VBA Macro To Convert PDF Files Into Different Format - My Engineering World (2025)

A couple of days ago, Peter asked me on this post if it is possible to save a PDF file as an Excel table by using VBA. I started thinking about his question, and I thought it could be quite useful to automate the procedure of saving a PDF file into another format. The method that I wrote requires Adobe Professional to work. So, if you have installed Adobe Professional on your computer and you need to convert some PDF files into Word files, for example, take a look at the code below.

Apart from the primary procedure, I also wrote a loop to convert multiple PDF files at once. So, if you have a folder that contains PDF files, you can use this tool to obtain their file paths. Then you can use the attached workbook to convert them to a different format. The code actually uses the Save As command of Adobe Professional to save the files to the desired format. The available formats are:

Option ExplicitOption Private ModuleSub SavePDFAsOtherFormat(PDFPath As String, FileExtension As String) 'Saves a PDF file as another format using Adobe Professional. 'By Christos Samaras 'https://myengineeringworld.net///// 'In order to use the macro you must enable the Acrobat library from VBA editor: 'Go to Tools -> References -> Adobe Acrobat xx.0 Type Library, where xx depends 'on your Acrobat Professional version (i.e. 9.0 or 10.0) you have installed to your PC. 'Alternatively you can find it Tools -> References -> Browse and check for the path 'C:Program FilesAdobeAcrobat xx.0Acrobatacrobat.tlb 'where xx is your Acrobat version (i.e. 9.0 or 10.0 etc.). Dim objAcroApp As Acrobat.AcroApp Dim objAcroAVDoc As Acrobat.AcroAVDoc Dim objAcroPDDoc As Acrobat.AcroPDDoc Dim objJSO As Object Dim boResult As Boolean Dim ExportFormat As String Dim NewFilePath As String  'Check if the file exists. If Dir(PDFPath) = "" Then MsgBox "Cannot find the PDF file!" & vbCrLf & "Check the PDF path and retry.", _ vbCritical, "File Path Error" Exit Sub End If  'Check if the input file is a PDF file. If LCase(Right(PDFPath, 3)) <> "pdf" Then MsgBox "The input file is not a PDF file!", vbCritical, "File Type Error" Exit Sub End If  'Initialize Acrobat by creating App object. Set objAcroApp = CreateObject("AcroExch.App")  'Set AVDoc object. Set objAcroAVDoc = CreateObject("AcroExch.AVDoc")  'Open the PDF file. boResult = objAcroAVDoc.Open(PDFPath, "")  'Set the PDDoc object. Set objAcroPDDoc = objAcroAVDoc.GetPDDoc  'Set the JS Object - Java Script Object. Set objJSO = objAcroPDDoc.GetJSObject  'Check the type of conversion. Select Case LCase(FileExtension) Case "eps": ExportFormat = "com.adobe.acrobat.eps" Case "html", "htm": ExportFormat = "com.adobe.acrobat.html" Case "jpeg", "jpg", "jpe": ExportFormat = "com.adobe.acrobat.jpeg" Case "jpf", "jpx", "jp2", "j2k", "j2c", "jpc": ExportFormat = "com.adobe.acrobat.jp2k" Case "docx": ExportFormat = "com.adobe.acrobat.docx" Case "doc": ExportFormat = "com.adobe.acrobat.doc" Case "png": ExportFormat = "com.adobe.acrobat.png" Case "ps": ExportFormat = "com.adobe.acrobat.ps" Case "rft": ExportFormat = "com.adobe.acrobat.rft" Case "xlsx": ExportFormat = "com.adobe.acrobat.xlsx" Case "xls": ExportFormat = "com.adobe.acrobat.spreadsheet" Case "txt": ExportFormat = "com.adobe.acrobat.accesstext" Case "tiff", "tif": ExportFormat = "com.adobe.acrobat.tiff" Case "xml": ExportFormat = "com.adobe.acrobat.xml-1-00" Case Else: ExportFormat = "Wrong Input" End Select  'Check if the format is correct and there are no errors. If ExportFormat <> "Wrong Input" And Err.Number = 0 Then  'Format is correct and no errors. 'Set the path of the new file. Note that Adobe instead of xls uses xml files. 'That's why here the xls extension changes to xml. If LCase(FileExtension) <> "xls" Then NewFilePath = WorksheetFunction.Substitute(PDFPath, ".pdf", "." & LCase(FileExtension)) Else NewFilePath = WorksheetFunction.Substitute(PDFPath, ".pdf", ".xml") End If  'Save PDF file to the new format. boResult = objJSO.SaveAs(NewFilePath, ExportFormat)  'Close the PDF file without saving the changes. boResult = objAcroAVDoc.Close(True)  'Close the Acrobat application. boResult = objAcroApp.Exit 'Inform the user that conversion was successfully. MsgBox "The PDf file:" & vbNewLine & PDFPath & vbNewLine & vbNewLine & _ "Was saved as: " & vbNewLine & NewFilePath, vbInformation, "Conversion finished successfully" Else  'Something went wrong, so close the PDF file and the application. 'Close the PDF file without saving the changes. boResult = objAcroAVDoc.Close(True)  'Close the Acrobat application. boResult = objAcroApp.Exit  'Inform the user that something went wrong. MsgBox "Something went wrong!" & vbNewLine & "The conversion of the following PDF file FAILED:" & _ vbNewLine & PDFPath, vbInformation, "Conversion failed" End If  'Release the objects. Set objAcroPDDoc = Nothing Set objAcroAVDoc = Nothing Set objAcroApp = Nothing End Sub

Sub ExportAllPDFs() 'Convert all the PDF files that their paths are on column B of 'the worksheet "Paths" into a different file format. 'By Christos Samaras 'https://myengineeringworld.net///// Dim FileFormat As String Dim LastRow As Long Dim i As Integer  'Change this according to your own needs. 'Available formats: eps html, htm jpeg, jpg, jpe jpf, jpx, jp2, 'j2k, j2c, jpc, docx, doc, png, ps, rft, xlsx, xls, txt, tiff, tif and xml. 'In this example the PDF file will be saved as text file. FileFormat = "txt" If FileFormat = "" Then shPaths.Range("B2").Select MsgBox "There are no file paths to convert!", vbInformation, "File paths missing" Exit Sub End If shPaths.Activate  'Find the last row. With shPaths LastRow = .Cells(.Rows.Count, "B").End(xlUp).Row End With  'Check that there are available file paths. If LastRow < 2 Then shPaths.Range("B2").Select MsgBox "There are no file paths to convert!", vbInformation, "File paths missing" Exit Sub End If  'For each cell in the range "B2:B" & last row convert the pdf file 'into different format (here to text - txt). For i = 2 To LastRow SavePDFAsOtherFormatNoMsg Cells(i, 2).Value, FileFormat Next i  'Inform the user that conversion finished. MsgBox "All files were converted successfully!", vbInformation, "Finished" End Sub

Download it from here

The file can be opened with Excel 2007 or newer. Please, remember to enable macros before using it.

Update 18/7/2013

The previous workbook was not convenient for converting multiple PDF files, so I decided to change the two macros a little bit. You can find the new VBA code below, as well as the new workbook in the download section that follows.

Option ExplicitOption Private ModuleSub ExportAllPDFs()  '---------------------------------------------------------------- 'Converts all the PDF files that their paths are in column A of 'the worksheet "Convert PDF Files" into a different file format, 'based on the value in column B (extension). 'By Christos Samaras 'Date: 18/07/2013 'https://myengineeringworld.net///// '---------------------------------------------------------------- Dim LastRow As Long Dim i As Integer shPaths.Activate  'Find the last row. With shPaths LastRow = .Cells(.Rows.Count, "A").End(xlUp).Row End With  'Check that there are available file paths. If LastRow < 2 Then shPaths.Range("A2").Select MsgBox "There are no file paths to convert!", vbInformation, "File paths missing" Exit Sub End If  'Checking for errors before conversion. For i = 2 To LastRow  'Check if the file extensions are not empty. If Cells(i, 2).Value = "" Then shPaths.Cells(i, 2).Select MsgBox "Please select an output format from the dropdown list!", vbCritical, "File paths missing" Exit Sub End If  'Check if the file exists. If Dir(shPaths.Cells(i, 1).Value) = "" Then shPaths.Cells(i, 1).Select MsgBox "The file path is not valid!", vbCritical, "File path error" Exit Sub End If  'Check if the input file is a PDF file. If LCase(Right(shPaths.Cells(i, 1).Value, 3)) <> "pdf" Then shPaths.Cells(i, 1).Select MsgBox "The file is not a pdf file!", vbCritical, "No pdf file" Exit Sub End If Next i  'For each cell in the range "A2:A" & last row convert the pdf file 'into different format according to the "B2:B" & last row value. For i = 2 To LastRow SavePDFAs Cells(i, 1).Value, Cells(i, 2).Value Next i  'Adjust the two columns. Columns("A:B").EntireColumn.AutoFit  'Inform the user that conversion finished. MsgBox "All files were converted successfully!", vbInformation, "Finished" End SubPrivate Sub SavePDFAs(PDFPath As String, FileExtension As String)  '--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 'Saves a PDF file as other format using Adobe Professional. 'In order to use the macro you must enable the Acrobat library from VBA editor: 'Go to Tools -> References -> Adobe Acrobat xx.0 Type Library, where xx depends 'on your Acrobat Professional version (i.e. 9.0 or 10.0) you have installed to your PC. 'Alternatively you can find it Tools -> References -> Browse and check for the path 'C:Program FilesAdobeAcrobat xx.0Acrobatacrobat.tlb 'where xx is your Acrobat version (i.e. 9.0 or 10.0 etc.). 'By Christos Samaras 'Date: 30/03/2013 'https://myengineeringworld.net///// '---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  Dim objAcroApp As Acrobat.AcroApp Dim objAcroAVDoc As Acrobat.AcroAVDoc Dim objAcroPDDoc As Acrobat.AcroPDDoc Dim objJSO As Object Dim boResult As Boolean Dim ExportFormat As String Dim NewFilePath As String  'Initialize Acrobat by creating App object. Set objAcroApp = CreateObject("AcroExch.App")  'Set AVDoc object. Set objAcroAVDoc = CreateObject("AcroExch.AVDoc")  'Open the PDF file. boResult = objAcroAVDoc.Open(PDFPath, "")  'Set the PDDoc object. Set objAcroPDDoc = objAcroAVDoc.GetPDDoc  'Set the JS Object - Java Script Object. Set objJSO = objAcroPDDoc.GetJSObject  'Check the type of conversion. Select Case LCase(FileExtension) Case "eps": ExportFormat = "com.adobe.acrobat.eps" Case "html", "htm": ExportFormat = "com.adobe.acrobat.html" Case "jpeg", "jpg", "jpe": ExportFormat = "com.adobe.acrobat.jpeg" Case "jpf", "jpx", "jp2", "j2k", "j2c", "jpc": ExportFormat = "com.adobe.acrobat.jp2k" Case "docx": ExportFormat = "com.adobe.acrobat.docx" Case "doc": ExportFormat = "com.adobe.acrobat.doc" Case "png": ExportFormat = "com.adobe.acrobat.png" Case "ps": ExportFormat = "com.adobe.acrobat.ps" Case "rft": ExportFormat = "com.adobe.acrobat.rft" Case "xlsx": ExportFormat = "com.adobe.acrobat.xlsx" Case "xls": ExportFormat = "com.adobe.acrobat.spreadsheet" Case "txt": ExportFormat = "com.adobe.acrobat.accesstext" Case "tiff", "tif": ExportFormat = "com.adobe.acrobat.tiff" Case "xml": ExportFormat = "com.adobe.acrobat.xml-1-00" Case Else: ExportFormat = "Wrong Input" End Select  'Check if the format is correct and there are no errors. If ExportFormat <> "Wrong Input" And Err.Number = 0 Then  'Format is correct and no errors. 'Set the path of the new file. Note that Adobe instead of xls uses xml files. 'That's why here the xls extension changes to xml. If LCase(FileExtension) <> "xls" Then NewFilePath = WorksheetFunction.Substitute(PDFPath, ".pdf", "." & LCase(FileExtension)) Else NewFilePath = WorksheetFunction.Substitute(PDFPath, ".pdf", ".xml") End If  'Save PDF file to the new format. boResult = objJSO.SaveAs(NewFilePath, ExportFormat)  'Close the PDF file without saving the changes. boResult = objAcroAVDoc.Close(True)  'Close the Acrobat application. boResult = objAcroApp.Exit Else  'Something went wrong, so close the PDF file and the application. 'Close the PDF file without saving the changes. boResult = objAcroAVDoc.Close(True)  'Close the Acrobat application. boResult = objAcroApp.Exit End If  'Release the objects. Set objAcroPDDoc = Nothing Set objAcroAVDoc = Nothing Set objAcroApp = Nothing End Sub

Video

You can watch the VBA code in action on this short video:

Download it from here

The new file can be opened with Excel 2007 or newer. Please, remember that you will need Adobe Professional for the conversion. The code will NOT work with Adobe Reader.

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