Converting a document from PDF to Word

I convert everything I give my students into a PDF. This allows them to open it pretty much on any computer in our building or at home. Occasionally, I will run into a situation where I need the original document but it's not readily available. In those moments, usually crisis moments, I need an easy way to convert a PDF back into a Word doc.

The last time this happened, I did a quick search on the web and found several sites that promise to do just this. I used one that worked fine but limited the number of conversions you could do in a period of time. I needed two. It said I could only do one. I went elsewhere.

Ended up using PDF to Word. It's straightforward and simple to use.Upload your PDF. They convert it and send it back to you via email. I've tried several PDF conversions and they have all been satisfactory.

If you have to do this a lot, I'd recommend getting Acrobat Pro or one of the other desktop PDF reader/converters. If you are like me and only need to do this a couple times a year, stick with one of the online versions.

[Image captured from PDF to Word: http://www.pdftoword.com/]

Using Google docs as a file converter

Had an incident the other day where a student had a document that we couldn't open in Word. He knew it was made in word, just not sure what version. It had a .doc extension so I was pretty sure it was older than the version we use, which adds the .docx extension. I tried a couple of things to no avail. I then wondered if Google Docs might be able to read it. I uploaded it into my Google account. It came through perfectly. Then I downloaded it as a word doc and the student was able to open it in our version of Word and finish their assignment.

I mentioned this to a colleague and later that day he had a student with a similar problem. That document was in Open Doc format and he was able to do the same thing. Not sure how many different formats you might be able to convert using this method. But, can't have too many little tricks in that magic bag, can you?

[Image: Flickr: "Repetition": Uploaded on August 25, 2005 by shutupyourface:http://www.flickr.com/photos/shutupyourface/37273590/]

PDF Undo

A teacher I work with was struggling to get some text off of a PDF document he was using in his History class and asked if I knew an easy way to accomplish this task. I knew I just recently had read something about a PDF converter but I didn't have anything like that in my bookmarks at work. I searched all my emails with no positive results. I told him I'd have to get back to him but I was pretty sure I had a resource of some kind.

Came home and still couldn't find any links on my office machine. So, I sat thinking where might I have seen a post about something like this. Then I said to my cat,

"Larry Ferlazzo's site! That has to be it."

My cat seemed impressed with my mental acuity and while she went back to licking her paws, I quickly went to Larry's site which I do have bookmarked and did a search. Sure enough I found the info about a program called PDF Undo. I tried converting several PDFs and they all came out perfect.

Thanks again Larry for helping promote the illusion to the people at work that I know everything. (Or perhaps it's the illusion that I think I know everything?)

[Image captured from PDF Undo: http://www.pdfundo.net]