WorldServer: Auto error at 'Convert PDF to Word 2007-2010' or 'Convert PDF to DOCX (LIB) ' - PDF file conversion failed with error 'Converter output end-'

During the Convert PDF to Word 2007-2010 (LIB) or Convert PDF to DOCX (LIB) automatic action, the task fails with the below error-

Task went into auto error at Convert PDF to Word 2007-2010 (LIB) step with below error message: Error while executing automatic action: com.idiominc.ws.WSRuntimeException: PDF file conversion failed: ---Converter output start--- ----Converter output end---

Complete error from the ws.log:
 

com.idiominc.ws.WSRuntimeException: PDF file conversion failed:
---Converter output start---

PDF Converter: ERROR 'PDF Conversion failed. Converter return status: BadData'
at Sdl.WorldServer.FileTypeSupport.Server.PDFConverter.Converter.ExecutePDFConversion(Dictionary`2 convertParams)
at Sdl.WorldServer.FileTypeSupport.Server.PDFConverter.Program.Main(String[] args)
----Converter output end---

at com.idiominc.wssdk.libraries.component.autoaction.convertpdf.ConvertPDFAutomaticAction.execute(ConvertPDFAutomaticAction.java:413)
at com.idiominc.ws.workflow.autoactions.SDKAutomaticAction.execute(SDKAutomaticAction.java:85)
at com.idiominc.ws.workflow.engine.WorkflowEngine.executeAutomaticAction(WorkflowEngine.java:3761)
at com.idiominc.ws.workflow.engine.WorkflowEngine.executeTaskAutomaticAction(WorkflowEngine.java:3546)
at com.idiominc.ws.workflow.engine.WorkflowEngine.executeCurrentTaskStep(WorkflowEngine.java:2374)
at com.idiominc.ws.workflow.engine.WorkflowEngineDaemon.processTask(WorkflowEngineDaemon.java:1304)
at com.idiominc.ws.process.engine.ProcessEngineDaemon.run(ProcessEngineDaemon.java:1195)

There are 2 possible workarounds, depending on which WorldServer version you are working on:

1- If you work in WorldServer version 11.8.x, go to your workflow and change the configuration of the setting Alternative Processing in the Convert PDF to DOCX (LIB) Automatic Action from No (which is the default) to Yes.

Then save your change and re-submit the PDF file to a new project. The current project in Autoerror will need to be cancelled.




2- If you work in a WorldServer version older than 11.8.x, the current workaround is to split the source asset up into files that are 99 pages or under to process in a project.

Note: As stated in the Release Notes of Version 11.7. in the WorldServer Documentation Center, starting from Version 11.7.x, the Convert PDF to Word 2007-2010(LIB) Automatic Action has been renamed to Convert PDF to DOCX (LIB). The functionality has not changed.

If you are on an 11.7.x version or later, you should remove this Automatic Action anyway, and upload the renamed one. If the old automatic Action is part of your workflows, edit the relevant workflows to replace the old Automatic Action with the new/renamed one.

Reinstalling the Automatic Action from the SDK depends on your WorldServer version. You will need to download the SDK from your RWS FTP Account. Here is an example of the content of the wssdk_11.8.0.61.zip file after extraction:

wssdk_11.8.0.61.zip\libraries\dist\autoaction_libraries.zip

1. To install, go to Management--> Administration--> Customization.
2. For Custom component type: select Automatic Actions
3. Select and remove the current Convert PDF to Word 2007-2010(LIB)
3. Once removed, click on Add
4. Browse to the location listed above and find the autoaction_libraries.zip
5. Click OK to upload it. The Automatic Action should now be visible again, possibly under the new name Convert PDF to DOCX (LIB).
6. Create a new project and test.

There is a page limit for the PDF converter. However, the number of pages really depends on the content of the PDF, so you might be able to convert a PDF with a higher number of pages.
The Automatic Action has been updated starting from version 11.8.x where the software used to convert the PDF file is no longer Solid but Aspose. See also:

How to process PDF files in WorldServer

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