The file could not be parsed.

[FuzzyMonkey]

Greetings,

Just purchased all three affinity apps, Designer, Photo and Publisher.

I'm running a newer MacBook pro with Monterey 12.1

I just purchased the affinity apps yesterday, no upgrades, no other software on my computer.

The reason for purchasing and working with Publisher was from watching an Affinity training video which shows two ways to open / bring in PDF documents into Affinity publisher. My goal is to import the pdf versions of my books to make edits and updates.

The PDFs of the books were created by a contractor who used inDesign and exported to PDF for me to use. Now that I have Affinity Publisher, I'd like to open them in Affinity Publisher. When I attempt to perform this operation, by either method descriptor in the Affinity Publisher video, neither method works. I'm immediately given a window which states "The file could not be parsed." I've tried two different PDF documents that I've had for quit some time, neither file/PDF opens in Affinity publisher. I get the parsing error. I'll attache the screen images I'm seeing for you reference.

I tried both methods described in the video, drag and dropping the PDF into affinity publisher and the second open, the traditional method, open affinity publisher, navigating to the file and open, then selecting the PDF. Either method gives me the error message "The file could not be parsed,"

My questions:
I've not seen this when I search the forums, or maybe I'm searching the incorrect term or method?
Is this a newbie mistake? am I doing something wrong?
Has anyone else had this issue?
How do I fix it?
Can I attache the PDF I'm using to this thread? is that appropriate?

Thank you,

David

[walt.farrell]

Welcome to the Serif Affinity forums.

That Serif sometimes indicates that the PDF file is broken. In that case opening it in another application that can re-save it might fix the problem.

Or perhaps that error could indicate that the PDF is in a format that the Affinity applications don't understand. If you want to share it publicly here feel free to do so, and maybe we can tell you more.

It would probably be better for your workflow if you had the contractor produce IDML files for you. You should have much better information transfer from InDesign to Publisher in that format than you'll have in PDF, even if the PDF works.

[royphotog]

what are you using to open those PDFs now? 

[FuzzyMonkey]

Hi Walt,

Many thanks for the response, this is all new to me. I'm learning as I go. When I watched the initial Affinity video on opening and importing files. I thought I was headed in the right direction. I appreciate the feedback and any and all suggestions.

I'd be happy to share the file here and will attached it. As info, the PDF is a book I'm wanting to makes some minor changes to.

Here was my thought process. I was thinking I'd be able to get my contractor to send me the final PDF of the book, (which I need anyway and have reserved an ISBN for it.) I'd be able to bring this into Affinity Publisher, make the few editing changes and price change on the back cover. That was my goal.

My understanding is the .idml file does not include the entire book. The cover layout etc. As a publisher I need two files to upload to my printer, the interior file and the cover file. Both PDF. My book is created in inDesign for print layout first. Then my contractor takes the inDesign files to create the appropriately formatted PDF version of the book with the pages all aligned properly etc. Essentially taking both the interior file and cover layout file and combining them into one solid PDF book.

It is this final step/PDF of the full book that I'm attempting to pull into Affinity Publisher, to make the changes I need and to use the format of the final PDF as a template for another book. Does this thinking align with what I can use Affinity Publisher for? Am I off base, or should I consider some other method?

To clarify your suggestion, if I can get my contractor to save the final PDF version of the book into .idml, is that something that would work better? Can a final PDF version of the corrected book be saved or created in .idml format to bring into Affinity publisher.

 

Delaware-Post-Office-Mural-Guidebook.pdf

[FuzzyMonkey]

Hi royphotog,

I'm using the native Apple Preview Version 11.

David

[Komatös]

Hello @FuzzyMonkey

My native PDF editor reports: "The password could not be converted with RFC 3454". Password-protected files cannot be opened with Affinity programs if editing features are excluded. 

[lacerto]

Affinity apps (Publisher) do a good job in interpreting PDF files, but basically opening a PDF file is a kind of a last resort, when nothing else is available. So IDML file would definitely be a better alternative.

But the proper tool for making minor changes when the original .INDD source is not available would be working directly with the PDF using e.g. Adobe Acrobat Pro or a tool like PDF/X-Change Edit that can make inline edits (and to some extent changes to text using the embedded fonts), and then save back without damaging any of the functionality of the original PDF. 

When you open a PDF (or even an IDML file) using Publisher, you'd lose e.g. internal hyperlinks (in table of contents), and hyperlinks (they'd look like ones but the functionality is lost). Even if this particular job has a simple layout that would suit well for this kind of reproduction, Interpreting PDF will inevitably result in loss of data (e.g. typographical information and print-related information, e.g. swatch assignments, overprinting information, etc.), and might also cause inadvertent and more serious changes not immediately noticed.

One possible approach would be opening only the PDF pages that need changes in Publisher, then exporting those pages and making replacements to the original PDF using some 3rd party PDF editor. Or, to make the absolute minimum: create a new Publisher document using the format of the original and then placing just the required PDF pages using the "Passthrough" mode, making copies of those pages and cropping them so that all unchanged parts come from the original PDF page (that is passed though and untouched) and then create only the new/changed parts with native elements (fonts, etc.) in Publisher, exporting those pages and then replacing the changed pages in the original PDF.    

[FuzzyMonkey]

@KomatösThanks for the response, I have two documents I was working with. One that had the password set and the other one that does not have the password set. I must have uploaded the file that had the password set. However, when working on my side, Both files give me the same error. So IDK.

One reason for being so adamant about this particular one is that it is the latest version of my series of guidebooks. Meaning it has all the edits, changes and so on that I've been developing over the years. So I was really hoping this particular document could be opened and then I'd be able to work with it and create a new guidebook with the guts of this most current book. If that makes any sense.?

@Lagarto Thanks a ton for the detail explanation, that is super helpful. I'm able to get the .dml files from the original designer, but as I mentioned before. However, I only get one .idml file from my designer, which is the interior layout, not the cover design. If the contractor I use combines the .idml interior file with the cover layout, exports this to a PDF and sends it to me that is what I was after. The full book.

Since I'm new to this entire process, my thinking is that this would be the easiest way for me to make some minor changes and updates. It would also give me a start and really digging into Publisher and learning how it works. Looks like I have a long way to go. Exciting.

This is the first time I've hear of specific PDF editors, I wasn't looking to purchase additional software as I'm on a tie budget to begin with. Are there good free PDF editors? Is this something Apple Preview can handle?

I'm disappointed to hear I will loose functionally importing PDF into Publisher. The good thing is that my books are simple enough, that I think I can repair those or re-create them in publisher anyway. It will be a lot to learn on my side, but worth it in the end. I have already noticed that I'm missing fonts and need to figure out how to get the correct fonts installed. Fun times for a Newbie.

Your comment as to creating a new Publisher document using the format of the existing PDF is EXACTLY what I was after. How do I do that? The Affinity videos and some online instructions make it should simple. I think I was sold on the passthrough feature and figured I'd be able to handle importing my PDF of the book and then construction a new book in Affinity publisher with the format of my original book. I'm guessing it is not that easy, or I'm missing something more technical.

Thanks again for all the responses. back to the drawing board.

[Komatös]

3 hours ago, FuzzyMonkey said:

Thanks again for all the responses. back to the drawing board.

Try this time limited trial from Ashampoo. If the page is not (automatically) displayed in the regional language, you can change the country, and thus the language, via the flag symbol.

https://www.ashampoo.com/de-de/pdf-pro 

[lacerto]

On 1/13/2022 at 2:36 PM, FuzzyMonkey said:

This is the first time I've hear of specific PDF editors, I wasn't looking to purchase additional software as I'm on a tie budget to begin with. Are there good free PDF editors? Is this something Apple Preview can handle?

There are lots of PDF editors for both macOS and Windows but many are a bit pricey, and subscription-based. You can have a look and reviews on e.g. https://www.g2.com/categories/pdf-editor. I do not know any other full-fledged free editor than PDF/X-Change Lite (which lets accessing its Pro features using watermarking) which comes pretty close to or at some points even exceeds Adobe Acrobat Pro (excluding pre-press features, which it does not have), but that is unfortunately Windows-only. Personally I have no experience of mac-based PDF editors. macOS Preview app has some very useful features but it is not an editor. It may be a tedious task to find a capable (and affordable) editor: their features are often hyped (and as you can see highly rated by casual users) even if inadequately implemented; but many of them might be adequate for what is needed.

EDIT: I now have some experience on macOS editors, as I ended up getting PDF Expert (the desktop license is a one-time purchase, but the iOS version with similar features is subscription based), and after an hour or so use I can say that price-featurewise this editor -- while focusing strictly to editing and annotating -- seems to be pretty strong (it supports e.g. in-place editing with sub set embedded fonts, page re-arranging, insertion, replacement, deletion, image replacement, URL editing, etc.) -- and seems to be very well crafted. EDIT2: One day wiser: this app has serious limitations as it cannot handle properly CMYK (it converts edits to RGB), and has also problems in retaining font formatting (small caps, boldening, etc.). This is a kind of a demonstration of what I mentioned above -- there are lots of editors but very few are suitable for professional production.   

The point of having a dedicated editor is its ability to keep the changes at minimum and keep existing format so that no interpretation is involved. Affinity apps can do that but with serious limitations (not being able to truly pass through pages if there is version incompatibility between the source and export PDF formats), and pages must be placed one by one. A dedicated editor would let you edit text in-place (even if with limitations, especially if text cannot be mapped to installed fonts) and simply just save back, and would allow replacing, deleting, adding and replacing single pages or areas of pages without losing e.g. internal links from TOC to replaced pages. So dedicated editors are essential when there is need to make just minor or local changes.

But for small publications (like the one that you posted), you could well use Affinity Publisher using the passthrough feature. The process would then typically be first opening the source PDF and emptying content from all pages (to get the correct document format), then FIle > Place the first page of the source PDF and continue copy pasting the placed page(s) one page (or spread) at a time while using the context toolbar to determine which source PDF page should be shown on each Publisher document page, until the whole source PDF has its pages imported. Then you would use the Vector Crop tool and copies of placed pages to have as much as possible placed and left to be passed through and manually add the parts that require updating. Once complete, you would normally export to PDF using the export method that matches as closely as possible the source PDF format.

[FuzzyMonkey]

@Lagartothe last paragraph in the last response is helpful and something along the lines that I'd like to try. Since I'm a newbie, I have a lot to learn, and with just the few days working on this, I can tell I have my hands full.

I pulled an older PDF book that was done with the same contractors and was able to open one of them. I'm also finding I need to get up to speed with fonts, as I'm apparently missing fonts.

Thanks for all the assistance and feedback. Now that I have at least one of my PDFs imported into Affinity publisher, I can at least get started with using and learning how the software works with content that is specific to the books I'm working on.

[Old Bruce]

25 minutes ago, FuzzyMonkey said:

I pulled an older PDF book that was done with the same contractors and was able to open one of them. I'm also finding I need to get up to speed with fonts, as I'm apparently missing fonts.

Stay away from PostScript Type 1 fonts. If it is old files you are working with you may find them being used. They are going the way of the dodo bird.

[lacerto]

9 hours ago, FuzzyMonkey said:

I pulled an older PDF book that was done with the same contractors and was able to open one of them. I'm also finding I need to get up to speed with fonts, as I'm apparently missing fonts

PDF Passthrough (that is, placing PDF files by using the File > Place command, instead of opening them) will stay a valid and universally supported way of reproducing old PDF files or including parts of them within new documents, without needing to have the fonts used in the files available. Embedded fonts and PostScript are not going to become obsolete; but to be able to use embedded fonts for editing text (making corrections, adding some new text, etc.) a dedicated PDF editor or page layout app (like Xara Designer on Windows) that can use glyphs of the embedded fonts for editing is required.

When using Affinity apps, the options are either opening a PDF file for editing (= interpreting it), in which case fonts that are used in the file must be installed or remappable to installed fonts (which often results in a bit differently flowing text), or using File > Place and use "Passthrough" option, in which case the PDF content is not editable and must honor the rather limiting and only Affinity specific version compatibility rules in relation to the planned PDF export method to avoid rasterization of the placed PDF content.

Legacy PostScript fonts (like Adobe Type 1) are still supported both on Windows and macOS (so you can still install them), even if many apps (like Microsoft Office and Adobe Photoshop) no longer support listing them in font menus or editing text with them. Affinity apps support them partially but there might be problems with glyph mapping of symbol fonts like Zapf Dingbats, or with certain typographic features like pair kerning. 

 

[FuzzyMonkey]

Once again @Lagarto many thanks for the detailed follow up and responses. I'm extremely grateful for the additional explanation especially as a newbie to using desktop publishing software. I have a lot to learn, but it is going to be fun.

My process for now is to work with the PDF files that I CAN open for now. That will keep me busy for the foreseeable future. Once I get a better grasp of working with desktop publishing software, I hoping to be able to overcome this initial bump in the road.

Up next, how to create that picture in picture, or whatever it is called for my front covers.

Thank you,

David

[lacerto]

On 1/14/2022 at 1:52 PM, FuzzyMonkey said:

Once again @Lagarto many thanks for the detailed follow up and responses.

You're welcome.

I am not sure what you mean by "picture in picture", but here is a clip showing what I mean by duplicating placed pages and cropping them so that  parts that need to be updated are clipped out. In this case the year 2021 is updated to 2022 by using an existing "2" from a copy of the page, but basically fixes would need to be made by using installed fonts (or their close "relatives").

The idea, however, is to show that by using "Passthrough" you can reproduce (re-export) a production PDF without touching the original, which in this case was created in QuarkXPress 2018, using legacy Type 1 font [not basically "supported" anymore by the high and mighty] and having itself placed PDFs created in InDesign (Arabic text) and VectorStyler (variable font and warped text, which were vectorized already when initially creating the exported PDF by VectorStyler). The production PDF that was used in Publisher was created in PDF/X-1a:2001 (not reproducible by PDFLib that Affinity apps are depending on when producing PDFs), which needs to be exported using "PDF (press-ready)" to avoid rasterizations. The clip shows that nothing is rasterized, and parts that were initially fonts, are fonts still when exported from Publisher, and that all colors, including spot colors, are passed through.

 

Attached are the source PDF, Publisher document, and fixed PDF.

 

 

 

As mentioned, an easy alternative would be using a professional PDF editor like Adobe Acrobat Pro [still purchasable based on "perpetual" license model whatever that means especially on macOS platform] or PDF/X-Change, and directly change the year "2021" to "2022", and just save. PDF Expert (the macOS editor I purchased) could not do it, because it would not keep the spot color (and would not keep even a CMYK color). It would still be a useful tool when replacing, inserting or deleting single pages, arranging pages, or merging PDF files, disregarding the color space, and doing annotations and text editing RGB files.