Groups »
Forums »
Answers »

Featured Groups

  • Bare Conductive
  • Drawing and Art
  • Sustainability
  • 123D
  • Fenix Intl, Ready Set Off The Grid
  • Kollabora
  • 123D

COMMUNITY : HELP : BUGS


PDF files often corrupted

Many times the PDF files that come from instructables will not open. I kept some of these to try and repair with various PDF fixer programs. They all fail, with one program reporting that there is an error reading the “XREF Table” of these files. Some of the files that fail are:

A-Simple-Steam-Engine-Anyone-Can-Build.pdf
Build-a-Better-Stirling-Engine.pdf
Rechargeable-flashlight-without-batteries.pdf
Wood-stove-made-from-scrap.pdf

I don’t need a response... just thought you may want to know.
~Bob~


sort by: active | newest | oldest
akrenvalk says: Apr 27, 2012. 3:15 PM
You may scan and repair your .pdf files owing to programmed method. Probably .pdf files are corrupted.

I would advise you to visit following page

pdf fix
4
ShutterBugger (author) says: May 2, 2012. 8:39 PM
Opening current PDF files in old versions of Reader causes them to be damaged beyond repair.
~Bob~
116
mikeasaurus says: May 3, 2012. 11:41 AM
PDF's were fixed on a previous release, are you still having this problem?
4
ShutterBugger (author) says: May 3, 2012. 7:15 PM
I have a new Winblows 7 computer with the latest Adobe Reader. So, no more problems opening PDF's.
~Bob~
9
kelseymh says: Sep 28, 2010. 10:21 PM
Thanks for posting this, Bob! Someone from I'bles Staff should see it tomorrow morning (Pacific time). Could you mention what operating system and browser you're using, and also what PDF viewer?

Because the PDFs are generated, not static files, there's a chance that there is some confusion between the request your browser sends back to I'bles, and the filed you get downloaded.

For the record, I tried accessing all four of the above PDFs. I'm using Firefox 3.6.10 on MacOSX 10.5.8, and Adobe Reader 9.3.4. All four display fine for me.
4
ShutterBugger (author) says: Sep 29, 2010. 9:14 PM
I use a 1ghz P-3, 512 mb ram, Acrobat reader 6, Win 98se, and Firefox 2.0, and a dialup connection.

I would guess about 1 out of 5 PDF files won't open.
~Bob~

PS... I know the system is old. I can't afford to buy a new computer every 10 years.
9
kelseymh says: Sep 29, 2010. 9:56 PM
I hear what you're saying -- I kept my first laptop, a 100 MHz 486 machine running Linux, for nearly a decade, until the display half finally broke away completely. I suspect that it's the age of your Acrobat, and its inablility to deal with some of the "newfangled" stuff which Adobe has added to PDF (e.g., embedded video links) which may be causing your problems.
164
Kiteman says: Sep 30, 2010. 11:14 AM
Not being pro might have something to do with this problem as well?

9
kelseymh says: Sep 30, 2010. 12:10 PM
Unclear, at least to me. Non-PRO technically can't access the PDFs at all. ShutterBugger has been a member since before the paid-account deployment, so probably got grandfathered in with basic (non-customizable) access. He's also not having problems with all PDFs, just some.
164
Kiteman says: Sep 30, 2010. 12:43 PM
Ah, that would what we technically refer to as "a bug", then. He'd better report it...

Walks off nonchalantly, whistling...
4
ShutterBugger (author) says: Sep 30, 2010. 7:50 PM
I thought that what I did here was reporting it.

If I am not allowed PDFs due to non-pro status, why did they send me bad files? I just accept the default PDF file when I download. And yes, some of the files are OK.
~Bob~
9
kelseymh says: Sep 30, 2010. 9:42 PM
Kiteman was being just a tad sarcastic to me (see my reply to him).

You were a member before the paid accounts were set up (which is what I meant by "grandfathered in"), so you are still getting access to the basic PDFs. The fact that only some of them are flawed suggests that it might be a bug.

It may also be that some of the features of those specific I'bles (like embedded video) are things that your older PDF viewer just can't handle. I don't remember how long ago Acrobat 6 came out.
9
kelseymh says: Sep 30, 2010. 1:04 PM
Uh, huh. Keen insight there...
Pro

Get More Out of Instructables

Already have an Account?

close

PDF Downloads
As a Pro member, you will gain access to download any Instructable in the PDF format. You also have the ability to customize your PDF download.

Upgrade to Pro today!