Can not open saved PDF files in OS 10.8

Guys

It's not often I am able to make a contribution to forums as I normally find answers rather than provide them.... but here maybe a first!

I could not fathom why on earth I could sometimes "Save as" PDF and othertimes perhaps "Print As PDF" - either options tends to work well. Then when trying to do either option after clicking and opening a PDF file via Safari (and it certinly looks like PDF when viewing it) I could not understand why when I next open the file it says "There was an error opening this document. The root object is missing or invalid.: . How frustrating.

The answer for me was very simple - and works everytime now. The solution is NOT to open the file in safari and then do anything with it - it simply did not work when you try to open the PDF from your hard drive. Instead just "Save Linked File As" (without opening it) and save as you would with and PDF. Now try and open direct from your hard drive and it will work!

Well, I really hope it does as I hope this post will take some stress away from some people!!

Craig

Just wanted to say thanks, this works fine now.

Craig,

Just wanted to thank you for sorting out this problem. I just wanted to add that when you click on the link, you must hold down the control key so as to "right click" on it. The menu then comes up to reveal the save choices. Well Done!

Jim

I'd trashed the plug-in AdobePDFViewerNPAPI.plugin file and see if PDF's are viewable again. Follow these steps:

Quit all browsers

In the Finder, select Go > Go to Folder >copy & paste and press return:

/Library/Internet Plug-Ins/AdobePDFViewerNPAPI.plugin

Copy it to your desktop... it will make a copy. Then delete the original... which will require your password.

restart

Go back to using Preview to view PDF on line or downloaded to Desktop

this also worked, thanks

I have this problem bigtime and it is driving me nuts. Sometimes I cannot save from safari.

Sometimes the save seems to work, but I can't open the file later.

This is some kind of new behavior.

I have been wondering if this has anything to do with the Java problems I have been reading about.

I have found a fix that works every time. Use the Google Chrome browser instead of Safari.

I am having the same problem, but I only have a "save as" not a "save", do not have any such plug-in in my plugins folder, and can not open them with anything - it says it is damaged and cannot be opened!

I use a certain system to download papers that is not available for all browsers, but is available for Safari.

I just got a new mac but am finding tons of problems with the OS and related software. My old macbook wouldn't search anymore, but at least I could open PDFs. I really need these papers!!!

JKZ, When you find a PDF file file that you want to download, do not just click on it so as to open it. First hold down the "control" key and then click on it. You will then be presented witha menu. This is where you will find the "save" choices. The one you want I believe is "Save linked File" The PDF file will then download to your chosen location.

Thanks Wingmann, but unfortunately that doesn't work. If I hold down 'option' before clicking on the link it gives me the options: 'Download linked file', and 'Download linked file as' (the only two that seem relevant).

No matter which one I use it then saves the file (that I click on the 'full text PDF link' of) as html not pdf. Furthermore the html file is empty when I try to open it. Very frustrating.

I can read them on-line as PDFs, but I need to be connected to the sever library and if I close my macbook or disconnect for any other reason, I lose the article and need to find it all over again. I click on the adobe symbol to open the pdf in a separate window, but it doesn't save either. I just got my new backbook two weeks ago and realised I had over 20 of these papers downloaded that saved as <5 KB that will not open.

it is happening the same here and when i move these pdf to desktop automaticaly converts the pdf to jpg

Thank you so much for this solution and thanks to Craig for an alternative. I've tried both and they both work fo rme. This problem has been so frustrating and I have been battling to solve this for months too. Thank you both.

I encountered this problem today when I attempted to Save a web document. The solution was to select Print and then select Abobe PDF. It now works fine.

Thank you very much. This worked. Apple is supposed to be user friendly and convenient. I wish they can find a way to make this easier-- a simple click! Now I have to press the control button and toggle down and so on and so forth...

Upgrade your Acrobat Reader to 11.0.03. The release you are using is marginal at best with Mountain Lion, and may not be fully compatible with latest Safari 6.x release.

There are two avenues to get PDF served from the web using Safari:

1. Let Safari image the PDF in the browser with the most recent Acrobat Reader plug-ins. As you mouse down near the bottom of the screen, Reader will float a panel that allows you to save the PDF. Or in some instances, Reader will put a tool panel across the top part of the screen with clearly indicated save icon.
2. Right click on the PDF link and choose Download Linked File As...