PDF import behaving strangely

[The Alien]

Yup. Both entries are in the XML file

[Initiostar]

I've not seen this PDF issue before with Pro X18.5 or Pro X19 and have both installed and accessible, but clearly something is AWOL. I would note that if you run Xara in Admin mode, it does not allow you to drag and drop a file from Windows Explorer, the same is true for images too.

Maybe check (and eliminate that ) there are not any hidden issues with Windows 10 integrity, missing or corrupt files. With the Command Prompt App 'Run as Administrator' use 'sfc /scannow'



If Windows finds any issues, it will try to fix them; if there are no issues then at least you have confirmed Windows is OK.

Should Windows find any issues, I would run Xara again in Admin mode just once and recheck.

[handrawn]

do you have security software that does more than 'just AV' - it is not unknown for some to lock out access even when an install is run in admin mode if they detect a process they consider suspicious

[wizard509]

Works for me in XDP19.

[The Alien]

This whole thing makes me wish there was a verbose logging mode in XDP that lists which errors the program encounters to help people troubleshoot their issues.
Really do appreciate your efforts to help me so far.

I've not seen this PDF issue before with Pro X18.5 or Pro X19 and have both installed and accessible, but clearly something is AWOL. I would note that if you run Xara in Admin mode, it does not allow you to drag and drop a file from Windows Explorer, the same is true for images too.

Maybe check (and eliminate that ) there are not any hidden issues with Windows 10 integrity, missing or corrupt files. With the Command Prompt App 'Run as Administrator' use 'sfc /scannow'



If Windows finds any issues, it will try to fix them; if there are no issues then at least you have confirmed Windows is OK.

Should Windows find any issues, I would run Xara again in Admin mode just once and recheck.

I ran sfc /scannow as admin and no issues were found. The PDF import/export still persists while running Xara as admin.

do you have security software that does more than 'just AV' - it is not unknown for some to lock out access even when an install is run in admin mode if they detect a process they consider suspicious

You mean programs like Malwarebytes and such running in the background? I don't have them.
In addition, I found that there's an option to start windows without antivirus running (Start > Power > Shift+Click Restart > it should be the last option in the list) and tried installing XDP in that mode and testing it, but to no avail.

[The Alien]

Another interesting observation (don't know if it's relevant or not, but I'll just throw it in).
In C:\Program Files\Xara\Xara Designer Pro X\19\Filters\ENG\PDFImport\ there is an executable called pdf2xar.exe
Using pdf2xar.exe in command prompt, I was able to convert a basic PDF to a XAR file just fine. You just have to read the instructions and the rest is easy (Usage: pdf2xar input.pdf output.xar [options]). The output XAR file was valid.

[handrawn]

thinking more of a security program that installs third party firewall, ransomeware protection and the like.. ok was just a thought..

Not that I know of. I checked my Windows Settings > Apps and Adobe Acrobat DC is the only PDF-related application in the list as far as I can see.

but you may have other apps. just like xara, that can open/export/edit PDF ?

[handrawn]

cross posted

that is the app that that designer uses

so it seems the link designer and that app is broken/blocked ?

[Acorn]

Get a guess here.

Try CMD > C:\Program Files\Xara\Xara Designer Pro X\19\Filters\ENG\PDFImport>regsvr32 PDFImport.dll.

The exe probably works as it can find the DLL in the same directory, XDPXv19 might need to be told.

Acorn

[Chris M]

Does the UAC (Do you want to allow this app...) appear every time you start Xara?

This would stop the drag and drop feature.