Can Acrobat Action Wizard Compare Two PDF Folders?
Question details
The user wants to know if Adobe Acrobat's Action Wizard can automatically process and compare PDFs located in two separate folders.
- Product
- Adobe Acrobat
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Attempting to batch compare old and new PDF documents stored in different directories to automatically highlight differences.
- Observed behavior
- Action Wizard does not reliably pair files for batch comparison because its workflow only allows the user to define a single source folder.
Verify that your version of Adobe Acrobat Pro includes both the Action Wizard and the Compare Documents tools, as these features are not available in the Standard edition.
Compare PDF Files Manually Using the Compare Documents Tool
Since Action Wizard cannot pair folders automatically, comparing files individually using Acrobat's dedicated comparison tool is the most reliable built-in method.
Adobe Acrobat's Action Wizard is designed to apply a linear set of commands to files in a single folder. It currently lacks the complex logic required to pair a file from 'Folder A' with a corresponding file in 'Folder B'. Therefore, manual comparison is required for built-in tools.
Launch Adobe Acrobat Pro, navigate to the 'Tools' menu at the top, and select 'Compare Documents'.
Click 'Select File' on the left side of the screen to choose your older document. Then, click 'Select File' on the right side to select the newer version.
Click the 'Compare' button. Acrobat will generate a detailed summary report highlighting all text and visual differences between the two files.
Utilize Specialized Batch Comparison Software
For high-volume comparisons across two folders, specialized third-party batch-processing software is required.
Compare PDF Files Easily with WPS Office
While batch comparing entire folders requires specialized scripts, WPS Office provides a highly intuitive and fast built-in tool to compare individual PDF files, highlighting document revisions instantly.
- 1. Open WPS Office: Launch WPS Office on your computer and open your primary PDF document.
- 2. Access PDF Tools: Navigate to the 'Tools' or 'Home' tab on the top ribbon menu depending on your workspace layout.
- 3. Select Document Comparison: Click on the 'Compare' feature to open the dedicated document comparison dialog window.
- 4. Choose the Second File: Load the newer version of the PDF you wish to compare into the secondary file slot.
- 5. Review Differences: Click the 'Compare' button to instantly view a side-by-side breakdown of the highlighted differences between the two documents.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why doesn't Action Wizard allow two source folders?
Action Wizard is built to apply a linear sequence of commands to a single batch of files. It lacks the built-in conditional logic needed to map and pair files from an 'old' folder to a 'new' folder automatically.
Can I use a script in Acrobat to compare two folders?
Yes. If you have programming experience, you can write a custom external script (using Python, AppleScript, or Acrobat JavaScript) that commands Acrobat to open paired files and execute the comparison function, though this is not supported natively in the GUI.
Is there a way to merge the folders to trick Action Wizard into comparing them?
No. Merging folders would simply place all files into a single directory. Action Wizard still would not know which specific file pairs to compare together, as it does not have a feature to cross-reference filenames within a single folder.
