Creating PDF Files from Mail Attachments

The program lets you create PDF files from mail attachments in Microsoft Outlook or Lotus Notes (version 8.5).

Creation is launched with the PDF Converter create pdf from attachment From Mail Attachments Create PDF from attachments tool that appears in a Nuance toolbar located in both the main window and an open mail window. The Nuance PDF menu offers the same functionality. The tool becomes active only when the currently selected message has an attachment.

This command operates on the attachments within the currently active message. One PDF file is created for each attachment; each PDF takes its name from the attachment’s file name. You can specify a single target location for the generated PDF files. If the attachment is a PDF file, it is just saved to the target location without processing. If the attachments are of mixed file types, the PDF files are saved directly and the other files are converted to PDF.

You are warned if conversion is not possible. Image files (bmp, jpg, png, tif etc.), xps, ps and eps files are processed directly. Other documents (such as Word files) are printed to PDF Create. This implies that the native application associated to the file type must be present on your system.

On first use, the default saving location is [My Documents]\PDF Favorites\Outlook Archive. You can change this with the Browse button in the Attached files list dialog box, as described below.

The following description is given for Microsoft Outlook, but it is also applicable to Lotus Notes.
 

Setting preferences

  1. Choose the PDF Converter button settings From Mail Attachments Settings tool on the Nuance PDF for Outlook toolbar. If you do not see this toolbar, select View > Toolbars > Nuance PDF for Outlook from the main menu.

  2. On the PDF Creation tab of the Settings dialog box, specify how to handle messages with multiple attachments:

    • choose Convert all attachments to have all attachments converted each time, without interaction, and sent to the last used saving location.
    • choose Prompt for selection to receive a list of attachments. This allows you to choose which to convert and choose a saving location.

PDF creation from attachments

  1. Select a message with one or more attachments of supported file type(s).

  2. Choose the PDF Converter create pdf from attachment From Mail Attachments Create PDF from attachments tool on the Nuance PDF for Outlook toolbar or select the equivalent menu item.

  3. If you set the preference Convert all attachments, the PDF files are saved into the last used folder.

  4. If you requested prompting, the Attached files list dialog box lets you choose which attachments to convert.

  5. A target folder is proposed. Click Browse to change it. Click OK to start creation.

  6. In all cases, the Results information box appears reporting on conversion success. It lets you open the output folder or view a resulting PDF file by double-clicking its name.

Tip

If you need to change the target folder for automated saving, go to Settings and specify prompting; this lets you change the destination, then use Settings to restore automatic conversion.

 

Creating and importing PDF files

When you are preparing an outgoing mail, you can select non-PDF files from your local computer to have them converted to PDF and attached to the message. See: Creating PDF files to become mail attachments.

 

Notes

If the Nuance PDF tools are not displayed in your mailing system, go to View > Toolbars and choose the Nuance PDF toolbar. If it is not listed, run the PDF Professional installer again to enable the mailing system integration as described in Custom Setup.

If a PDF file already exists at the saving location with the same name as a PDF about to be created, the new file will receive a numerical suffix to keep unique file names.

If you have Nuance PDF Converter installed, the Nuance toolbar will contain an extra button for unlocking PDF file attachments. If you have Nuance PDF Converter Professional 7, two more buttons are added, allowing you to archive mails or mail folders to PDF; the settings button accesses a wider range of settings.

 

From Mail Attachments