How to Fix a.creationDate is Null Error in Acrobat PDF Comments
Question details
The user needs to resolve an error preventing the generation or printing of PDF comment summaries in Adobe Acrobat.
- Product
- Adobe Acrobat 11, Canvas LMS
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Generating or printing a comment summary from a PDF submission downloaded from Canvas LMS.
- Observed behavior
- Adobe Acrobat 11 displays an "a.creationDate is null" JavaScript error, failing to process and output the document's comment summary.
Ensure you have saved a backup copy of your Canvas LMS PDF submission before making any metadata or comment changes.
Save a New Copy of the PDF File
Re-saving the file forces the PDF reader to rewrite the document's metadata, which can often automatically repair corrupted or missing comment creation dates.
This is the fastest and easiest method to fix metadata-related JavaScript errors in Acrobat. By using the 'Save As' function, the software restructures the file's code, filling in missing date values with current or default ones.
Launch Adobe Acrobat and open the problematic Canvas LMS PDF file.
Click on 'File' in the top-left menu bar and select 'Save As' from the dropdown list.
Choose a destination on your computer, give the file a slightly different name to distinguish it from the original, and click 'Save'.
Close the current file, open the newly saved copy, and attempt to generate or print the comment summary again.
Export and Re-import Comments into a Clean PDF
If saving a new copy doesn't work, exporting the comments to a data file and importing them onto a fresh version of the document bypasses underlying file corruption.
View and Manage PDF Comments Easily with WPS Office
If your current PDF reader continues to display JavaScript or metadata errors when handling LMS documents, try WPS PDF. It gracefully handles third-party annotations without throwing "creationDate is null" errors, letting you view, summarize, and print your feedback seamlessly.
- 1. Open the PDF in WPS: Launch WPS Office and open your Canvas LMS PDF submission.
- 2. Navigate to the Comment Tab: Click on the 'Comment' tab located on the top ribbon to access the annotation tools.
- 3. Open the Comment Pane: Click the 'Comment List' icon on the left sidebar to neatly display all annotations in the document.
- 4. Print with Comments: Go to 'Menu' > 'Print' and select 'Document and markups' to print your file with all comments successfully included.
Frequently Asked Questions
What exactly causes the "a.creationDate is null" error?
This is a JavaScript error in older versions of Acrobat (like Acrobat 11). It triggers when the software attempts to generate a comment summary but encounters an annotation—often created by a third-party tool like a Canvas LMS grader—that is missing its original creation date metadata.
Do I need to delete my comments to fix this?
Usually, no. Re-saving the file via 'Save As' or exporting and re-importing the comments is typically enough to rewrite the missing metadata. You only need to delete and recreate a comment if a specific annotation remains persistently corrupted.
Is Adobe Acrobat 11 still supported for bug fixes?
No, Adobe Acrobat 11 reached its end of support years ago and no longer receives official bug fixes or security patches. Upgrading to modern PDF software like WPS Office or newer Acrobat versions is recommended to avoid these legacy issues.
