FineReader PDF 16: Editable documents to PDF conversion functions discontinued since Release 3

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Victoria Dvornikova

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This article gives an overview of the features for editable to PDF conversion scenarios, which have been discontinued in FineReader PDF 16 since Release 3 (March 2023), and our suggestions on possible workarounds for that. 

Premise 

Since Release 3, FineReader PDF doesn’t contain a virtual PDF printer component (PDF-XChange) anymore. This change does not affect main functionality set of FineReader PDF and the usage scenarios covered by the software. However, there are a few auxiliary functions and capabilities of conversion of editable document formats (such as DOCX, XLSX, HTML, TXT, etc.) to PDF documents, previously available in FineReader PDF by default, which have now become not available or available only with a third-party software installed on a user’s computer. Still, for all these affected features and capabilities there are workarounds and free third-party software products that enable FineReader PDF to continue performing the corresponding tasks. 

Note: most of the features mentioned in this article will continue working as usual (or with minimal changes) in Release 3 if there is Microsoft Office installed on the computer. 

Excluding PDF-XChange virtual printer component has changed FineReader PDF system requirements in terms of supported file formats and required additional software. Please check the updated system requirements on this page if you want to ensure your computer environment corresponds. 

List of limited or removed features and recommendations for the users

Discontinued FineReader PDF 16 feature

Recommendation or workaround

Third-party software required

Printing to a PDF from any application that has a Print function using virtual PDF printer

Use Microsoft Print to PDF printer supplied with Windows 10 and 11 by default.

Microsoft Print to PDF printer

DOCX to PDF conversion (“Convert to PDF” function) on a computer without Microsoft Office or Libre Office suites installed

Variant 1. 

Obtain a license and install Microsoft Word to enable the scenario in FineReader PDF 16. 

Microsoft Word (website) 

Variant 2. 

Install Libre Office suite (a free software) to enable the scenario in FineReader PDF 16.

Libre Office (website) 

Variant 3. 

Open a DOCX document in WordPad (a default Windows application) or any other office suite available on the computer and print to a PDF using Microsoft Print to PDF.

Microsoft Print to PDF printer

Comparison of a DOCX document on a computer without Microsoft Office or Libre Office suites installed

 

 

Variant 1. 

Obtain a license and install Microsoft Word to enable the scenario in FineReader PDF 16. 

Microsoft Word (website) 

Variant 2. 

Install Libre Office suite (a free software) to enable the scenario in FineReader PDF 16. 

Libre Office (website) 

Variant 3. 

Open a DOCX document in any application available on the computer that can handle the format and print to a PDF using Microsoft Print to PDF. Then use the resulting PDF for comparison in FineReader PDF 16.

Microsoft Print to PDF printer

TXT/HTML to PDF conversion (“Convert to PDF” function) or comparison of a TXT/HTML document on a computer without Microsoft Office or Libre Office suites installed

 

 

Variant 1. 

Obtain a license and install Microsoft Office to enable the scenario in FineReader PDF 16. 

Microsoft Office (website) 

Variant 2. 

Install Libre Office suite (a free software) to enable the scenario in FineReader PDF 16. 

Libre Office (website) 

Variant 3. 

Open a TXT/HTML document in any other application available on the computer that supports the formats and print to a PDF using Microsoft Print to PDF. 

For comparison, use the resulting PDF instead of the original TXT or HTML.

Microsoft Print to PDF printer

Conversion to PDF from documents in other editable formats (“Convert to PDF” function) or comparison of a document in other editable formats on a computer without Microsoft Office or Libre Office suites installed

 

 

Variant 1. 

Install Libre Office suite (a free software) to enable the scenario in FineReader PDF 16. 

Libre Office (website) 

Variant 2. 

Obtain a license and install Microsoft Office to enable the scenario in FineReader PDF 16.

Note, that by default Microsoft Office works with fewer editable formats than Libre Office does (as of the moment of this article publication), so you may prefer the latter over it. 

Microsoft Office (website) 

Variant 3. 

Open the document in its native application or any other application available on the computer that supports its format, and print to a PDF using Microsoft Print to PDF. For comparison use the resulting PDF instead of the original document.

Microsoft Print to PDF printer

Setting a page size when converting TXT/HTML to PDF

Open TXT/HTML document in a suitable viewer application (e.g. Notepad or a web browser). Then use Microsoft Print to PDF printer to set a desired page size and print the document to a PDF.

Microsoft Print to PDF printer

VSD/VSDX to PDF conversion without Microsoft Visio or Libre Office suites installed

 

 

Variant 1. 

Obtain a license and install Microsoft Visio to enable the scenario in FineReader PDF 16. 

Microsoft Visio (website) 

Variant 2. 

Install Libre Office suite (a free software) to enable the scenario in FineReader PDF 16. 

Libre Office (website) 

Variant 3. 

Open a VSD/VSDX document in any other application available on the computer that can handle the format and print to a PDF using Microsoft Print to PDF.

Microsoft Print to PDF printer

Creating bookmarks from headings when converting DOCX to PDF on a computer without Microsoft Office installed

 

Variant 1. 

Obtain a license and install Microsoft Office to enable the capability in FineReader PDF 16. 

Microsoft Office (website) 

Variant 2. 

Install Libre Office suite (a free software) to enable the capability in FineReader PDF 16. 

Note: with Libre Office, the bookmarks will be created regardless of whether the corresponding FineReader PDF setting is on or off. To delete the bookmarks in the resulting PDF document, use one of the following methods in FineReader PDF 16: 

1. Go to the Bookmarks pane, press Ctrl+A to select all, press Del to delete.
2. Go to Security tab, click Delete Objects and Data…, select Bookmarks in the dialogue that opens, click Apply.

Libre Office (website)

Automatic creation of web links (URLs) when converting editable text documents into PDF

To automatically create web links (URLs) from text that looks like a web link in the resulting PDF, use FineReader’s Automatically detect URLs in PDF documents feature: 

1. Right-click on any web link detected by FineReader PDF in the document. 
2. Click Create Links for all URLs in the context menu that opens, and save the document.

None

Should you have any questions on implementing these suggestions for your work with FineReader PDF, please turn to our Support service by opening a ticket. 

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