Request for API to default any PDF to be inserted as a printout in OneNote rather than it be an attachment

Question

Hello,

I'm trying to insert a PDF with 406 pages into OneNote, but comes up as a attachment by default. I understand one can manually right click and insert etc.

Could you please share the API to default any PDF to be inserted as a printout in OneNote rather than it be an attachment irrespective of the size/content of the PDF and if the user is on desktop/web version of OneNote.

Thank you.

Answer 1

Please take a look at this document, is this helpful in what you are looking to do

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/office/client-developer/onenote/application-interface-onenote

Answer 2

Hi Shannah,

Thank you for your response.

I'm in fact pulling the PDF into OneNote from SharePoint folder. I do not want the file icon to showcase on OneNote. My requirement is for the PDF to be displayed as a printout in OneNote and hence the request for an API. (pink in the image below)

We already have this functionality built in our power app and it works ok for PDFs of smaller size/less pictorial content, but for PDFs that are larger, OneNote shows a 'sync error' when we trigger a flow from power app. When we try to drag and drop the PDF manually into OneNote it is displayed as an icon, both of which we do not want.

I can understand we can manually select the 'insert as a printout' option, but we want the power app to select 'insert printout' option as a default irrespective of the size of the file. Hence the request for the API.

Is this something you can help me with please?

Answer 3

Hi PreetiRaj,

Thank you for contacting us today! As a Microsoft Ambassador, I can help you find self-help solutions for many common issues related to your account, billings or subscriptions.

Based on my test, when we send a document or PDF to OneNote or OneNote for windows, the content is added as an image and the document icon will not appear on a OneNote page.

The way you mentioned, “It used to (in 2019) both inserted the file as well as displayed as printout”, what you are saying might be possible in the older version may be in 2019 but currently, in both OneNote and OneNote for windows , the content is pasted as an image without the doc icon. The same thing is mentioned in the support article, here’s the link for your reference: Send documents and files to OneNote for Windows 10

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/send-documents-and-files-to-onenote-for-windows-10-2e6b3ce8-3172-43b5-bb45-deee8ab3dee2

Let’s say I have a Word document, and in the doc, I click File>Print and select OneNote or OneNote (desktop) in the Printer drop-down and then click Print, the page is printed as an image in OneNote page without any doc icon.

I understand your predicament, but for now the only way to insert printout with the icon is to click File Printout from the Insert ribbon and then attach the file. As the method you mentioned is not available now, we will request you consider sending the feedback to the Product Team by using the feedback took right from the OneNote application itself, click File> Feedback (in OneNote for Windows 10, click Settings and More>Settings>Feedback). This is the quickest route to get your comments to the developers’ ears, this will have more impact as the feedback is coming directly from the customer.

Reference: How do I give feedback on Microsoft Office?

https://support.office.com/en-us/article/how-do-i-give-feedback-on-microsoft-office-2b102d44-b43f-4dd2-9ff4-23cf144cfb11

We appreciate your understanding and co-operation.

I hope this was helpful and again feel free to contact me with any other questions. I would be very thankful if you could leave a review :)!

Thanks, Shannah