Moderated jaws, using Word to read and convert pdf documents.
I’ve just experimented converting a PDF using Word. I have some questions.
I figure the way to do the conversion is to open the PDF file from “Open with.” Word isn’t listed as one of the possible programs, so I find my way to “Other.” It takes a while, but Word eventually shows up. After clicking “Word,” the document reappears. Same text, same PDF extension. I expected the .DOCX extension. But when I press F12 to “save as,” a tab confirms it is now a Word file.
Does this mean the original PDF format is lost?
Why doesn’t the document get the .DOCX extension for a Word file?
Separately, how do I get Word to show up every time in the regular list of conversion options instead of under “Other”?
Thanks.
Hi,
I open them using Control O from Word, PDFs will open just fine.
All the best
Steve
Sent: 17 October 2022 20:53
To: main@jfw.groups.io
Subject: jaws, using Word to read and convert pdf documents.
I’ve just experimented converting a PDF using Word. I have some questions.
I figure the way to do the conversion is to open the PDF file from “Open with.” Word isn’t listed as one of the possible programs, so I find my way to “Other.” It takes a while, but Word eventually shows up. After clicking “Word,” the document reappears. Same text, same PDF extension. I expected the .DOCX extension. But when I press F12 to “save as,” a tab confirms it is now a Word file.
Does this mean the original PDF format is lost?
Why doesn’t the document get the .DOCX extension for a Word file?
Separately, how do I get Word to show up every time in the regular list of conversion options instead of under “Other”?
Thanks.
Hello:
I have tried doing this myself but am finding that the format of the PDF is not maintained. Nevertheless, if the text is what you want, then opening a PDF in Word is very useful.
Kindly,
Curtis Chong
Sent: Tuesday, October 18, 2022 4:12 AM
To: main@jfw.groups.io
Subject: Re: jaws, using Word to read and convert pdf documents.
Hi,
I open them using Control O from Word, PDFs will open just fine.
All the best
Steve
From: main@jfw.groups.io <main@jfw.groups.io> On Behalf Of Adrian Spratt
Sent: 17 October 2022 20:53
To: main@jfw.groups.io
Subject: jaws, using Word to read and convert pdf documents.
I’ve just experimented converting a PDF using Word. I have some questions.
I figure the way to do the conversion is to open the PDF file from “Open with.” Word isn’t listed as one of the possible programs, so I find my way to “Other.” It takes a while, but Word eventually shows up. After clicking “Word,” the document reappears. Same text, same PDF extension. I expected the .DOCX extension. But when I press F12 to “save as,” a tab confirms it is now a Word file.
Does this mean the original PDF format is lost?
Why doesn’t the document get the .DOCX extension for a Word file?
Separately, how do I get Word to show up every time in the regular list of conversion options instead of under “Other”?
Thanks.
I figure the way to do the conversion is to open the PDF file from “Open with.”-
Nope. You just open the file from within Word itself, and you change the file type in the open dialog to PDF so that Word will show PDF files in the folder you're looking at.
When you open a PDF in Word, it is converted to DOCX format. While that conversion may not be 100% perfect, it's awfully good. I just opened a PDF that I get that is a service authorization that includes a lot of formatting, including a table, and it's all still there. You do occasionally lose some formatting, and you even get a warning to that effect when you attempt to open the file.
That's just a side effect of any file format conversion.
--
Brian - Virginia, USA - Windows 10, 64-Bit, Version 21H2, Build 19044
Puritanism: The haunting fear that someone, somewhere, may be happy.
~ H.L. Mencken, AKA The Sage of Baltimore
Useful. Thanks.
--
My novel Caroline is now available in paperback, Kindle and audiobook versions and, for qualified readers in the US, at the National Library Service/BARD. Go to: https://adrianspratt.com/book/
Sent: Tuesday, October 18, 2022 1:48 PM
To: main@jfw.groups.io
Subject: Re: jaws, using Word to read and convert pdf documents.
On Mon, Oct 17, 2022 at 03:52 PM, Adrian Spratt wrote:
I figure the way to do the conversion is to open the PDF file from “Open with.”
-
Nope. You just open the file from within Word itself, and you change the file type in the open dialog to PDF so that Word will show PDF files in the folder you're looking at.
When you open a PDF in Word, it is converted to DOCX format. While that conversion may not be 100% perfect, it's awfully good. I just opened a PDF that I get that is a service authorization that includes a lot of formatting, including a table, and it's all
still there. You do occasionally lose some formatting, and you even get a warning to that effect when you attempt to open the file.
That's just a side effect of any file format conversion.
--
Brian - Virginia, USA - Windows 10, 64-Bit, Version 21H2, Build 19044
Puritanism: The haunting fear that someone, somewhere, may be happy.
~ H.L. Mencken, AKA The Sage of Baltimore
I do this by opening Word, and then pressing control F12, which accesses the PDF file converter. once I have located the PDF I need to convert, I hit open, and the file conversion proceeds.
And, I’ve been very happy with the results in most cases.
Tom Behler
Sent: Tuesday, October 18, 2022 1:48 PM
To: main@jfw.groups.io
Subject: Re: jaws, using Word to read and convert pdf documents.
On Mon, Oct 17, 2022 at 03:52 PM, Adrian Spratt wrote:
I figure the way to do the conversion is to open the PDF file from “Open with.”
-
Nope. You just open the file from within Word itself, and you change the file type in the open dialog to PDF so that Word will show PDF files in the folder you're looking at.
When you open a PDF in Word, it is converted to DOCX format. While that conversion may not be 100% perfect, it's awfully good. I just opened a PDF that I get that is a service authorization that includes a lot of formatting, including a table, and it's all still there. You do occasionally lose some formatting, and you even get a warning to that effect when you attempt to open the file.
That's just a side effect of any file format conversion.
--
Brian - Virginia, USA - Windows 10, 64-Bit, Version 21H2, Build 19044
Puritanism: The haunting fear that someone, somewhere, may be happy.
~ H.L. Mencken, AKA The Sage of Baltimore
Thanks, tom. Also helpful. My problem with this method is so basic as to be embarrassing. I can’t readily navigate to the file I want.
To illustrate, I have a PDF file in my documents folder. However, when I highlight the documents folder in the “Open” dialog, it lists only the first 32 items, none of which is that PDF file.
Can someone explain how to bring up the full contents of a folder in this open dialog?
--
My novel Caroline is now available in paperback, Kindle and audiobook versions and, for qualified readers in the US, at the National Library Service/BARD. Go to: https://adrianspratt.com/book/
Sent: Tuesday, October 18, 2022 2:08 PM
To: main@jfw.groups.io
Subject: Re: jaws, using Word to read and convert pdf documents.
I do this by opening Word, and then pressing control F12, which accesses the PDF file converter. once I have located the PDF I need to convert, I hit open, and the file conversion proceeds.
And, I’ve been very happy with the results in most cases.
Tom Behler
From: main@jfw.groups.io <main@jfw.groups.io>
On Behalf Of Brian Vogel
Sent: Tuesday, October 18, 2022 1:48 PM
To: main@jfw.groups.io
Subject: Re: jaws, using Word to read and convert pdf documents.
On Mon, Oct 17, 2022 at 03:52 PM, Adrian Spratt wrote:
I figure the way to do the conversion is to open the PDF file from “Open with.”
-
Nope. You just open the file from within Word itself, and you change the file type in the open dialog to PDF so that Word will show PDF files in the folder you're looking at.
When you open a PDF in Word, it is converted to DOCX format. While that conversion may not be 100% perfect, it's awfully good. I just opened a PDF that I get that is a service authorization that includes a lot of formatting, including a table, and it's all
still there. You do occasionally lose some formatting, and you even get a warning to that effect when you attempt to open the file.
That's just a side effect of any file format conversion.
--
Brian - Virginia, USA - Windows 10, 64-Bit, Version 21H2, Build 19044
Puritanism: The haunting fear that someone, somewhere, may be happy.
~ H.L. Mencken, AKA The Sage of Baltimore
Can someone explain how to bring up the full contents of a folder in this open dialog?-
No, because if you have a folder with many, many files it's nor possible to display them all. The Open dialog is scrollable when there are many files (there's a standard scroll bar on the right), but you shouldn't even need to do that.
As I mentioned earlier, use the tools the open dialog gives you to limit what's shown. If you go to the file types dropdown that's the next control beyond file name, and choose PDF files, then only PDF files will be presented in the Open dialog. [Warning, this choice "sticks" until you change it to something else, typically back to Word documents.] In addition, you can use file name in conjunction with whatever happens to be in the file type selection provided what's in the file type selection is:
1. All files, which shows every blessed file type.
2. The specific file type it is you're looking for, PDF Files in this case.
If you have, say, three PDF files named ABC.pdf, JKL.pdf, and XYZ.pdf. If you type JK in the file name field, provided you are using the all file types or PDF file type, a list instantly appears that you can arrow through which would, in this example, be composed of files (or files and folders if all files is chosen) that begin with the letters JK.
This technique works in any Open Dialog, not just in Word, since the Open Dialog is a Windows function that all programs get to via a system call. It has precisely the same look and feel in every program, though the specific file types can be set by the program that calls for an Open dialog so that only pertinent options are in that File Type list.
--
Brian - Virginia, USA - Windows 10, 64-Bit, Version 21H2, Build 19044
Puritanism: The haunting fear that someone, somewhere, may be happy.
~ H.L. Mencken, AKA The Sage of Baltimore
Can you move the pdf file to the desktop or something like that?
Justin
Sent: Tuesday, October 18, 2022 2:54 PM
To: main@jfw.groups.io
Subject: Re: jaws, using Word to read and convert pdf documents.
Thanks, tom. Also helpful. My problem with this method is so basic as to be embarrassing. I can’t readily navigate to the file I want.
To illustrate, I have a PDF file in my documents folder. However, when I highlight the documents folder in the “Open” dialog, it lists only the first 32 items, none of which is that PDF file.
Can someone explain how to bring up the full contents of a folder in this open dialog?
--
My novel Caroline is now available in paperback, Kindle and audiobook versions and, for qualified readers in the US, at the National Library Service/BARD. Go to: https://adrianspratt.com/book/
From: main@jfw.groups.io <main@jfw.groups.io> On Behalf Of Tom Behler
Sent: Tuesday, October 18, 2022 2:08 PM
To: main@jfw.groups.io
Subject: Re: jaws, using Word to read and convert pdf documents.
I do this by opening Word, and then pressing control F12, which accesses the PDF file converter. once I have located the PDF I need to convert, I hit open, and the file conversion proceeds.
And, I’ve been very happy with the results in most cases.
Tom Behler
From: main@jfw.groups.io <main@jfw.groups.io> On Behalf Of Brian Vogel
Sent: Tuesday, October 18, 2022 1:48 PM
To: main@jfw.groups.io
Subject: Re: jaws, using Word to read and convert pdf documents.
On Mon, Oct 17, 2022 at 03:52 PM, Adrian Spratt wrote:
I figure the way to do the conversion is to open the PDF file from “Open with.”
-
Nope. You just open the file from within Word itself, and you change the file type in the open dialog to PDF so that Word will show PDF files in the folder you're looking at.
When you open a PDF in Word, it is converted to DOCX format. While that conversion may not be 100% perfect, it's awfully good. I just opened a PDF that I get that is a service authorization that includes a lot of formatting, including a table, and it's all still there. You do occasionally lose some formatting, and you even get a warning to that effect when you attempt to open the file.
That's just a side effect of any file format conversion.
--
Brian - Virginia, USA - Windows 10, 64-Bit, Version 21H2, Build 19044
Puritanism: The haunting fear that someone, somewhere, may be happy.
~ H.L. Mencken, AKA The Sage of Baltimore
I took each of the steps you indicated, but here I picked up a hint that solves the problem. By typing the first letter of the filename in the edit field, the list presented to me included all the “c” items. Not all were PDF files, even though I’d specified PDF in the relevant field. But no matter because now I could perform the conversion.
For future reference, the resulting file kept the PDF extension. When I closed the file, only the PDF version appeared in the folder. However, on repeating the opening procedure, even though the PDF extension persisted, I closed with “save as.” This time the DOCX extension appeared in the filename.
The list of documents in the folder now contains both the PDF and DOCX versions. This is reassuring because I didn’t want to lose the format of the original PDF.
Thanks. This is a hurdle I long needed to get over.
--
My novel Caroline is now available in paperback, Kindle and audiobook versions and, for qualified readers in the US, at the National Library Service/BARD. Go to: https://adrianspratt.com/book/
Sent: Tuesday, October 18, 2022 3:41 PM
To: main@jfw.groups.io
Subject: Re: jaws, using Word to read and convert pdf documents.
On Tue, Oct 18, 2022 at 02:54 PM, Adrian Spratt wrote:
Can someone explain how to bring up the full contents of a folder in this open dialog?
-
No, because if you have a folder with many, many files it's nor possible to display them all. The Open dialog is scrollable when there are many files (there's a standard scroll bar on the right), but you shouldn't even need to do that.
As I mentioned earlier, use the tools the open dialog gives you to limit what's shown. If you go to the file types dropdown that's the next control beyond file name, and choose PDF files, then only PDF files will be presented in the Open dialog. [Warning,
this choice "sticks" until you change it to something else, typically back to Word documents.] In addition, you can use file name in conjunction with whatever happens to be in the file type selection provided what's in the file type selection is:
1. All files, which shows every blessed file type.
2. The specific file type it is you're looking for, PDF Files in this case.
If you have, say, three PDF files named ABC.pdf, JKL.pdf, and XYZ.pdf. If you type JK in the file name field, provided you are using the all file types or PDF file type, a list instantly appears that you can arrow through which would, in this example, be composed
of files (or files and folders if all files is chosen) that begin with the letters JK.
This technique works in any Open Dialog, not just in Word, since the Open Dialog is a Windows function that all programs get to via a system call. It has precisely the same look and feel in every program, though the specific file types can be set by the program
that calls for an Open dialog so that only pertinent options are in that File Type list.
--
Brian - Virginia, USA - Windows 10, 64-Bit, Version 21H2, Build 19044
Puritanism: The haunting fear that someone, somewhere, may be happy.
~ H.L. Mencken, AKA The Sage of Baltimore
--
My novel Caroline is now available in paperback, Kindle and audiobook versions and, for qualified readers in the US, at the National Library Service/BARD. Go to: https://adrianspratt.com/book/
From: main@jfw.groups.io <main@jfw.groups.io> On Behalf Of Mike Pietruk
Sent: Tuesday, October 18, 2022 3:27 PM
To: main@jfw.groups.io
Subject: Re: jaws, using Word to read and convert pdf documents.
Adrian
Is there a way you can copy the path to the file and just enter that into Word?
Or, move the file to a folder with less files?
Just thinking out loud!!
Justin, absolutely, but I wanted to get that streamlined method down. Now I have it, as I just posted. Thanks for making the suggestion.
--
My novel Caroline is now available in paperback, Kindle and audiobook versions and, for qualified readers in the US, at the National Library Service/BARD. Go to: https://adrianspratt.com/book/
Sent: Tuesday, October 18, 2022 3:54 PM
To: main@jfw.groups.io
Subject: Re: jaws, using Word to read and convert pdf documents.
Can you move the pdf file to the desktop or something like that?
Justin
From: main@jfw.groups.io [mailto:main@jfw.groups.io]
On Behalf Of Adrian Spratt
Sent: Tuesday, October 18, 2022 2:54 PM
To: main@jfw.groups.io
Subject: Re: jaws, using Word to read and convert pdf documents.
Thanks, tom. Also helpful. My problem with this method is so basic as to be embarrassing. I can’t readily navigate to the file I want.
To illustrate, I have a PDF file in my documents folder. However, when I highlight the documents folder in the “Open” dialog, it lists only the first 32 items, none of which is that PDF file.
Can someone explain how to bring up the full contents of a folder in this open dialog?
--
My novel Caroline is now available in paperback, Kindle and audiobook versions and, for qualified readers in the US, at the National Library Service/BARD. Go to: https://adrianspratt.com/book/
From: main@jfw.groups.io <main@jfw.groups.io>
On Behalf Of Tom Behler
Sent: Tuesday, October 18, 2022 2:08 PM
To: main@jfw.groups.io
Subject: Re: jaws, using Word to read and convert pdf documents.
I do this by opening Word, and then pressing control F12, which accesses the PDF file converter. once I have located the PDF I need to convert, I hit open, and the file conversion proceeds.
And, I’ve been very happy with the results in most cases.
Tom Behler
From: main@jfw.groups.io <main@jfw.groups.io>
On Behalf Of Brian Vogel
Sent: Tuesday, October 18, 2022 1:48 PM
To: main@jfw.groups.io
Subject: Re: jaws, using Word to read and convert pdf documents.
On Mon, Oct 17, 2022 at 03:52 PM, Adrian Spratt wrote:
I figure the way to do the conversion is to open the PDF file from “Open with.”
-
Nope. You just open the file from within Word itself, and you change the file type in the open dialog to PDF so that Word will show PDF files in the folder you're looking at.
When you open a PDF in Word, it is converted to DOCX format. While that conversion may not be 100% perfect, it's awfully good. I just opened a PDF that I get that is a service authorization that includes a lot of formatting, including a table, and it's all
still there. You do occasionally lose some formatting, and you even get a warning to that effect when you attempt to open the file.
That's just a side effect of any file format conversion.
--
Brian - Virginia, USA - Windows 10, 64-Bit, Version 21H2, Build 19044
Puritanism: The haunting fear that someone, somewhere, may be happy.
~ H.L. Mencken, AKA The Sage of Baltimore
Glad it worked out.
Tying this to another thread which discussed the value of 3rd party
support lists such as this, I doubt that a company run list would have
accepted all this brain storming which ultimately provided a bunch of
alternative ways to get the job done.
Day-to-day users of a product such as Jaws often figure out ways to get
tasks done which may not exactly fit a software developer's official
playbook.
And sometimes these approaches, when discovered by developers such as
those at Freedom Scientific, may eventually evolve themselves into more
formal acceptance.
Hopefully, many of us on this list have picked up something from this give
and take which will make our computer life more hassle free down the road.