Peter MELLALIEU
Original Poster
Nov 10, 2020

Download pdf in Google Docs intersperses blank pages with footer at top with A4 page size

I have an A4 document created several months ago with header and footers. I updated the document today then used File/Download pdf to create a well-linked pdf. HOWEVER, the footer does not fit on the page. The footer is postponed to the top of an additional blank page, inserted after every page.

The same happens to another document I resumed editing yesterday.

If I Print to pdf I don't have a problem. BUT not all URLS are live, which is why I use Download Pdf.

I'll report my failed attempts at resolution below.

A simple way to replicate the fault
What I have found is that SUDDENLY as in somewhere between June and November 2020 'something happened' to Download pdf when A4 page sizes are used.

For example,
  1. I created a new document using the Google Template REPORT TITLE. Page size is Letter.
  2. I made no changes to the document.
  3. I Download as PDF. Result All is correct.
  4. I adjust page size to A4. RESULT - Successful failure! download as PDF an extra blank page is added.
  5. I adjust page size back to the original Letter. Result download as PDF is correct.

Attempts at resolution
With my original A4 document, and a copy, I have tried, unsuccessfully
  1. Flip-flop between Print View mode and non-print view mode
  2. Adjusting margins.
  3. Setting margins to zero
  4. Resetting Chrome in Advanced Settings
  5. Copy and paste the document into a new A4 document, my default
  6. Removing footers and headers
  7. Changing the page size to Letter
  8. Adjusting and saving header and footer settings in the Print script.
  9. ... And various combinations of the above.

I am about to try
Download as Word
Reuploading from Word
Opening in Pages.. and carrying on from there!
Details
Docs,Mac OS,Education
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Recommended Answer
Pri S.
Community Manager
Nov 11, 2020
Hi all, 

Our engineers have corrected the issue, and blank pages should no longer be automatically added when downloading documents as PDFs.

If you're still experiencing this exact problem, please let us know what you're still seeing. For any other issues, please open a new thread. 

Thanks again for your patience!
Last edited Nov 11, 2020
Community Manager Pri S. recommended this
Helpful?
All Replies (54)
Laura Mangoni
Nov 10, 2020
Having same problem using google drive api.
ASC GIS
Nov 10, 2020
Also having this issue when exporting to PDF, whether using the user interface or Google Apps Script.  Everything is exporting to Letter size paper, regardless of the page setup.
Google user
Nov 10, 2020
Seems the problem only exist for A4 size documents. It gets converted to Letter when exporting as PDF. Try setting paper size to Letter and experiment with the margins to keep your "viewport" intact. Google should  fix this bug asap.
Carlo Ramponi
Nov 10, 2020
Same problem here.
Print to PDF does not solve the issue...
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