Compare pdf:s in Acrobat X

I have recently updated to Acrobat X (on Win 7 X64) from Acrobat 7 (on Win XP) and can no longer compare pdf:s as I used to do.
Comparison of pdf:s created in Word still compare as expected and generate a good report with marked differences. However, the pdf-comparison I need most is of pdf-files created from XML-files and the creation is made in Documentum. When comparing that type of pdf the compare report does not include any marks on the differences.
Anyone who has any experience of a similar problem, or better yet, anyone who has a solution to the problem?

No. Starting with Acrobat 9 it is no longer possible to open multiple PDF files in the same window.

Similar Messages

Compare pdf's

I have created some code in c# to compare PDF's in Acrobat V9. I was wondering how to programmatically determine when the comparison is finished. If you run the comparison by interactively a progress bar is shows, perhaps I can access this. I would also like to know how to access the the summary page programmatically to determine if there are differences. We have hundreds of pdf's to compare that need to be compared before and after codes changes. Doing this interactively would be painful.
Some code snippets so it is understood how I am attacking the problem currently.
            PdOldDoc.Open(oldFile);
            PdOldDoc.OpenAVDoc("old");
            PdNewDoc.Open(newFile);
            PdNewDoc.OpenAVDoc("new");
            object activeDoc = AdobeApp.GetActiveDoc();
            AdobeApp.MenuItemIsEnabled("DIGSIG:CompareDocuments");
            bool ret = AdobeApp.MenuItemExecute("DIGSIG:CompareDocuments");
            Sleep(10000); //For now just wait 10 seconds until a better way can determined to figure out when the compare process finishes
            AdobeApp.CloseAllDocs();

So there are no .Net ways to compare 2 files. I have 90% of the comparison working and seems strange that I can't silently compare 2 documents and create a 3rd document with the differences.
Through .Net and the Acrobat.dll I can:
1. open the old file
2. open the new file
3 open a compare dialog with the 2 file names populated
4. *Manually select my document comparison type and Manually select OK in the Compare dialog
5. Save the compared file through .Net
6. Close all my Acrobat windows through .Net.
Is there no way to complete step 4 via .Net and the acrobat.dll?
Would another much more $$$ option be to go to a LiveCycle module and pay 40K+ for a module to compare a batch PDFs?
Thanks for any insight you can provide.

Compare 2 PDFs programmatically with Acrobat XI SDK

Is there a way to compare 2 PDFs programmatically with Acrobat XI SDK? I have read elsewhere in these forums that it was possible in Acrobat 8 using C/C++ methods. If it is not possible with Acrobat XI, can we still use those C/C++ APIs from Acrobat 8 although the Desktop version running is Acrobat XI?
Is an API feature for Compare PDFs in Acrobat XI in the feature list/roadmap?
Any technical details and links to information/references is greatly appreciated.
Thanks very much for your response, really appreciate your help.

So using methods like DigSigComparePages(from the link below) not an option anymore with the current version of Acrobat SDK?
http://livedocs.adobe.com/acrobat_sdk/9.1/Acrobat9_1_HTMLHelp/API_References/Acrobat_API_R eference/Digital_Signatures/DigSig.html#DigSigComparePages411()

Compare Documents tool in Acrobat Pro 9

I'm assessing the Compare Documents tool in Acrobat Pro 9 for business use, and have some very specific questions about its functionality:
When I initially load a pair of PDFs to compare, occasionally Acrobat refuses to accept them as anything but "scanned documents" even though they are fully electronic-sourced PDFs created in, usually, Adobe illustrator. What are the specific criteria that cause Acrobat Pro to force the "scanned documents" type? Is it related to the presence of only "flattened"/"outlined" text instead of embedded fonts? Lack of layers? Some other graphical feature? How do the comparison parameters/performance change when the loaded docs are designated as scanned rather than one of the other types?
Second, when I've done a Compare on two nearly identical documents and then call up the "old and difference images" display - is there any way at all to manipulate this display? Some of my docs are large - potentially full press-sheet size of around 24" x 40", and when the differences between them are tiny (e.g., a change in only a few Braille dots over the entire graphic) the on-screen rendering of the "difference image" side of the display is relatively tiny and practically useless, although it contains exactly the information I need to see. Can it be grabbed/stretched/magnified/saved/printed/analyzed some other way besides how it is? It seems to disappear literally at the first mouse-motion or key-touch, which is incredibly frustrating. Are there any changes or improvements in this feature in version 10.x over version 9.2.0 (which is the latest version my company has approved)?
Third, also at the post-compare stage, the feature tags a small printer info block in a corner of the document with "This image was replaced" even when I know the info block has not been changed. Why could this happen?

Sounds like you want to do this on a server, but you should know that Adobe Acrobat cannot legally be used on a server.
For server-based PDF operations you can look at Adobe LiveCycle products or our Adobe PDFLibrary (available in both Java and C++)

I can't use thunderbird 31.2.0 to send attachement from a pdf file with Acrobat PRO XI

I can't use thunderbird 31.2.0 (Mozilla) to send attachement from a pdf file with Acrobat PRO XI. Each time, Acrobat replies (in french) : "il n'y a pas de client pour la messagerie par défaut". Thunderbird is indicated as "by default" in the list of programs of Windows.
Even if I type my e-mail address, etc. in the account of Acrobat, it doesn't change. Each time, I have to record a PDF file in a folder and return to Thunderbird to send it as attached. It is a too long process, compared with Windows XP with Acrobat Reader or Acrobat 5, I had before.
Would you please help me to explain the process. My OS is Windows 8.1.
Thank you

Thank you for your answer.
What i want to do : to send PDF files as attached documents in a message
generated by thunderbird by my e-mail address [email protected] or
another one I have.
When I introduce my e-mail address under Edit-Preferences-Email
Accounts, Acrobat ask the e-mail account, the password, the IMAP for
ingoing message (and I use POP) and SMTP for outgoing messages. Even I
introduce all the datas, it doesn't change, Acrobat is unable to send
the message. And the process is not convenient, because I need all my
outgoing messages be documented inside Thunderbird.
So, I repeat my request : how can I use thenderbird as program by
default from Acrobat or any other software ?
Thank you for your next message.
Jean-Luc Rongé
Le 21-10-14 14:24, ANAND8502 a écrit :
>
I can't use thunderbird 31.2.0 to send attachement from a pdf
file with Acrobat PRO XI
created by ANAND8502 <https://forums.adobe.com/people/ANAND8502> in
/Acrobat Installation & Update Issues/ - View the full discussion
<https://forums.adobe.com/message/6850947#6850947>

Compare Pdfs

Hi All,
Iam encountering a problem while
comparing 2 pdfs in Adobe acrobat
professional 7.07. While selecting the
Documents/Compare documents, i get
error as "Adobe Acrobat 7.0 has
encountered a problem and needs to
close. We are sorry for the
inconvenience." and the error report
shows error in the acrobat.dll. Please
let me know the solution to this
problem.
-Vidya

There is always a chance that an update to AA7 will do it. You are not updated to the latest version.

Dos command to compare files using adobe acrobat pro 9.

Hi,
I am using Adobe Acrobat Pro 9, through its utility i am comparing two pdfs using its GUI. Now i want to compare two pdfs through Dos prompt using Adobe Acrobat Pro 9. Is there any Dos command to compare two pdfs using Adobe Acrobat Pro 9.
Regards

I don't think so.

When I OCR two versions of the same document and then compare th documents in Acrobat Pro XI, I usually get the message that there are no changes to mark. However, I know there a quite a few number of changes. I raised this question more than a year ago

When I OCR two versions of the same document and then compare the documents in Acrobat Pro XI, I usually get the message that there are no changes to mark. However, I know there a quite a few number of changes. I raised this question more than a year ago, and the response I received had to do with the quality of the OCR and the scans of the documents. However, if I use Acrobat Pro XI to save the same documents in Word and then run a comparison in Word all of the changes are marked. When a PDF is saved as a Word document in Acrobat Pro XI, is a different OCR module being used than the one used in Acrobat Pro XI for text recognition?

OCR is only for recoginition of the image / picture of text provided by an scanner.
Content typed into a Word file which is converted to a PDF is (in Word and in PDF) *not* an image or picture of text - it is the digital text. So, no OCR involved.
When the "digital" (renderable) text of a PDF's page content is exported to Word no OCR is involved.
When a PDF's content is from the image output of a scanner and this is a picture of text then OCR comes into play.
If this content is exported to Word before doing OCR then it is the image that is exported to the Word file.
Once OCR is performed it is the OCR output that is exported.
OCR output is (always will be) impacted by "the quality of the OCR and the scans of the documents".
Regardless "Compare" is based on a Word file output to PDF1 then edits to the Word file followed by an output to PDF2. You use Acrobat Pro to do a compare of PDF1 & PDF2.
Paper 1 scanned to image 1 to image 1 in PDF1 that gets OCR 1 and
Paper 2 scanned to image 2 to image 2 in PDF2 that gets OCR 2
being processed with Acrobat Pro's Compare can certainly be done.
But - well you've described what can be observed.
Be well...

I have created PDF from hardcopy by using my scanner. After I run OCR option for my PDF by using Acrobat Pro 9. But "Text-to-speech" functionality of the PDF says that an error message comes up that says the page is empty when I turns on the read out loud

I have created PDF from hardcopy by using my scanner. After I run OCR option for my PDF by using Acrobat Pro 9. But "Text-to-speech" functionality of the PDF says that an error message comes up that says the page is empty when I turns on the read out loud option in Acrobat. Kindly help me to sortout this problems?

So I tried generating the same PDFs on two other computers that have Acrobat 9 Pro. Results were reproduced. The verdict is:
- complex PDF files (that is, containing cross-references, tables of contents, and bookmarks) generated by Acrobat 9.x Pro are roughly 2-5x larger than the identical file generated with Acrobat 8.x Pro.
- different PDF conversion settings make a negligable difference (less than 10% rather than 70-80%).
- using the "Reduce File Size" or "Optimize PDF" option cuts the file size roughly in half, almost always resulting in a "image downsampling mask" warning message, which requires acknowledgement (that is a problem for batch processing or automation).
- adding an Acrobat watermark to the file cuts the file size roughly in half.
- just using Save As to another filename has no effect on file size.
- generating the PDF in Acrobat 9 with links but no PDF bookmarks still results in the inflated file size.
- generating the PDF in Acrobat 9 without any links or bookmarks results in approximately the same file size as the Acrobat 8 PDF with full links and bookmarks.
It appears that Acrobat 9's manner of adding links is what's bloating the files, and in my case it's probably not related to images or image resolution/print quality. It's a shame, because Acrobat 9 seems to have made some improvements to the Review Tracker interface, and a few other bells and whistles which I haven't really gotten around to exporing yet. But unless I find a way to keep my links and the PDF file sizes comparable to what I was getting with Acrobat 8 Pro, it looks like I'm going to stay with Acrobat 8.

Compare PDF Feature - 6 Pro onwards

Hi all,
We regularly run the Compare Feature of Adobe Acrobat 6 Professional to create a difference report of some of our documents after we make a change.
Recently, we have upgraded to Windows 7 (from XP) and Acrobat 6 no longer works (as it is a 64-bit OS)
We have tried Acrobat 7, but it still has the same problem (Cannot install the Printer Port)
We also tried 9 Pro, but the Report generated by that version is horrendous, and not very useful to us.
I trialled Adobe 11, and it has the same layout as 9, so no good for us.
Is there any Acrobat version that has the same report style as 6 Pro, but still works on Windows 7?

I was hoping to mark both as correct, but for anyone else reading this, both these responses are suitable and will allow the Adobe 6 functionality.
The marked answer was the first response, and directly answers my question. The solution will work in theory too, though I have encountered compatibility issues when using two Adobe PDF products together in the past.
The second answer though will also allow Adobe 6 to keep running (without the compatibility issues), but an additional Windows license will be required.
We could do this, though the machine that we have to set up needs to mirror our current environment for other testing purposes (apart from the Adobe PDF of course) and that requires Win 7 64-bit.

Compare PDF functionality API

Hi All,
Do you know how we call Adobe compare PDF utility in Java program.
I have n no of files to compare. Is there option to call Adobe compare PDF in my java program. So that I can write a looping for all files.
Appreciate your answer...

Thanks Test Screen Name..No. I do not want in server. in my desk top. I have installed Adobe acrobat pro X in my desktop. What I want to do is i have 50 PDF to be compared with a single original PDF. I want to compare those 50 PDF without comparing one by one. I want to compare in a single time. So if any API is there, I can write a code by looping through 50 PDF's. Hope you got it..please let me know if you need more information..

Comparing pdfs

How do you compare pdfs

Hi,
Adobe Acrobat has the feature to compare PDF files, and you can download Acrobat XI Pro Trial version (for 30 days free) from www.adobe.com or upgrade your subscription to Acrobat Plus. Please see more information about Acrobat Plus at https://www.acrobat.com/acrobatplus/en/home.html.
How to compare PDF files:
1. Open your PDF file in Acrobat
2. Select "Tools" from right pane
3. Select "Document Processing" panel
4. Select "Compare Documents"
Thank you.
Hisami

Compare PDFs in Batch Mode

I currently have Acrobat X Pro and I'm curious if it is possible to use a command prompt to compare 2 PDFs and have the output\report emailed or copied out somewhere for review? We're trying to automate some daily processes where compare PDFs from the prior day. Any suggestions are welcome if Acrobat Pro X is unable to accomplish this? Thanks!
Michael

This happens on Acrobat 8 Pro on Windows XP too - the text only compare in side by side mode correctly traps the redline differences but highlights non-changed text in a very strange fashion.
It appears to be a bug to me as when you open the comments list and click on the highlight it appears as with a type of 'Indeterminate' and the annotation 'Matching text on page 1 of other document'. When I click on the comment I get an Acrobat error dialog box with the text:
'There was an error processing an annotation or link. There was a problem reading this document (14).'
And I can't seem to delete the comments (presumably as Acrobat is failing to read the comments).
Very irritating. Worse, Acrobat 9 (Mac) has no way to preconfigure the compare so a 2.3MB compare in v8 is now 13+MB in v9 and every table edge (in a 150pp doc) is highlighted as different. Otherwise the v9 compare appears very good for on screen in v9 except it doesn't degrade very well to v8 and there is no side-by-side redline mode I can see.
Will be running v8 for a while yet.

Compare PDF: How to suppress compare dialog box programmatically...

Hi,
We are using Acrobat 8.0. Using Visual Basic, we are opening two PDF files in Acrobat 8.0 professional.We are comparing those two documents using MenuitemExecute(DIGSIG:CompareDocuments ) command and generating the side by side comparison file programatically.
During this process after executing the command "MenuitemExecute(DIGSIG:CompareDocuments )" adobe is displaying "Compare Documents" dialog box where the user need to click OK on it in order to continue with the comparison.
My requirement is to suppress the dialog box and automate the process. Our application is developed in Visual basic.
Could you please let me know how to suppress the dialog box using Visual basic. Is it possible using VB or any alternatives for this. Because we need to compare many PDF documents so clicking OK every time requires user intervention.
Thanks for your help in advance.

Acrobat Scripting Forum http://www.adobeforums.com/webx?13@@.3bbedaa6
Acrobat SDK Developer Forum http://www.adobeforums.com/webx/.eed56a0/

Challenges with Compare Pdf

Hi Friends
I am using the following code to compare two versions of pdf in my web application.
I have the following challenges with it.
1) I need to suppress the Compare Dialog box that opens on calling DIGSIG:CompareDocuments.
2)How the output pdf can be shown on the client machine as this is a server code that runs on the server side.Also client machine would not have Acrobat installed on it.
3)Also how far the output pdf can be customized.Ex,Is there a possiblity to remove the first page of the output pdf.
Kindly help me out.
Thanks in advance. Refer the code below.
Function
CompareTwoPdfFiles(ByVal OldFileName As String, ByVal NewFileName As String) As Boolean
Dim AcrobatApp As Acrobat.CAcroAppAcrobatApp = CreateObject(
"AcroExch.App")AcrobatApp.Show()
Dim OpenPdfCount As Integer
Dim PDSaveFull As Short
OpenPdfCount = AcrobatApp.GetNumAVDocs
Dim DocumentWasOpen As Boolean
DocumentWasOpen = (OpenPdfCount > 0)
Dim ok As Boolean
ok =
True
  ' Open the "New" file first,
  ' so it appears on the right side in the comparison output.
  Dim NewPd As Acrobat.CAcroPDDoc
Dim NewAv As Acrobat.CAcroAVDoc
If ok Then
NewPd = CreateObject( "AcroExch.PDDoc")ok = NewPd.Open(NewFileName)
If ok Then
NewAv = NewPd.OpenAVDoc(NewFileName)  Else
MsgBox( "Could not open PDF file: " & NewFileName)
End If
  End If
  ' Open the "Old" file second,
  ' so it appears on the left side in the comparison output.
  Dim OldPd As Acrobat.CAcroPDDoc
Dim OldAv As Acrobat.CAcroAVDoc
If ok Then
OldPd = CreateObject( "AcroExch.PDDoc")ok = OldPd.Open(OldFileName)
If ok Then
OldAv = OldPd.OpenAVDoc(OldFileName)  Else
MsgBox( "Could not open PDF file: " & OldFileName)
End If
  End If
  If ok Then
ok = AcrobatApp.MenuItemExecute( "DIGSIG:CompareDocuments")
If Not ok Then
MsgBox( "Could not compare files")
End If
  End If
  Dim NoSave As Boolean
NoSave = True
  If ok Then
  Dim DiffAv As Acrobat.CAcroAVDocDiffAv = AcrobatApp.GetActiveDoc
Dim DiffPd As Acrobat.CAcroPDDocDiffPd = DiffAv.GetPDDoc
ok = DiffPd.Save(PDSaveFull,
"C:\Deepak\TED Pdfs\Comparison.pdf")
  If Not ok Then
MsgBox( "Could not save comparison output file")
End If
  End If
CompareTwoPdfFiles = ok
  End Function
Regards
Deepak.

Hi Irosenth,
Thanks for your reply. I checked with PDFLibrary SDK, there it does not seem to have a provision to compare PDF versions.
Could you please help.
Regards
Deepak.

Compare pdf:s in Acrobat X

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