Publisher to PDF script erro

Question

Publisher to PDF script erro

Melissa 25

How do I fix this error when trying to convert all Publisher files to pdf?

.\Convert-PubFileToPDF.ps1 : The term '.\Convert-PubFileToPDF.ps1' is not recognized as the name of a cmdlet,

function, script file, or operable program. Check the spelling of the name, or if a path was included, verify that the

path is correct and try again.

At line:1 char:1

.\Convert-PubFileToPDF.ps1 -Filter "C:\PublisherFiles*.pub" -Recurse


    + CategoryInfo          : ObjectNotFound: (.\Convert-PubFileToPDF.ps1:String) [], CommandNotFoundException

    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : CommandNotFoundException

0 comments

Answer accepted by question author

Marcin Policht 109.8K MVP Volunteer Moderator

That error is occurring before the script runs. PowerShell cannot find Convert-PubFileToPDF.ps1 in your current directory.

First, check where PowerShell is currently looking:

Get-Location

Then check whether the script is actually in that folder:

Test-Path .\Convert-PubFileToPDF.ps1

If that returns False, change to the folder containing the script. For example, if you saved it in C:\Scripts:

Set-Location C:\Scripts

Then verify:

Test-Path .\Convert-PubFileToPDF.ps1

It should return True. You can then run:

.\Convert-PubFileToPDF.ps1 -Filter "C:\PublisherFiles*.pub" -Recurse

Alternatively, specify the complete path to the script without changing directories:

C:\Scripts\Convert-PubFileToPDF.ps1 -Filter "C:\PublisherFiles*.pub" -Recurse

If the script is downloaded from the Internet and Windows has blocked it, you may also need:

Unblock-File C:\Scripts\Convert-PubFileToPDF.ps1

Then run it again.

One other possibility is that the file was saved with a different extension, such as Convert-PubFileToPDF.ps1.txt. Check with:

Get-ChildItem C:\Scripts\Convert-PubFileToPDF*

If the above response helps answer your question, remember to "Accept Answer" so that others in the community facing similar issues can easily find the solution. Your contribution is highly appreciated.

hth

Marcin

Dennis Ward 0 Reputation points

2026-09-22T16:03:24.3+00:00

What the heck is a PowerShell? I just need to convert my thousands of Publisher files to PDF. I am not THAT computer-literate. There must be a simpler way to do a mass conversion.
Melissa 25 Reputation points

2026-09-22T16:05:50.36+00:00

I have never used PowerShell before so I have no knowledge of how this works. I think you are correct that PowerShell can not find the script Convert-PubFileToPDF.ps1. How do I save that script to the correct directory? I have moved the Publisher Files to a specific folder (C:\PublisherFiles) but I have not done anything with the script other than type it into PowerShell.
Marcin Policht 109.8K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator

2026-09-22T18:25:04.22+00:00

You'd need to first download the script from https://download.microsoft.com/download/3e67cd40-2334-4c46-a0c9-30bd43eebb3c/Convert-PubFileToPDF.ps1

By default, the script will be stored in your Download folder - in the C:\Users<your-username>\Downloads\Convert-PubFileToPDF.ps1 (where <your-username> is the name of the user account you use to sign into Windows.

Open File Explorer and go to Downloads.

Find Convert-PubFileToPDF.ps1

Right-click it → Cut.

Go to C:\PublisherFiles

Right-click in the folder → Paste.

You should now have C:\PublisherFiles\Convert-PubFileToPDF.ps1 along with your .pub files.

Click Start and type PowerShell

This will open Windows PowerShell.

At the PowerShell prompt, type this and press Enter:

cd C:\PublisherFiles

Your PowerShell prompt should now look like PS C:\PublisherFiles>

Because the script came from the Internet, run

Unblock-File .\Convert-PubFileToPDF.ps1

This does not execute the script. It simply removes Windows' downloaded-file blocking flag.

Now enter:

.\Convert-PubFileToPDF.ps1 -Filter "C:\PublisherFiles\*.pub" -Recurse

The .\ means "run the script located in my current folder."

The -Filter portion tells the script which Publisher files to process, and -Recurse tells it to also look inside subfolders.

If the above response helps answer your question, remember to "Accept Answer" so that others in the community facing similar issues can easily find the solution. Your contribution is highly appreciated.

hth

Marcin
Melissa 25 Reputation points

2026-09-22T19:15:19.3833333+00:00

Marcin, thank you so much for your detailed instructions! I am fumbling over here as someone who has never used PowerShell or Publisher (trying to help colleagues). I was able to follow your steps and got further than I had before. However, I have discovered that running scripts is disabled on my system. Now off to figure out how to enable that. I do appreciate you taking the time to give these steps and explain everything so well.
Marcin Policht 109.8K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator

2026-09-22T20:33:04.0933333+00:00

You're at the right point. The script itself is now being found - the remaining issue is PowerShell's execution policy. For this particular task, you don't necessarily need to change the system-wide policy. A safer approach is to allow the script for just the current PowerShell session:

Set-ExecutionPolicy -Scope Process -ExecutionPolicy Bypass

Then run the conversion command again:

.\Convert-PubFileToPDF.ps1 -Filter "C:\PublisherFiles*.pub" -Recurse

The Process scope means the change applies only to the current PowerShell window. When you close that PowerShell window, the setting goes away.

If the above response helps answer your question, remember to "Accept Answer" so that others in the community facing similar issues can easily find the solution. Your contribution is highly appreciated.

hth

Marcin
Melissa 25 Reputation points

2026-09-22T20:56:29.0033333+00:00

Marcin, you have been more help than Google, AI and my IT department combined! Thank you so much for all the guidance. The script is currently running and converting 100s of files as I type this. You are the BEST!!!

2 additional answers

Your answer

Dennis Ward 0 Reputation points

2026-09-22T16:03:24.3+00:00

What the heck is a PowerShell? I just need to convert my thousands of Publisher files to PDF. I am not THAT computer-literate. There must be a simpler way to do a mass conversion.
Melissa 25 Reputation points

2026-09-22T16:05:50.36+00:00

I have never used PowerShell before so I have no knowledge of how this works. I think you are correct that PowerShell can not find the script Convert-PubFileToPDF.ps1. How do I save that script to the correct directory? I have moved the Publisher Files to a specific folder (C:\PublisherFiles) but I have not done anything with the script other than type it into PowerShell.
Marcin Policht 109.8K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator

2026-09-22T18:25:04.22+00:00

You'd need to first download the script from https://download.microsoft.com/download/3e67cd40-2334-4c46-a0c9-30bd43eebb3c/Convert-PubFileToPDF.ps1

By default, the script will be stored in your Download folder - in the C:\Users<your-username>\Downloads\Convert-PubFileToPDF.ps1 (where <your-username> is the name of the user account you use to sign into Windows.

Open File Explorer and go to Downloads.

Find Convert-PubFileToPDF.ps1

Right-click it → Cut.

Go to C:\PublisherFiles

Right-click in the folder → Paste.

You should now have C:\PublisherFiles\Convert-PubFileToPDF.ps1 along with your .pub files.

Click Start and type PowerShell

This will open Windows PowerShell.

At the PowerShell prompt, type this and press Enter:

cd C:\PublisherFiles

Your PowerShell prompt should now look like PS C:\PublisherFiles>

Because the script came from the Internet, run

Unblock-File .\Convert-PubFileToPDF.ps1

This does not execute the script. It simply removes Windows' downloaded-file blocking flag.

Now enter:

.\Convert-PubFileToPDF.ps1 -Filter "C:\PublisherFiles\*.pub" -Recurse

The .\ means "run the script located in my current folder."

The -Filter portion tells the script which Publisher files to process, and -Recurse tells it to also look inside subfolders.

If the above response helps answer your question, remember to "Accept Answer" so that others in the community facing similar issues can easily find the solution. Your contribution is highly appreciated.

hth

Marcin
Melissa 25 Reputation points

2026-09-22T19:15:19.3833333+00:00

Marcin, thank you so much for your detailed instructions! I am fumbling over here as someone who has never used PowerShell or Publisher (trying to help colleagues). I was able to follow your steps and got further than I had before. However, I have discovered that running scripts is disabled on my system. Now off to figure out how to enable that. I do appreciate you taking the time to give these steps and explain everything so well.
Marcin Policht 109.8K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator

2026-09-22T20:33:04.0933333+00:00

You're at the right point. The script itself is now being found - the remaining issue is PowerShell's execution policy. For this particular task, you don't necessarily need to change the system-wide policy. A safer approach is to allow the script for just the current PowerShell session:

Set-ExecutionPolicy -Scope Process -ExecutionPolicy Bypass

Then run the conversion command again:

.\Convert-PubFileToPDF.ps1 -Filter "C:\PublisherFiles*.pub" -Recurse

The Process scope means the change applies only to the current PowerShell window. When you close that PowerShell window, the setting goes away.

If the above response helps answer your question, remember to "Accept Answer" so that others in the community facing similar issues can easily find the solution. Your contribution is highly appreciated.

hth

Marcin
Melissa 25 Reputation points

2026-09-22T20:56:29.0033333+00:00

Marcin, you have been more help than Google, AI and my IT department combined! Thank you so much for all the guidance. The script is currently running and converting 100s of files as I type this. You are the BEST!!!

Answer 1

Senthil kumar 2,580

Hi @Melissa

Can you please try with powershell. in the same command prompt type 'powershell' it will changed to powershell command prompt. from there you can try it will work.

Thanks.

Melissa 25 Reputation points

2026-09-22T15:42:39.06+00:00

I am not sure what you mean.

This is the command I am currently using - .\Convert-PubFileToPDF.ps1 -Filter "C:\PublisherFiles*.pub" -Recurse

Where do I add 'powershell'?
Senthil kumar 2,580 Reputation points

2026-09-22T16:41:59.6266667+00:00

In the command prompt just type PowerShell it will switch to PowerShell
Melissa 25 Reputation points

2026-09-22T16:53:03.0166667+00:00

I am running PowerShell as administrator and using '.\Convert-PubFileToPDF.ps1 -Filter "C:\PublisherFiles*.pub" -Recurse' as the command. The error above is the result.
Senthil kumar 2,580 Reputation points

2026-09-22T17:10:30.61+00:00

If possible to share screenshot
Melissa 25 Reputation points

2026-09-22T17:19:04.4933333+00:00
Senthil kumar 2,580 Reputation points

2026-09-23T04:46:14.4466667+00:00
Change your directory name :

cd "C:\Yourdirectoryname"

after that confirm your file list.

Get-ChildItem

run your script

.\Convert-PubFileToPDF.ps1 -Filter "C:\PublisherFiles\*.pub" -Recurse

If you get a “running scripts is disabled” message, run:

Set-ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned -Scope CurrentUser

Thanks.

Answer 2

CommandNotFoundException means PowerShell cannot find .Convert-PubFileToPDF.ps1 at the path being used.

Try this:

Verify the script file actually exists in the current folder.
- .Convert-PubFileToPDF.ps1 only works when the script is in the current working directory.
- Check the current directory path with:
```
     Convert-Path .
```
If the script is in a different folder, run it by full path instead of .Convert-PubFileToPDF.ps1.
- Example pattern:
```
     C:\Path\To\Convert-PubFileToPDF.ps1 -Filter "C:\PublisherFiles\*.pub" -Recurse
```
If the path contains characters that should be treated literally, use the exact script path.
- PowerShell cmdlets such as Publish-Script distinguish between -Path and -LiteralPath; -LiteralPath does not support wildcards. This is useful when working with exact paths.
Confirm the script name is spelled exactly right, including the .ps1 extension.
If the script was downloaded for bulk conversion, make sure it was downloaded to the machine before running it. The bulk conversion guidance requires downloading the sample script, then running it against the files or directories needed.

For the Publisher bulk conversion scenario, the documented usage pattern is:

Convert-PubFileToPDF.ps1 -Filter "C:\Documents\*.pub" -Recurse

That command assumes the script file is already present in the location from which PowerShell is being run.