Bug Recipient of Word with embedded PDF can't open PDF object

[padonnelly Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close padonnelly]

Created pdf using FoxitPhanthom.

Embedded in Word 2007 (x64) using Insert Object ...Create from File...browse to Foxit pdf.

Sent Word to colleague who doesnt have Foxit.

Colleague got "The server application, source file, or item cannot be found" . They do have Adobe Reader X.


Is this dumb user error, Microsoft or Foxit buggy software.

Advice welcome.

[cherry Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close cherry]

Hi padonnelly,

The embeded object is bundled by COM, the Word program itself will remember the default program for opening embeded PDF document when user embed the PDF into word file. So if the pdf file embeded as Acrobat object, it can not be opened with Foxit PhantomPDF, vice versa, the pdf file embeded as Foxit PhantomPDF object can not be opened with Adobe Reader either.

In this case, you insert the PDF document to Word when Foxit PhantomPDF is your default, so Word will remembers to use only Foxit PhantomPDF to open the document. The recipient doesn't have Foxit PhantomPDF, so the error occurs.

[padonnelly Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close padonnelly]

Thanks Cherry. That's a bit sad, but at least I understand why it is happening.

[socket Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close socket]

Hi padonnelly,

The embeded object is bundled by COM, the Word program itself will remember the default program for opening embeded PDF document when user embed the PDF into word file. So if the pdf file embeded as Acrobat object, it can not be opened with Foxit PhantomPDF, vice versa, the pdf file embeded as Foxit PhantomPDF object can not be opened with Adobe Reader either.

In this case, you insert the PDF document to Word when Foxit PhantomPDF is your default, so Word will remembers to use only Foxit PhantomPDF to open the document. The recipient doesn't have Foxit PhantomPDF, so the error occurs.

So is there no workaround for this (i.e. somehow save/export/rename, or run through a macro)?

[cherry Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close cherry]

Hi Socket,

I'm sorry, but there is no workaround for this.