How to Fix Acrobat 2017 PDFMaker Not Working with IBM Notes 10
Question details
Users are experiencing an issue where the Adobe Acrobat 2017 PDFMaker add-in fails to convert emails and attachments after updating to IBM Notes 10.
- Product
- Adobe Acrobat Standard 2017 / IBM Notes 10
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Attempting to seamlessly convert emails and their attached files to PDF format using the PDFMaker integration inside the IBM Notes client.
- Observed behavior
- The PDFMaker add-in stops functioning correctly due to compatibility issues introduced by the IBM Notes 10 update, failing to generate PDFs with attachments as it previously did.
Ensure you have administrative privileges on your computer to install software patches, and verify your exact version build of Adobe Acrobat 2017 and IBM Notes 10 before troubleshooting.
Update Acrobat Patches and Verify HCL Compatibility
Applying the latest official patches from Adobe and HCL (formerly IBM) is the most effective way to resolve integration bugs caused by major software updates.
Major updates to email clients often alter internal APIs, which temporarily breaks third-party plugins like Adobe PDFMaker. Both Adobe and HCL periodically release patches specifically designed to restore these integrations.
Open Adobe Acrobat Standard 2017, click on the 'Help' menu at the top, and select 'Check for Updates'. Follow the prompts to install the latest patches.
Visit the official HCL support website to check for any released fix packs for IBM Notes 10 that address third-party add-in compatibility.
If both applications are fully updated and the issue persists, visit Adobe's official Feature Request and Bug Report page to submit a ticket detailing the IBM Notes 10 failure.
Use the 'Print to PDF' Feature as a Workaround
If the PDFMaker add-in remains entirely incompatible, you can bypass the add-in by manually printing the email to a virtual PDF printer.
Easily Combine Exported Emails and Attachments with WPS Office
If Adobe PDFMaker isn't working with IBM Notes, you can export your emails and use WPS PDF to seamlessly merge the email bodies and their original attachments into a single, professional PDF document.
- 1. Launch WPS PDF: Open WPS Office on your computer and click the 'PDF' tab on the main dashboard to access the PDF tool suite.
- 2. Select the Merge Tool: Click on the 'Merge PDF' tool located in the top navigation or tools menu.
- 3. Add Your Exported Files: Click 'Add Files' and select the email PDF you printed from IBM Notes, along with any attachments you saved separately.
- 4. Combine and Save: Arrange the files in your preferred sequence by dragging them, then click 'Merge' to create your unified PDF document.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did the Adobe PDFMaker add-in stop working after updating to IBM Notes 10?
Major updates to email clients like IBM Notes 10 often change the internal architecture or API endpoints. This breaks compatibility with existing third-party add-ins like PDFMaker until developers release a synchronized patch.
Does Adobe PDFMaker have a history of compatibility issues with IBM Notes?
Yes, similar integration issues have occurred with previous versions, including IBM Notes 9. The add-in's functionality heavily relies on perfectly matched versions and patches for both the Adobe and HCL software.
How can I report this bug to Adobe directly?
You can report the integration failure by visiting Adobe's official Feature Request and Bug Report website. Submitting detailed system information helps their development team prioritize and develop a functional patch.
