How to analyze whether a PDF file is valid?

Solution 1:

From the Adobe validator (Preflight in Acrobat X Pro):

^{Click for full size}

I don't see how much more official you can get. That happened on a "Report PDF syntax issues" in Preflight. The same thing when I tried to test for PDF/A validity. The report process aborts rather than continuing, as it would do for minor errors. There is no response on the numerous Adobe forum posts about this error.

Opening the file in Notepad++ and ripping out every stream (stream to endstream inclusive) leads to a blank file that does not report an error on opening and only a few minor syntax errors in Preflight (related to the missing streams). Obviously there's something invalid in/about one of those streams, perhaps an invalid control character or something. I don't know much about the PDF format.

Also, PDF creation using the built-in tool works perfectly on your presentation in PowerPoint 2010. It appears only 2007 SP3 is affected - as you found yourself, no previous version was and no later version is. Depending on Microsoft's policy, this may or may not warrant a bugfix. It could be that the encoding used in 2007 SP3's version for images is not fully supported by Adobe.

Was the file you provided exported with the "ISO 19005-1 compliant (PDF/A)" option checked? If not, could you provide one that is?

Unless the file was exported as a standards compliant format (that option is unchecked by default!), it is not necessarily a 'bug', unless they explicitly say Adobe Acrobat/Reader should be able to open their PDFs - especially when some programs can. You may be fighting an uphill battle for a refund.

Solution 2:

Before shelling out €360, I would check to see whether the problem was already fixed in Office 2010.

If you wish to get an answer from the specialists, I suggest posting the question to GhostScript Bugzilla. You could simply ask why they do not accept legal PDF created by Office 2007. They will probably tell you exactly why the PDF is wrong and maybe even how to fix it.

This will require you to open a Bugzilla account.

I have verified that the problem is still happening on the latest GhostScript version 9.05. You could include the image below with your bug report :