How do you set the PDF format to convert files to?

[rkg82tg]

The settings for the tool "Convert files to PDFs" do not allow you to set the PDF format, for example, 1.7, 1.6, etc.
We need to convert Word documents to PDFs that are PDF v 1.6 compatible, not 1.7, which is what the tool is creating by default.
Where do you specify the desired PDF format?

[Tracker Supp-Stefan]

Hello rkg82tg,

There is no such option.
We would usually create the lowest possible PDF specification version that supports all the features of your files.
So that is usually 1.4 for the majority of files or 1.7 if the file has e.g. transparency that does require the 1.7.
Why is the requirement so strictly set at 1.6. 1.7 would include anything that a 1.6 file does - so those requirements are usually "at least PDF specification 1.x", can you please check with the people/application requesting those files if the same is the case for them?

Kind regards,
Stefan

[rkg82tg]

Our problem with the PDF v.7 standard is that it seems to be introducing a file attribute that is preventing some end-users from opening the file once it has been uploaded to a Microsoft Cloud SharePoint folder with DRM protection. The same content published to a PDF 1.6 format results in a PDF that all users can open from the same SharePoint folder.

[Paul - Tracker Supp]

Hi rkg82tg,

I think you can actually force the version created. In the Editor preferences is the option to choose the default for new documents:

In my tests this does affect Word file conversion when using drag-n-drop into the Editor:

Does that give you what you seek?

[Willy Van Nuffel]

Hi,

In PDF-XChange Editor it is possible to define the PDF-version of the output-file, but here I suppose the question is about PDF-Tools.
Going via the Editor requires an additional action per document, because unfortunately there is no batch processing available, except for drag-and-drop of (Word-) files to the (empty) PDF-XChange Editor window (could be an alternative solution).

But, maybe, it might be useful to 're-introduce' the possibility to select the PDF-version in PDF-Tools ?
In version 4 of PDF-Tools this was possible (see manual at page 18). I wonder why this has been left away ?

Kind regards.

https://downloads.pdf-xchange.com/PDFTools4Manual.pdf

[Vladimir G - Tracker Dev]

Hello, Willy Van Nuffel

You are right, we are missing this option in PDF-Tools.
Thank you for your suggestion, I believe that we will implement this option in the nearest release.

Best regards,

[Willy Van Nuffel]

Thanks @Vladimir for the good news: (re-)implementing the possibility to choose the PDF-Specification-version in PDF-Tools.

I suppose that rkg82tg will be happy to read this.

Kind regards.

[Sean - Tracker]

[rkg82tg]

Very happy indeed. I need to batch convert to PDF 1 300 Word documents every week, and need to specify the PDF file format, as well as other common PDF properties and attributes. These should all be accessible in PDF-Tools, indeed.
Glad to hear it may be coming back ... sometime in the not to distant future?

[Paul - Tracker Supp]

Hi rkg82tg,

I don't have an ETA for this, ultimately it will be at the development team's discretion.

Fingers crossed for the initial V10 release, but that is not a promise at this juncture.

regards