How to Move an Acrobat PDX Index Without Corrupting It
Question details
The user needs to know how to properly move an Adobe Acrobat Catalog PDX index without breaking the file links or corrupting the index structure.
- Product
- Adobe Acrobat
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Transferring a collection of indexed PDFs and their corresponding search index (PDX) to a new location, such as a thumb drive or an external hard drive.
- Observed behavior
- If the files are moved incorrectly, the index fails, becomes unavailable, or corrupts, requiring a complete rebuild of the catalog.
Ensure you have enough storage space on your target destination to accommodate both the source PDF files and the entire index directory structure.
Move the Indexed PDFs and the Complete Index Structure Together
To prevent corruption, you must maintain the exact relative folder structure between the indexed PDF documents and the generated index files when copying them to a new location.
Acrobat Catalog relies on relative paths to link the PDX index file to the indexed PDF documents. Moving only the PDX file, leaving out the IDX folder, or changing the folder hierarchy will break these paths, rendering the index useless.
Open your file explorer and navigate to the original parent folder containing your indexed PDF documents.
Within or alongside the PDF folder, locate the index files generated by Acrobat Catalog. This includes the .pdx file, the .log file, and the entire folder containing the .idx files.
Select the parent directory that houses both the PDF collection and all associated index files to ensure the relative locations remain identical. Right-click and select Copy.
Navigate to your destination drive (e.g., thumb drive or network shared drive), right-click, and select Paste. Do not rename any internal subfolders separating the PDX file from the PDFs.
Seamlessly Manage and Search PDFs with WPS Office
Avoid the hassle of complex PDX index files and fragile folder structures. WPS Office provides a robust PDF reader and editor with powerful built-in search capabilities, allowing you to manage large PDF documents effortlessly.
- 1. Open your PDF in WPS Office: Launch WPS Office and open your PDF document directly without needing to load external index files.
- 2. Use the built-in search function: Press Ctrl + F to bring up the search bar and quickly locate keywords, phrases, or specific data points across the entire document.
- 3. Manage your PDF pages easily: Navigate to the Page tab to split, merge, or reorganize your PDF documents easily without worrying about corrupting relative file paths.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I move just the PDX file to share the search index?
No, the PDX file alone is insufficient. You must include the accompanying LOG file, the entire IDX folder, and the actual PDF documents in their original relative structure to maintain a functional search index.
Why does Acrobat prompt me to rebuild the index after moving it?
This usually happens because the relative path between the PDX file and the source PDFs has changed, or the accompanying IDX folder is missing from the new location. Rebuilding is required to re-establish these file links.
What happens if I rename the folder containing the indexed PDFs?
Renaming the top-level parent folder usually preserves relative paths and keeps the index intact. However, renaming the internal subfolders that separate the PDX file from the PDF documents will break the index.
What are the IDX files in the Acrobat Catalog folder?
The IDX files contain the actual searchable database data generated by Acrobat Catalog. The PDX file simply acts as a master pointer to these IDX files and the original source PDFs.
