PDF/A error
PDF/A error: embedded files are not allowed in PDF/A-1
PDF/A-1 forbids file attachments. Which parts allow them, and what to do with a document that has one.
PDF/A-1 does not permit embedded files, because an attachment in an arbitrary format has no guarantee of being readable in the future — the archival promise would stop at the container. Remove the attachment, or target PDF/A-3, which was created specifically to allow it.
ISO 19005-1 clause 6.1File structure
The File structure check group covers 6.1.x — file header, trailer, xref, object framing, limits. The exact sub-clause is reported on the issue itself when the validator raises it.
What causes it
- A file attachment added deliberately — source data, a spreadsheet, an XML invoice.
- An e-invoicing workflow producing a hybrid document, which requires PDF/A-3 rather than PDF/A-1.
- An attachment inherited from a source document and carried through a merge unnoticed.
How to fix it
- Remove the embedded files and archive them alongside the PDF, if the attachment is not part of the document's meaning.
- Target PDF/A-3, which permits embedded files of any format. Note that gopdfrab does not implement PDF/A-3 — use veraPDF to validate that claim.
- Convert to PDF/A-1b with gopdfrab only if losing the attachment is acceptable; it is not something conversion can preserve.
Frequently asked
PDF/A-2 allows embedded files, does it not?
PDF/A-2 allows embedding other PDF/A files. PDF/A-3 is the part that allows files of any format, which is what an e-invoice needs.
I need this for ZUGFeRD or Factur-X. What do I target?
PDF/A-3. The e-invoicing guide covers what the container has to carry, and is explicit that gopdfrab does not implement that part yet.
Check your own document
The validator runs the same engine in your browser and names every failing check. The file is never uploaded.