I hope someone can help explain why pdf files do not open on my mac. These are items I scanned directly from my scanner, the message says that the file is damaged.
MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.6.8)
Can you open other PDF files?
Did you scan them from Image Capture or to a USB then copy them to your Mac? How were they created?
Yes, I can open other pdf files that I have saved, however these newer ones that I scanned from my printer are not opening. What could it be that I did wrong, and is there any way to recover?
Did you scan them from the Mac using Image Capture?
Has that scanner ever produced PDF's that you could open? What about other scanners? What happens if you save the scan in another format, such as TIFF?
I scanned the documents from my HP photosmart printer, the scan option in the application manager.
It makes a difference how the files were created. Did you scan them directly to a USB on the scanner (then the scanner created the files with its own software) and that can be part of the problem? If you were on your MacBook, connected to the scanner, than the MacBook is using software designed for it to create the files. So that's why I'm asking. We need to know in very specific detail how the scans were created and also how they got to your MacBook. That may sound silly, but it all matters.
Also, did this just start happening? Do other formats work? How are you saving them to PDF? Are you just changing the name to PDF from TIFF? Are you reading the files from a USB flash / pen drive or from your computer's hard drive. Everything matters.
Do you see what we are asking? There are a number of ways that this could happen. There are only a few ways to possibly save the files, but you will have to be very detailed about how this files came to be where they are. Does that make sense?
You described several things I did 😟 They were not very important files, however it is frustrating. I did save them directly to a USB, is that something I should not do next time...because I have more files to scan 🙂 Trying to consolidate paper clutter I've collected.
Can you try scanning them from the Mac Image Capture? That will make sure they are saved as a PDF and readable by your MacBook.
The files may be saveable on a PC. Copying them to the MacBook may have corrupted them, it also matters how they were converted. By software? Some people try just changing the files extention and that will give you the error you are seeing also.
Ok, I think you're on to something, I just need some help with how to scan using the image capture...my computer skills and computer exploration skills are primary 😟 sad...I know.
So how can I use image capture, and how can I change the extention on the files already saved?
Sure, here's what you'll see. Notice I selected Flatbed (you can use a document feed too). Notice I selected file type as PDF. Notice the folder is Pictures (you can change that too). That is where they will end up. Let me know if you have further questions.
This is so very helpful, but I'm caught up on one more thing...how to attach a device to image capture - I have a wireless printer/scanner.
Well, is the scanner / printer not attached / installed to your MacBook? It should show up in Preferences >> Print & Scan. You should be able to add it to the list (do you print to this printer from the MacBook?). There is also a simplfied scanner here too:
If it is on this list, in Image Capture, you can add it by clicking on name in the lower left of the Image Capture page.
PDF files will not open on my MacBook Pro
