convert Multiple PDF to multiple multi-page TIFF
convert Multiple PDF to multiple multi-page TIFF
GC, by the way, is the most useful image utility in the world! Here's my problem, and I've tried everything to get it to work, so I hope I haven't overlooked anything simple. I've resorted to using an AppleScript and I'm headed to the office now to see if it worked. I want to convert 950 multi-page PDF files into 950 multi-page TIFF files. These PDF files are scanned pages that were supposed to be saved in TIFF format. (I'll be quite the hero at work if I can do this - and I already told them I could. GC's ability to read PDF files came just in the nick of time for me.) I tried the batch "convert..." with "save as multi-page TIFF" but it puts -all- the PDF files into one single TIFF. (I also have to convert the PDF into 1-bit. Even though the PDFs are small files - they are (or appear to be) 1-bit images and the exisitng PDF files are about the same size as the resulting compressed TIFFs - they open up as millions of colors...) My second try was to convert all the individual PDF pages into individual TIFF files, then use an AppleScript to reassemble the parts (using the 'concat TIFF' AppleScript command (thanks!)). Problem with that was, I believe, a maintenance-related power outage at the office (saturday) and several errors reading the PDF files. I did have about 2500 pages which I reassembled with my script. Next option was an AppleScript to open the PDF, convert window 1 to bitmap, re-save to same file as TIFF, go to page 2, convert to bitmap, save to exisiting file, go to page 3, etc. Problem with this was that when you saved page 1 back to the file as TIFF, the remaining pages were still in millions of colors so the remaining pages weren't compressed and the file was huge 90+ MB. The file would ultimately get smaller with each page save until the final file was normal size. But the save was so slow that my script timed out on my PowerBook g3 (hopefully it worked on my G4 500 at work). I wanted to open page 1, save it as a new TIFF, open page 2, concat it to the new TIFF, open 3, concat it, etc. but I kept getting an error (GC error -1 ?) when I tried that. I could only save it to the original file. I also noticed that the Mac OS Preview app can save a PDF file as a multi-page TIFF, but it doesn't have the CCITT 4 compression, so I would still have to use GC to convert the Preview-created multi-page TIFF into a CCITT 4 compressed multi-page TIFF. And Preview isn't scriptable anyway. If I manually open a PDF file or a multi-page TIFF is there anyway to save it as a multi-page TIFF (perhaps to change the compression settings)? When I 'save as' I don't get the multi- page option. I couldn't find a 'concat' menu item, is it only available via AppleScript? (Maybe I'll actually have to buy the book.) I've only been messing with this problem since Friday night (it's Sunday morning now). And it's my first attempt at scripting GC. I know there's probably a better solution so I'll just keep thinking. I guess all my babblng is really a feature request (or help finding an exisitng feature I overlooked) - converting many multi-page files into many multi-page TIFF files. I'll be happy to share my AppleScripts if anyone is interested.
Re: Solved: convert Multiple PDF to multiple multi-page TIFF
OK, so I shelled out $10 for the Manual. Problem solved. I discovered the "Auto Convert" feature. When I drop the multiple PDF files into my watched folder, they are each converted into individual multi-page TIFF files. Exactly what I was looking for. Wish I had known that info Friday night so I wouldn't have had to spend 8+ hours of my weekend wrestling with AppleScript, etc.... But the files are all divided among 4 folders, so I'm not sure I could drop the folders into my watched folder and GC would convert them while retaining their folder structure. That's where the 'convert' feature is handy - it keeps everything in their folder structure. (And the auto-convert deletes the files..., whereas 'convert' doesn't). --- In graphicconverterforum@yahoogroups.com, "Charles" <yelocab67@y...> wrote: > GC, by the way, is the most useful image utility in the world! > > Here's my problem, and I've tried everything to get it to work, so I > hope I haven't overlooked anything simple. I've resorted to using > an AppleScript and I'm headed to the office now to see if it > worked. > > I want to convert 950 multi-page PDF files into 950 multi-page > TIFF files. These PDF files are scanned pages that were > supposed to be saved in TIFF format. (I'll be quite the hero at > work if I can do this - and I already told them I could. GC's ability > to read PDF files came just in the nick of time for me.) > > I tried the batch "convert..." with "save as multi-page TIFF" but it > puts -all- the PDF files into one single TIFF. (I also have to > convert the PDF into 1-bit. Even though the PDFs are small files - > they are (or appear to be) 1-bit images and the exisitng PDF files > are about the same size as the resulting compressed TIFFs - > they open up as millions of colors...) > > My second try was to convert all the individual PDF pages into > individual TIFF files, then use an AppleScript to reassemble the > parts (using the 'concat TIFF' AppleScript command (thanks!)). > > Problem with that was, I believe, a maintenance-related power > outage at the office (saturday) and several errors reading the > PDF files. I did have about 2500 pages which I reassembled > with my script. > > Next option was an AppleScript to open the PDF, convert window > 1 to bitmap, re-save to same file as TIFF, go to page 2, convert to > bitmap, save to exisiting file, go to page 3, etc. > > Problem with this was that when you saved page 1 back to the > file as TIFF, the remaining pages were still in millions of colors > so the remaining pages weren't compressed and the file was > huge 90+ MB. The file would ultimately get smaller with each > page save until the final file was normal size. But the save was > so slow that my script timed out on my PowerBook g3 (hopefully > it worked on my G4 500 at work). > > I wanted to open page 1, save it as a new TIFF, open page 2, > concat it to the new TIFF, open 3, concat it, etc. but I kept getting > an error (GC error -1 ?) when I tried that. I could only save it to > the original file. > > I also noticed that the Mac OS Preview app can save a PDF file > as a multi-page TIFF, but it doesn't have the CCITT 4 > compression, so I would still have to use GC to convert the > Preview-created multi-page TIFF into a CCITT 4 compressed > multi-page TIFF. And Preview isn't scriptable anyway. > > If I manually open a PDF file or a multi-page TIFF is there anyway > to save it as a multi-page TIFF (perhaps to change the > compression settings)? When I 'save as' I don't get the multi- > page option. I couldn't find a 'concat' menu item, is it only > available via AppleScript? (Maybe I'll actually have to buy the > book.) > > I've only been messing with this problem since Friday night (it's > Sunday morning now). And it's my first attempt at scripting GC. > > I know there's probably a better solution so I'll just keep thinking. > I guess all my babblng is really a feature request (or help finding > an exisitng feature I overlooked) - converting many multi-page > files into many multi-page TIFF files. > > I'll be happy to share my AppleScripts if anyone is interested.