How to create a PDF/A file on a Mac

I need to create and submit a my work in a PDF/A file as opposed to a regular PDF file. I don't have Adobe Acrobat. How can I create a PDF/A file on a Mac without Adobe ?

Are there ways around this?

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MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.7.2)

Posted on Mar 23, 2017 10:25 AM

Me too (187) Me too Me too (187) Me too Reply Question marked as Top-ranking reply User level: Level 10 114,743 points

Posted on Mar 23, 2017 2:04 PM

Here are some PDF/A, and PDF/X output solutions for macOS Sierra:

LibreOffice Writer
- Export to PDF provides PDF/A-1a option
- Does not use Apple PDFKit
- Open existing single, or multipage PDF, edit, and export as:
  - PDF/X-1a
  - PDF/X-3
  - PDF/X-4
  - Open existing PDF
  - PDF Preflight Verifier PDF v1.3, v1.4, v1.5, X-1a, X-3, X-4
  - PDF Save As: PDF v1.3, v1.4, v1.5, X-1a, X-3, X4, Postscript
  - Crop, bleed, registration marks, and color bar options.
  - Uses Scribus PDF Library
  Apple's Preview is based on PDFKit, which is still mired in the PDF v1.3 specification. Open PDF/A-1a, and PDF/X standard documents in Preview, and 1) it will display them, but is completely ignorant of these standards requiring newer v1.4 or later PDF specs, and 2) will autosave any annotations, overwriting these documents with PDF v1.3 - thus damaging their standards functionality.
  
  Strictly use Adobe Acrobat Reader DC for best PDF/A, and PDF/X standard viewing. Acrobat Reader will present a pale blue banner for a PDF/A standard document, and a thin, red display border around X/3 documents. Its properties custom tab will not show the PDF/A version, but will for PDF/X series PDF.