"Version incompatibility" "incorrect file version" when opening pdf

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#1

The pdf editing functionality, which I really enjoyed last year, seems broken.

I have a big pdf file that I’d like to edit with LibreOffice. However, when I open it I get the “Version incompatibility” “Incorrect file version” (these appear in two lines) error.

Investigating a little further, I created two test pdf files from tiny, one-line documents, one with MSFT Word (version 16.56 (21121100)) and the other with Google Docs. I also updated LibreOffice from version 6.4.6.2 to version 7.2.7.2.

Using File-open in either of these versions of LibreOffice generates the “Version incompatibility” “Incorrect file version” error in both test pdf files. See the attached files, which I have renamed with ‘odg’ extensions so that I can upload them.

Using macOS Big Sur ver. 11.6 (20G165).

Regards
Arthur
Simple - Google Docs copy.odg (16.1 KB)
Simple - Microsoft Word copy.odg (14.8 KB)

#2

When renamed as .pdf files (and opened in PDF-XChange editor in Windoze), the first (Google Docs) opens fine.

The second (MS) opens fine but with “Errors detected in the XREF table”.

I can open neither in LO Draw without the “Version incompatibility” error.


EDIT: After more investigation, it seems Adobe Reader will identify the error and open the pdf without notifying the user :frowning:

but PDF-XChange will identify the error and will notify the user with the “Errors detected in the XREF table” warning.


Both readers will allow saving a corrected version of the file.

It looks as if both Google Docs & Word create invalid pdf file from your input.

#3

Both files open without error notification with Okular PDF reader on my Fedora 35/KDE workstation. Both give the error with Draw. Gimp opens both files.

I tried to have a look with an hexadecimal editor. It reports PDF 1.6, but many parts of the file are compressed (?) giving a binary flow which needs to be expanded before being used (normally PDF is encoded as a kind of postfix Polish language, a bit like PostScript from which it derives). This may be where the issue lies.

#4

@ajlittoz

Agreed - 1.6 here too. The “pdf” structure seems to be broken.

#5

Thanks for your deep analysis, folks

It pains me to say this because it’s much better when code adheres to standards, but if “Google Docs & Word create invalid pdf files” as you say, then it seems that LibreOffice should open invalid pdf files like these with a warning, rather than raise the fatal “Version incompatibility” “incorrect file version” error.

I should note that these pdf files were created by printing, opening in Preview and then saving the file. Google Docs & Word documents can both be saved directly as pdf. I don’t have time to do that now.

Regards
Arthur

#6

Writer can export directly to PDF.

#7

Note that that likely explains, and moves the “who creates the invalid PDFs” from “Google Docs & Word” to “your virtual PDF printer” (reported as “Quarts PDFContext” in Adobe Reader).

1 Like
#8

The error is shown from pdfi::checkEncryption, because (it thinks) there’s an incompatible encryption used.

You might want to file a bug report.

1 Like
#9

Thanks Mike and everyone else.
Unfortunately, I don’t have experience filing LibreOffice bug reports and don’t have time now. Could someone else take that on please?
Thanks
Arthur

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