Need code to merge PDF files in a folder using adobe acrobat X

[rockybalboa]

Hi,

I need a code to merge all the PDF files in a folder using adobe acrobat X full version. I will provide the link to the folder in Range E3. Can anybody help me with this.

Thanks

[ZVI]

Hi,
Set reference to VBE - Tools - References – Acrobat
and try this code:

Sub MergePDFs()
' ZVI:2013-08-27 http://www.vbaexpress.com/forum/showthread.php?47310-Need-code-to-merge-PDF-files-in-a-folder-using-adobe-acrobat-X
' Reference required: "VBE - Tools - References - Acrobat"
 
  ' --> Settings, change to suit
  Const MyPath = "C:\Temp"            ' Path where PDF files are stored
   Const MyFiles = "1.pdf,2.pdf,3.pdf"  ' List of PDFs to ne merged
  Const DestFile = "MergedFile.pdf"   ' The name of the merged file
  ' <-- End of settings
 
  Dim a As Variant, i As Long, n As Long, ni As Long, p As String
  Dim AcroApp As New Acrobat.AcroApp, PartDocs() As Acrobat.CAcroPDDoc
 
  If Right(MyPath, 1) = "\" Then p = MyPath Else p = MyPath & "\"
  a = Split(MyFiles, ",")
  ReDim PartDocs(0 To UBound(a))
 
  On Error GoTo exit_
  If Len(Dir(p & DestFile)) Then Kill p & DestFile
  For i = 0 To UBound(a)
    ' Check PDF file presence
    If Dir(p & Trim(a(i))) = "" Then
      MsgBox "File not found" & vbLf & p & a(i), vbExclamation, "Canceled"
      Exit For
    End If
    ' Open PDF document
    Set PartDocs(i) = CreateObject("AcroExch.PDDoc")
    PartDocs(i).Open p & Trim(a(i))
    If i Then
      ' Merge PDF to PartDocs(0) document
      ni = PartDocs(i).GetNumPages()
      If Not PartDocs(0).InsertPages(n - 1, PartDocs(i), 0, ni, True) Then
        MsgBox "Cannot insert pages of" & vbLf & p & a(i), vbExclamation, "Canceled"
      End If
      ' Calc the number of pages in the merged document
      n = n + ni
      ' Release the memory
      PartDocs(i).Close
      Set PartDocs(i) = Nothing
    Else
      ' Calc the number of pages in PartDocs(0) document
      n = PartDocs(0).GetNumPages()
    End If
  Next
 
  If i > UBound(a) Then
    ' Save the merged document to DestFile
    If Not PartDocs(0).Save(PDSaveFull, p & DestFile) Then
      MsgBox "Cannot save the resulting document" & vbLf & p & DestFile, vbExclamation, "Canceled"
    End If
  End If
 
exit_:
 
  ' Inform about error/success
  If Err Then
    MsgBox Err.Description, vbCritical, "Error #" & Err.Number
  ElseIf i > UBound(a) Then
    MsgBox "The resulting file is created:" & vbLf & p & DestFile, vbInformation, "Done"
  End If
 
  ' Release the memory
  If Not PartDocs(0) Is Nothing Then PartDocs(0).Close
  Set PartDocs(0) = Nothing
 
  ' Quit Acrobat application
  AcroApp.Exit
  Set AcroApp = Nothing
 
End Sub

[rockybalboa]

Hi thanks for the code. Only one problem in Const MyFiles i cannot name all the PDF files because there are many files and will change every time. Can this be done in such a way that all the pdf files in the folder will be merged.

[ZVI]

Well, then try this one:

Sub Main()
   
    Const DestFile As String = "MergedFile.pdf" ' <-- change to suit
   
    Dim MyPath As String, MyFiles As String
    Dim a() As String, i As Long, f As String
   
     ' Choose the folder or just replace that part by: MyPath = Range("E3")
    With Application.FileDialog(msoFileDialogFolderPicker)
         '.InitialFileName = "C:\Temp\"
        .AllowMultiSelect = False
        If .Show = False Then Exit Sub
        MyPath = .SelectedItems(1)
        DoEvents
    End With
   
      ' Populate the array a() by PDF file names
    If Right(MyPath, 1) <> "\" Then MyPath = MyPath & "\"
    ReDim a(1 To 2 ^ 14)
    f = Dir(MyPath & "*.pdf")
    While Len(f)
        If StrComp(f, DestFile, vbTextCompare) Then
            i = i + 1
            a(i) = f
        End If
        f = Dir()
    Wend
   
    ' Merge PDFs
    If i Then
        ReDim Preserve a(1 To i)
        MyFiles = Join(a, ",")
        Application.StatusBar = "Merging, please wait ..."
        Call MergePDFs(MyPath, MyFiles, DestFile)
        Application.StatusBar = False
    Else
        MsgBox "No PDF files found in" & vbLf & MyPath, vbExclamation, "Canceled"
    End If
   
End Sub
 
Sub MergePDFs(MyPath As String, MyFiles As String, Optional DestFile As String = "MergedFile.pdf")
' ZVI:2013-08-27 http://www.vbaexpress.com/forum/showthread.php?47310-Need-code-to-merge-PDF-files-in-a-folder-using-adobe-acrobat-X
' Reference required: VBE - Tools - References - Acrobat
 
    Dim a As Variant, i As Long, n As Long, ni As Long, p As String
    Dim AcroApp As New Acrobat.AcroApp, PartDocs() As Acrobat.CAcroPDDoc
 
    If Right(MyPath, 1) = "\" Then p = MyPath Else p = MyPath & "\"
    a = Split(MyFiles, ",")
    ReDim PartDocs(0 To UBound(a))
 
    On Error GoTo exit_
    If Len(Dir(p & DestFile)) Then Kill p & DestFile
    For i = 0 To UBound(a)
        ' Check PDF file presence
        If Dir(p & Trim(a(i))) = "" Then
            MsgBox "File not found" & vbLf & p & a(i), vbExclamation, "Canceled"
            Exit For
        End If
        ' Open PDF document
        Set PartDocs(i) = CreateObject("AcroExch.PDDoc")
        PartDocs(i).Open p & Trim(a(i))
        If i Then
            ' Merge PDF to PartDocs(0) document
            ni = PartDocs(i).GetNumPages()
            If Not PartDocs(0).InsertPages(n - 1, PartDocs(i), 0, ni, True) Then
                MsgBox "Cannot insert pages of" & vbLf & p & a(i), vbExclamation, "Canceled"
            End If
            ' Calc the number of pages in the merged document
            n = n + ni
            ' Release the memory
            PartDocs(i).Close
            Set PartDocs(i) = Nothing
        Else
            ' Calc the number of pages in PartDocs(0) document
            n = PartDocs(0).GetNumPages()
        End If
    Next
 
    If i > UBound(a) Then
        ' Save the merged document to DestFile
        If Not PartDocs(0).Save(PDSaveFull, p & DestFile) Then
            MsgBox "Cannot save the resulting document" & vbLf & p & DestFile, vbExclamation, "Canceled"
        End If
    End If
 
exit_:
 
    ' Inform about error/success
    If Err Then
        MsgBox Err.Description, vbCritical, "Error #" & Err.Number
    ElseIf i > UBound(a) Then
        MsgBox "The resulting file is created:" & vbLf & p & DestFile, vbInformation, "Done"
    End If
 
    ' Release the memory
    If Not PartDocs(0) Is Nothing Then PartDocs(0).Close
    Set PartDocs(0) = Nothing
 
    ' Quit Acrobat application
    AcroApp.Exit
    Set AcroApp = Nothing
 
End Sub

[rockybalboa]

Thanks for the code but i am getting this error under Sub MergePDFs query (Dim a As Variant, i As Long, n As Long, ni As Long, p As String
Dim AcroApp As New Acrobat.AcroApp, PartDocs() As Acrobat.CAcroPDDoc)
.
Compile error: User-defined type not defined

[ZVI]

Compile error: User-defined type not defined

As it was said in post #2 and has been mentioned in the comments, you need to set reference to VBE - Tools - References – Acrobat.
Press Alt-F11 and choose menu Tools - References, enable checkbox with Acrobat option (may be also Adobe Acrobat ##.# Type Library, where XX.X is version number), and press OK.

[rockybalboa]

ohh yes, so srry. Thanks. Will try now

[ZVI]

It's ok
By the way, code works with free Adobe Reader because the required library is included in it.
But if your Excel version is 32 bit then install Adobe Reader 32bit. And the same is for 64bit pair versions.

[rockybalboa]

Hey, thanks for the code and it is working fine. But can we do this using adobe acrobat X pro because in acrobat when we do combine files, the merged pdf also shows bookmarks so that we can directly go to a particular pdf.

[ZVI]

For referencing to Acrobat X Pro library:
1. Use VBE - Tools - References
2. Uncheck the previously set reference to Acrobat (or Adobe Acrobat ##.# Type Library)
3. Use button Browse to choose the file ACROBAT.TLB in the Acrobat X Pro installation folder (subfolder Acrobat)
4. Press OK

[rockybalboa]

Hi,
I selected ACROBAT.TLB and ran the macro. It worked fine. It merged all the PDFs in to one but i am still not getting Bookmarks in the merged file.
I do get it when i manually merge the files in Acrobat 9 pro (Combine - Merge files in to single PDF).
Is there any way to get the bookmarks as well?

Thanks

[ZVI]

May be functionality of Acrobat's Application Program Interface (API) is a bit different to the Graphical User Interface (GUI), which is common practice.
You can ask Adobe support about it.
I just have shown how to use Acrobat's merging API as is.

[yuechu]

I browsed for Acrobat.tlb, but when the macro ran, it kept displaying that it cannot insert page from this line: MsgBox "Cannot insert pages of" & vbLf & p & a(i), vbExclamation, "Canceled"

[ZVI]

I browsed for Acrobat.tlb, but when the macro ran, it kept displaying that it cannot insert page from this line: MsgBox "Cannot insert pages of" & vbLf & p & a(i), vbExclamation, "Canceled"

Hi and welcome to VBAX!

You can't insert new page after the PDF document with password protection has been inserted.
Have a look on protection property of the last document inserted into the resulting file MergedFile.pdf

Regards

[yuechu]

Thanks ZVI. I see that the file does have password protection in it even though it does not ask for any when I open it. I tried it with some PDFs I created and the macro worked perfectly.

My next steps will be to only merge similar PDF files (files beginning with same filenames) out of the bunch of PDF file in the folder and then renaming the merged file to a corresponding name on a list. Any tips of the best way to do that?

Hi and welcome to VBAX!

You can't insert new page after the PDF document with password protection has been inserted.
Have a look on protection property of the last document inserted into the resulting file MergedFile.pdf

Regards

[ZVI]

...My next steps will be to only merge similar PDF files (files beginning with same filenames) out of the bunch of PDF file in the folder and then renaming the merged file to a corresponding name on a list. Any tips of the best way to do that?

Name of the destination file is defined in the constant DestFile of the subroutine Main(), change it as required.
Or pass file name you like into the sub MergePDFs() using the 3-rd parameter.

To merge some files in a folder by filename mask replace this f = Dir(MyPath & "*.pdf")
for example by that one f = Dir(MyPath & "MyFileMask*.pdf")

[kishlaya]

Hi,
Set reference to VBE - Tools - References – Acrobat
and try this code:

Sub MergePDFs()
' ZVI:2013-08-27 http://www.vbaexpress.com/forum/showthread.php?47310-Need-code-to-merge-PDF-files-in-a-folder-using-adobe-acrobat-X
' Reference required: "VBE - Tools - References - Acrobat"
 
  ' --> Settings, change to suit
  Const MyPath = "C:\Temp"            ' Path where PDF files are stored
   Const MyFiles = "1.pdf,2.pdf,3.pdf"  ' List of PDFs to ne merged
  Const DestFile = "MergedFile.pdf"   ' The name of the merged file
  ' <-- End of settings
 
  Dim a As Variant, i As Long, n As Long, ni As Long, p As String
  Dim AcroApp As New Acrobat.AcroApp, PartDocs() As Acrobat.CAcroPDDoc
 
  If Right(MyPath, 1) = "\" Then p = MyPath Else p = MyPath & "\"
  a = Split(MyFiles, ",")
  ReDim PartDocs(0 To UBound(a))
 
  On Error GoTo exit_
  If Len(Dir(p & DestFile)) Then Kill p & DestFile
  For i = 0 To UBound(a)
    ' Check PDF file presence
    If Dir(p & Trim(a(i))) = "" Then
      MsgBox "File not found" & vbLf & p & a(i), vbExclamation, "Canceled"
      Exit For
    End If
    ' Open PDF document
    Set PartDocs(i) = CreateObject("AcroExch.PDDoc")
    PartDocs(i).Open p & Trim(a(i))
    If i Then
      ' Merge PDF to PartDocs(0) document
      ni = PartDocs(i).GetNumPages()
      If Not PartDocs(0).InsertPages(n - 1, PartDocs(i), 0, ni, True) Then
        MsgBox "Cannot insert pages of" & vbLf & p & a(i), vbExclamation, "Canceled"
      End If
      ' Calc the number of pages in the merged document
      n = n + ni
      ' Release the memory
      PartDocs(i).Close
      Set PartDocs(i) = Nothing
    Else
      ' Calc the number of pages in PartDocs(0) document
      n = PartDocs(0).GetNumPages()
    End If
  Next
 
  If i > UBound(a) Then
    ' Save the merged document to DestFile
    If Not PartDocs(0).Save(PDSaveFull, p & DestFile) Then
      MsgBox "Cannot save the resulting document" & vbLf & p & DestFile, vbExclamation, "Canceled"
    End If
  End If
 
exit_:
 
  ' Inform about error/success
  If Err Then
    MsgBox Err.Description, vbCritical, "Error #" & Err.Number
  ElseIf i > UBound(a) Then
    MsgBox "The resulting file is created:" & vbLf & p & DestFile, vbInformation, "Done"
  End If
 
  ' Release the memory
  If Not PartDocs(0) Is Nothing Then PartDocs(0).Close
  Set PartDocs(0) = Nothing
 
  ' Quit Acrobat application
  AcroApp.Exit
  Set AcroApp = Nothing
 
End Sub

Hi there!
Despite setting the correct references, I cannot get this working.
The problem lies in this line

Set PartDocs(i) = CreateObject("AcroExch.PDDoc")

AcrobatError.PNGIt says "Activex component can't create object"

Any thoughts?

/Kish

[ZVI]

Hi there!
Despite setting the correct references, I cannot get this working.
The problem lies in this line

Set PartDocs(i) = CreateObject("AcroExch.PDDoc")

It says "Activex component can't create object"

Any thoughts?

/Kish

Hi,

Try using early binding: Set PartDocs(i) = New Acrobat.AcroPDDoc
Also follow the recommendations of the post #10

Regards

[kishlaya]

Hi,

Sorry no luck. Still the same result.

Regards,
Kish

[ZVI]

Sorry no luck. Still the same result.

Hope that Excel version is not Starter Edition which has some major limitations.
Try manually setting the reference to Acrobat X Pro library as it was recommended in post #10.
Try reinstalling the Acrobat X Pro.