Can't insert a page from a file into pdf

Question

Level 1

6 points

Can't insert a page from a file into pdf

With a pdf opened in Preview, I go to Edit > Insert > Page from file... which opens the window where I can see my file is available to Open; it is a file made in Pages. I select it, click Open: selection window closes, and nothing has been inserted into the pdf.

Next I tried the drag-and-drop method (which is what I usually use): nothing happens when I release the file.

I have been having to convert the Pages files into pdf files before I can insert them into a pdf document.

Is there an option I haven't set properly, or is this a bug in the software?

This is a new laptop running Sonoma 14.6.1. My previous laptop (2012 vintage) was running Catalina.

MacBook Air, macOS 14.6

Posted on Sep 10, 2024 1:03 PM

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Answer 1

VikingOSX

Level 10

118,439 points

Sep 10, 2024 4:15 PM in response to Grhm900

It is misleading that the file chooser that Preview provides when attempting Edit > Insert Page From File also shows Pages documents instead of just PDFs. Preview cannot open Pages documents and selecting one does nothing. It must be a PDF document that will be inserted immediately after the selected thumbnail or open PDF page.

A cmd+Z (or Edit menu > Undo) will reverse the PDF insertion.

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Answer 2

VikingOSX

Level 10

118,439 points

Sep 11, 2024 2:32 AM in response to Grhm900

The PDF internal structure and that of a Pages document are entirely different and there would be no means to insert a Pages document into a PDF via any means. One can still open a Pages document in Apple's Preview (at least on macOS Monterey from which I am writing this) but Preview is no longer on the Finder Open With menu when right-clicking the Pages document.

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Answer 3

Grhm900 Author

Level 1

6 points

Sep 10, 2024 5:26 PM in response to VikingOSX

Thanks for clearing that up, though I had thought that on some earlier versions of the OS that I had been able to drop Pages files into pdf files. However, I can't say for certain.

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