do it by yourself, too busy to play your childish games. You can have the last word if you want it, you will be talking to yourself.

Have a nice day.

[apm]

Hola, yo tengo el mismo problema. la unica solucion que encontre al momento es no usar ese comando con mas de una pagina a la vez. las inserto una por una. si tienen alguna solucion, gracias

Hi, i扉e the same problem. the only solution i found until this moment is not use this command with more than a page at the same time. i insert them one bye one. If you got another solution, thanks!

[oph...@gmail.com]

Currently this is not working for me. They're IN ORDER ALREADY. There's no dragging files "properly", you either drag the files or you don't.

It's pathetic that there is no sorting function, I expect better of Adobe. You'd think I was using a Corel product.

[oph...@gmail.com]

Does NOT work as described.

[paulp...@yahoo.com]

When doing the insert in the file selection box just click the name header and it will reverse the order. Then it works as expected - I do think that Adobe should work in the opposite way since it is backwards.

[M B]

Bizzare... 2021, still the same issue.