RE: Automating the import of multi-page PDFs
Quite so, Richard, and no offense. I think the manual process you described yesterday with the anchored frame and the multiple copies would get the job done well, especially for docs that are usually no more than a few dozen pages. I only meant that I've never found a tool that would automate the process of taking a PDF of multiple pages and bringing those pages into FM. Your advice is good, and I agree that splitting is superfluous for the process you describe. Jim -Original Message- From: Combs, Richard [mailto:richard.co...@polycom.com] Sent: Monday, January 26, 2009 5:16 PM To: Pinkham, Jim Cc: framers@lists.frameusers.com Subject: RE: Automating the import of multi-page PDFs Pinkham, Jim wrote: As for the direct import issue, I went back and searched the archives and found the discussion in October 2006, but couldn't find a definitive answer to the direct import of multiple-page PDFs into Frame. You suggested the alternative approach of the RTF for the text at that point, too, along with a second trip through with a PNG export to take care of the graphics. This makes sense, and long term, I agree it's better to have content you can edit and reuse than to have it constrained in PDFs. I believe Chris said the report pages must look _exactly_ like they do in the PDF, so editing isn't really relevant for his problem, and reformatting RTF to replicate what already exists seems like needless extra work. Maybe I'm confused about what you mean by a definitive answer to the direct import of multiple-page PDFs into Frame. I like to think my earlier post provided a fairly definitive answer -- I've done it numerous times, and it works great. :-) A quick search (http://www.google.com/search?hl=enfkt=3213fsdt=46573q=import+(multip age+OR+multi-page+OR+multiple+page)+PDFs+into+(FM+OR+Framemaker)btnG=Go ogle+Searchaq=ooq=) suggests there are tools out there that will split up a PDF into individual pages (see, for instance, the splitter and merger tools on Planet PDF), but I didn't find a batch import tool in the same quick glance. Splitting up a multi-page PDF serves no useful purpose in this context. For the manual (but fast) process I described earlier, it would be counterproductive, since it would require the extra step of browsing to a different file for each import operation -- much more time-consuming than simply typing a page number. And I can't imagine a script- or macro-based process where separate files would be an advantage, either. It's my opinion and it's very true. Richard Richard G. Combs Senior Technical Writer Polycom, Inc. richardDOTcombs AT polycomDOTcom 303-223-5111 -- rgcombs AT gmailDOTcom 303-777-0436 -- ___ You are currently subscribed to Framers as arch...@mail-archive.com. Send list messages to fram...@lists.frameusers.com. To unsubscribe send a blank email to framers-unsubscr...@lists.frameusers.com or visit http://lists.frameusers.com/mailman/options/framers/archive%40mail-archive.com Send administrative questions to listad...@frameusers.com. Visit http://www.frameusers.com/ for more resources and info.
Re: Automating the import of multi-page PDFs
Unless there's a gotcha that you didn't mention, the easiest route would be to SaveAs in Acrobat (or any of several third-party programs) to create an RTF file. Then open the RTF files in Frame, wash out any hidden characters by saving as MIF and reopening those files, and then apply the FM look-alike template and go on... Although you may be able to open the original Word Perfect files in Frame, that import filter isn't as robust, in my opinion. Art Art Campbell art.campb...@gmail.com ... In my opinion, there's nothing in this world beats a '52 Vincent and a redheaded girl. -- Richard Thompson No disclaimers apply. DoD 358 On Mon, Jan 26, 2009 at 4:29 PM, Christopher Seal cs...@sympatico.cawrote: A project requires that FM is used to publish a collection of reports that were created in WordPerfect. The reports in the collection must look like the original reports - this is a condition. I can either copy text from the WordPerfect file and paste into the FM document (then format), or I can import sequential pages from the PDF version of each report. The report collection will be published as PDF. As there are hundreds of PDF pages to be imported (if I go that route), I was wondering if there is an automated method of doing this. Any suggestions would be welcome. I am using FM7.2/WP11 ___ You are currently subscribed to Framers as art.campb...@gmail.com. Send list messages to fram...@lists.frameusers.com. To unsubscribe send a blank email to framers-unsubscr...@lists.frameusers.com or visit http://lists.frameusers.com/mailman/options/framers/art.campbell%40gmail.com Send administrative questions to listad...@frameusers.com. Visit http://www.frameusers.com/ for more resources and info. ___ You are currently subscribed to Framers as arch...@mail-archive.com. Send list messages to fram...@lists.frameusers.com. To unsubscribe send a blank email to framers-unsubscr...@lists.frameusers.com or visit http://lists.frameusers.com/mailman/options/framers/archive%40mail-archive.com Send administrative questions to listad...@frameusers.com. Visit http://www.frameusers.com/ for more resources and info.
RE: Automating the import of multi-page PDFs
Yes, but I think that's a workaround, Art, and not the exact solution Christopher is asking for. I recall considering an approach a year or two back where I would have imported some of our subsupplier brochures, MSDSs, Product Data Sheets, catalogs, etc. in their full-color, graphically rich PDFs into FM (to facilitate indexing, bookmarking, pagination, etc.) had there been a feasible way to do so. I believe someone on the list suggested there is a plug-in out there that will either a) directly allow multi-page PDF import all at once or b) automatically split a PDF into all of its component pages for easier import. If memory still serves, the cost of the tool wasn't worth it for our needs, but that's not to say it wouldn't be for someone else. Anyone recall such a tool? Jim -Original Message- From: framers-boun...@lists.frameusers.com [mailto:framers-boun...@lists.frameusers.com] On Behalf Of Art Campbell Sent: Monday, January 26, 2009 3:42 PM To: Christopher Seal Cc: framers@lists.frameusers.com Subject: Re: Automating the import of multi-page PDFs Unless there's a gotcha that you didn't mention, the easiest route would be to SaveAs in Acrobat (or any of several third-party programs) to create an RTF file. Then open the RTF files in Frame, wash out any hidden characters by saving as MIF and reopening those files, and then apply the FM look-alike template and go on... Although you may be able to open the original Word Perfect files in Frame, that import filter isn't as robust, in my opinion. Art Art Campbell art.campb...@gmail.com ... In my opinion, there's nothing in this world beats a '52 Vincent and a redheaded girl. -- Richard Thompson No disclaimers apply. DoD 358 On Mon, Jan 26, 2009 at 4:29 PM, Christopher Seal cs...@sympatico.cawrote: A project requires that FM is used to publish a collection of reports that were created in WordPerfect. The reports in the collection must look like the original reports - this is a condition. I can either copy text from the WordPerfect file and paste into the FM document (then format), or I can import sequential pages from the PDF version of each report. The report collection will be published as PDF. As there are hundreds of PDF pages to be imported (if I go that route), I was wondering if there is an automated method of doing this. Any suggestions would be welcome. I am using FM7.2/WP11 ___ You are currently subscribed to Framers as art.campb...@gmail.com. Send list messages to fram...@lists.frameusers.com. To unsubscribe send a blank email to framers-unsubscr...@lists.frameusers.com or visit http://lists.frameusers.com/mailman/options/framers/art.campbell%40gma il.com Send administrative questions to listad...@frameusers.com. Visit http://www.frameusers.com/ for more resources and info. ___ You are currently subscribed to Framers as jim.pink...@voith.com. Send list messages to fram...@lists.frameusers.com. To unsubscribe send a blank email to framers-unsubscr...@lists.frameusers.com or visit http://lists.frameusers.com/mailman/options/framers/jim.pinkham%40voith. com Send administrative questions to listad...@frameusers.com. Visit http://www.frameusers.com/ for more resources and info. ___ You are currently subscribed to Framers as arch...@mail-archive.com. Send list messages to fram...@lists.frameusers.com. To unsubscribe send a blank email to framers-unsubscr...@lists.frameusers.com or visit http://lists.frameusers.com/mailman/options/framers/archive%40mail-archive.com Send administrative questions to listad...@frameusers.com. Visit http://www.frameusers.com/ for more resources and info.
Re: Automating the import of multi-page PDFs
Well, I'd disagree, slightly. I think the import-via-RTF fits under the umbrella of copying the original text and reformattting it, which was one of Christopher's original options. It just isn't copying it directly from the Word Perfect source. Putting a wrapper around a sequence of PDFs would work, but I'd always want to leave the door open to having to correct the originals or to roll them forward into a newer version in the years to come. So I'd opt for having editable text. Art Art Campbell art.campb...@gmail.com ... In my opinion, there's nothing in this world beats a '52 Vincent and a redheaded girl. -- Richard Thompson No disclaimers apply. DoD 358 On Mon, Jan 26, 2009 at 5:00 PM, Pinkham, Jim jim.pink...@voith.com wrote: Yes, but I think that's a workaround, Art, and not the exact solution Christopher is asking for. I recall considering an approach a year or two back where I would have imported some of our subsupplier brochures, MSDSs, Product Data Sheets, catalogs, etc. in their full-color, graphically rich PDFs into FM (to facilitate indexing, bookmarking, pagination, etc.) had there been a feasible way to do so. I believe someone on the list suggested there is a plug-in out there that will either a) directly allow multi-page PDF import all at once or b) automatically split a PDF into all of its component pages for easier import. If memory still serves, the cost of the tool wasn't worth it for our needs, but that's not to say it wouldn't be for someone else. Anyone recall such a tool? Jim -Original Message- From: framers-boun...@lists.frameusers.com [mailto:framers-boun...@lists.frameusers.com] On Behalf Of Art Campbell Sent: Monday, January 26, 2009 3:42 PM To: Christopher Seal Cc: framers@lists.frameusers.com Subject: Re: Automating the import of multi-page PDFs Unless there's a gotcha that you didn't mention, the easiest route would be to SaveAs in Acrobat (or any of several third-party programs) to create an RTF file. Then open the RTF files in Frame, wash out any hidden characters by saving as MIF and reopening those files, and then apply the FM look-alike template and go on... Although you may be able to open the original Word Perfect files in Frame, that import filter isn't as robust, in my opinion. Art Art Campbell art.campb...@gmail.com ... In my opinion, there's nothing in this world beats a '52 Vincent and a redheaded girl. -- Richard Thompson No disclaimers apply. DoD 358 On Mon, Jan 26, 2009 at 4:29 PM, Christopher Seal cs...@sympatico.cawrote: A project requires that FM is used to publish a collection of reports that were created in WordPerfect. The reports in the collection must look like the original reports - this is a condition. I can either copy text from the WordPerfect file and paste into the FM document (then format), or I can import sequential pages from the PDF version of each report. The report collection will be published as PDF. As there are hundreds of PDF pages to be imported (if I go that route), I was wondering if there is an automated method of doing this. Any suggestions would be welcome. I am using FM7.2/WP11 ___ You are currently subscribed to Framers as art.campb...@gmail.com. Send list messages to fram...@lists.frameusers.com. To unsubscribe send a blank email to framers-unsubscr...@lists.frameusers.com or visit http://lists.frameusers.com/mailman/options/framers/art.campbell%40gma il.com Send administrative questions to listad...@frameusers.com. Visit http://www.frameusers.com/ for more resources and info. ___ You are currently subscribed to Framers as jim.pink...@voith.com. Send list messages to fram...@lists.frameusers.com. To unsubscribe send a blank email to framers-unsubscr...@lists.frameusers.com or visit http://lists.frameusers.com/mailman/options/framers/jim.pinkham%40voith. com Send administrative questions to listad...@frameusers.com. Visit http://www.frameusers.com/ for more resources and info. ___ You are currently subscribed to Framers as arch...@mail-archive.com. Send list messages to fram...@lists.frameusers.com. To unsubscribe send a blank email to framers-unsubscr...@lists.frameusers.com or visit http://lists.frameusers.com/mailman/options/framers/archive%40mail-archive.com Send administrative questions to listad...@frameusers.com. Visit http://www.frameusers.com/ for more resources and info.
RE: Automating the import of multi-page PDFs
Christopher Seal wrote: I can either copy text from the WordPerfect file and paste into the FM document (then format), or I can import sequential pages from the PDF version of each report. The report collection will be published as PDF. As there are hundreds of PDF pages to be imported (if I go that route), I was wondering if there is an automated method of doing this. Any suggestions would be welcome. Well, I haven't done hundreds -- and might consider a FrameScript script for a project that size, especially if it were likely to come up again. But I've imported several 15-30 page PDFs, and it only took a few minutes each. My PDFs were sized so they fit correctly in the text frame of my FM body pages without any sizing/scaling. This simplifies things. Begin by creating a dedicated anchor pgf and putting the cursor in it. Then enter the keyboard shortcut for File Import File (Esc f i f) and select the multi-page PDF you want to import. The Select PDF Page dialog opens to the first page of the PDF, so just press Enter to select it. FM imports it into an anchored frame in the anchor pgf. Make sure the sizing and layout are correct. Now that you have the first PDF page in FM, select the anchor pgf containing that it and copy it. Then paste it into the flow as many times as there are pages in the PDF. All the copies, of course, display the first page of that PDF. Replace their contents with the subsequent PDF pages by doing the following: 1) Press Page Down. 2) Click the next PDF page to select it, and press Esc f i f. The Import dialog opens with the correct PDF already selected. 3) Press Enter. The Select PDF Page dialog opens to the first page of the PDF. 4) Press Tab to put the cursor in the page number field. 5) Type the next page number and press Enter to import that page. 6) Go back to (1) and repeat until done. It's no problem doing five or six repetitions of the above in a minute. The biggest risk is losing track of the page number and getting off by one, so you'd want to stop briefly every minute or two to double-check. Once you get into the rhythm of it -- and if you don't freak out from the immensely mind-numbing nature of the process -- I suspect you can do well over a hundred in an hour. :-) Richard Richard G. Combs Senior Technical Writer Polycom, Inc. richardDOTcombs AT polycomDOTcom 303-223-5111 -- rgcombs AT gmailDOTcom 303-777-0436 -- ___ You are currently subscribed to Framers as arch...@mail-archive.com. Send list messages to fram...@lists.frameusers.com. To unsubscribe send a blank email to framers-unsubscr...@lists.frameusers.com or visit http://lists.frameusers.com/mailman/options/framers/archive%40mail-archive.com Send administrative questions to listad...@frameusers.com. Visit http://www.frameusers.com/ for more resources and info.
RE: Automating the import of multi-page PDFs
If that is an option for Christopher, I'd certainly agree that this approach is a good one, Art. As for the direct import issue, I went back and searched the archives and found the discussion in October 2006, but couldn't find a definitive answer to the direct import of multiple-page PDFs into Frame. You suggested the alternative approach of the RTF for the text at that point, too, along with a second trip through with a PNG export to take care of the graphics. This makes sense, and long term, I agree it's better to have content you can edit and reuse than to have it constrained in PDFs. A quick search (http://www.google.com/search?hl=enfkt=3213fsdt=46573q=import+(multip age+OR+multi-page+OR+multiple+page)+PDFs+into+(FM+OR+Framemaker)btnG=Go ogle+Searchaq=ooq=) suggests there are tools out there that will split up a PDF into individual pages (see, for instance, the splitter and merger tools on Planet PDF), but I didn't find a batch import tool in the same quick glance. One other interesting-sounding tool on Planet PDF is PDF Fly, http://www.pdfstore.com/details.asp?ProdID=742. It sounds promising for getting graphics out of a PDF for putting into FM. Perhaps there's a user or two on the list who can enlighten us about its efficacy? Jim From: Art Campbell [mailto:art.campb...@gmail.com] Sent: Monday, January 26, 2009 4:24 PM To: Pinkham, Jim Cc: Christopher Seal; framers@lists.frameusers.com Subject: Re: Automating the import of multi-page PDFs Well, I'd disagree, slightly. I think the import-via-RTF fits under the umbrella of copying the original text and reformattting it, which was one of Christopher's original options. It just isn't copying it directly from the Word Perfect source. Putting a wrapper around a sequence of PDFs would work, but I'd always want to leave the door open to having to correct the originals or to roll them forward into a newer version in the years to come. So I'd opt for having editable text. Art Art Campbell art.campb...@gmail.com ... In my opinion, there's nothing in this world beats a '52 Vincent and a redheaded girl. -- Richard Thompson No disclaimers apply. DoD 358 On Mon, Jan 26, 2009 at 5:00 PM, Pinkham, Jim jim.pink...@voith.com wrote: Yes, but I think that's a workaround, Art, and not the exact solution Christopher is asking for. I recall considering an approach a year or two back where I would have imported some of our subsupplier brochures, MSDSs, Product Data Sheets, catalogs, etc. in their full-color, graphically rich PDFs into FM (to facilitate indexing, bookmarking, pagination, etc.) had there been a feasible way to do so. I believe someone on the list suggested there is a plug-in out there that will either a) directly allow multi-page PDF import all at once or b) automatically split a PDF into all of its component pages for easier import. If memory still serves, the cost of the tool wasn't worth it for our needs, but that's not to say it wouldn't be for someone else. Anyone recall such a tool? Jim -Original Message- From: framers-boun...@lists.frameusers.com [mailto:framers-boun...@lists.frameusers.com] On Behalf Of Art Campbell Sent: Monday, January 26, 2009 3:42 PM To: Christopher Seal Cc: framers@lists.frameusers.com Subject: Re: Automating the import of multi-page PDFs Unless there's a gotcha that you didn't mention, the easiest route would be to SaveAs in Acrobat (or any of several third-party programs) to create an RTF file. Then open the RTF files in Frame, wash out any hidden characters by saving as MIF and reopening those files, and then apply the FM look-alike template and go on... Although you may be able to open the original Word Perfect files in Frame, that import filter isn't as robust, in my opinion. Art Art Campbell art.campb...@gmail.com ... In my opinion, there's nothing in this world beats a '52 Vincent and a redheaded girl. -- Richard Thompson No disclaimers apply. DoD 358 On Mon, Jan 26, 2009 at 4:29 PM, Christopher Seal cs...@sympatico.cawrote: A project requires that FM is used to publish a collection of reports that were created in WordPerfect. The reports in the collection must look like the original reports - this is a condition. I can either copy text from the WordPerfect file and paste into the FM
RE: Automating the import of multi-page PDFs
Pinkham, Jim wrote: As for the direct import issue, I went back and searched the archives and found the discussion in October 2006, but couldn't find a definitive answer to the direct import of multiple-page PDFs into Frame. You suggested the alternative approach of the RTF for the text at that point, too, along with a second trip through with a PNG export to take care of the graphics. This makes sense, and long term, I agree it's better to have content you can edit and reuse than to have it constrained in PDFs. I believe Chris said the report pages must look _exactly_ like they do in the PDF, so editing isn't really relevant for his problem, and reformatting RTF to replicate what already exists seems like needless extra work. Maybe I'm confused about what you mean by a definitive answer to the direct import of multiple-page PDFs into Frame. I like to think my earlier post provided a fairly definitive answer -- I've done it numerous times, and it works great. :-) A quick search (http://www.google.com/search?hl=enfkt=3213fsdt=46573q=import+(multip age+OR+multi-page+OR+multiple+page)+PDFs+into+(FM+OR+Framemaker)btnG=Go ogle+Searchaq=ooq=) suggests there are tools out there that will split up a PDF into individual pages (see, for instance, the splitter and merger tools on Planet PDF), but I didn't find a batch import tool in the same quick glance. Splitting up a multi-page PDF serves no useful purpose in this context. For the manual (but fast) process I described earlier, it would be counterproductive, since it would require the extra step of browsing to a different file for each import operation -- much more time-consuming than simply typing a page number. And I can't imagine a script- or macro-based process where separate files would be an advantage, either. It's my opinion and it's very true. Richard Richard G. Combs Senior Technical Writer Polycom, Inc. richardDOTcombs AT polycomDOTcom 303-223-5111 -- rgcombs AT gmailDOTcom 303-777-0436 -- ___ You are currently subscribed to Framers as arch...@mail-archive.com. Send list messages to fram...@lists.frameusers.com. To unsubscribe send a blank email to framers-unsubscr...@lists.frameusers.com or visit http://lists.frameusers.com/mailman/options/framers/archive%40mail-archive.com Send administrative questions to listad...@frameusers.com. Visit http://www.frameusers.com/ for more resources and info.
RE: Automating the import of multi-page PDFs
Wow. Quick response! I've read the responses, and obviously I have to clarify a few things. Note: This is a short contract in which I have already finished several collections that were started by others, and in which the FM book had been set up, and individual documents had been text filled and partially formatted. I now have to start on the next and final collection from scratch, and that is why I am investigating other methods. It seems to me that the previous writers had copied text from the WP original and pasted it into the FM document. The clue is that sometimes the last character or word missing from a paragraph, as if the mouse slipped during the selection. By the way, the collections end up being around 700 pages each, and there is an English version and a separate French version of each collection. 1. The final document that contains the collection of reports has a few original chapters of front and back matter such as covers, an introduction to the collection, and an index. 2. The reports have already been published as individual documents. 3. The reports are the signed-off, accepted, and tabled product of a government commission. That is why the collection has to reflect the original accurately, which means, for example, any errors (e.g. spelling)cannot be fixed. No editing or format changes are permitted. 4. The individual reports have the same organizational structure as each other but, because there were many commissioners, writers, editors, and lawyers involved in the creation of the original reports, there are individual 'variations' (inconsistencies) in text elements such as lists. For example I've had to handle lists that are completely Arabic numbered, even sublists and subsublists of the same list. 5. My saving grace is that once published the collection will never be edited or reused! Which helps immensely because... 6. ...nearly all elements carry overrides to make them look like the original. I've had to perform other tricks like making table footnotes in FM look like the table footnotes in WP. (Honestly, I couldn't find a way to change the way FM does table footnotes.) And balancing pages to make footnotes appear on the same page as the referring number has been a pain. So, in case I can do it quicker than copying and pasting text, I wanted to know if there is an automated way of importing PDF into FM (some reports can have around 100 pages). I like the process that Richard Combs described, and I will experiment with this - but it sounds mind numbing for sure. I will also have to compose a hard TOC. I have already tested if a PDF imported into a FM document, which is then published as a PDF, is searchable (another requirement). It is. Thanks to all of you who responded. I hope my post above more clearly shows what I am doing. It has been an interesting gig, and is the first time (40 years in tech pubs!) I've not worked in an engineering environment. So it's plain 'pubs' now, which is where I'm heading soon. ___ You are currently subscribed to Framers as arch...@mail-archive.com. Send list messages to fram...@lists.frameusers.com. To unsubscribe send a blank email to framers-unsubscr...@lists.frameusers.com or visit http://lists.frameusers.com/mailman/options/framers/archive%40mail-archive.com Send administrative questions to listad...@frameusers.com. Visit http://www.frameusers.com/ for more resources and info.
