Prepressforums.com

cec-prepress · #1 (**permalink**) 08-04-2007, 02:41 PM

I'll try to keep this simple and not include a lot of extra info - basically what I'm needing to do is take a PDF that has 100 pages, and pull the page pairs out and save them as individual files. So, ultimately, I would have 50 2 page files.

Is there a way I can automate this process. I've not worked on the project personally, but the person that usually handles it just goes through the page window and selects the 2 pages (always in order, page 1-2, 3-4, etc...) then "Extract - delete after extracting". But, he has to do that for every page pair. I looked in the batch options and there's nothing for extracting pages, only inserting/deleting.

Any ideas? We currently have Acrobat 6 (will soon have Acrobat 8, but will always have to bring files back through Acrobat 6 due to compatibility issues with some of our presses). In Acrobat 6, we also have Pitstop Pro 6.5.3, if that helps.

Thanks,
Rick

LoganBlade · #2 (**permalink**) 08-04-2007, 03:57 PM

Hi Sorry I don't have an answer for you problem but I am sure someone from the site will have a clue. Matt comes to mind he seems to have the acrobat answers when I see them posted. So my question from a production stand point is why are you making single files of 2 pages and making 50 files of your 100 page book? As I write I think I could use my signa station impo to produce 2 page spreads or 2 single pages post script file and then distill making the 50 2 page files. So if you have an impo software maybe take them and do it that way?

I am sure someone will come up with a better soloution. but I still have a need to understand the need for 1 - 100 page file being broken down to 50 2 page files.

cec-prepress · #3 (**permalink**) 08-04-2007, 08:12 PM

This probably won't sound like it makes a lot of sense not knowing all the details about the client/job/our variable data software, but here's the gist.

The reasoning behind it is that it ends up as a variable data project - the client designs postcards for real estate agencies. In this case, he's got different card designs (not just the realtor's image) for 50 different agents. He lays all of them out in a single Quark file. We then have to separate the two designs (front and back) for each realtor. Then, we use Fusion Pro to drop in the realtor's front graphic, back graphic, then the addresses and occasionally other personalized text onto the images.

I'm sure there are better ways to do this with other software, but with Fusion Pro, this was the best option, at least with this particular client's set up - which when we told him how to set it up to make it faster/easier for us, he said he'd rather pay the premium for us to do this than change his (and his helpers') ways.

LoganBlade · #4 (**permalink**) 08-05-2007, 03:12 AM

I think you have a pain for a client. Good luck and I look forward to a solution from someone in the forums

cec-prepress · #5 (**permalink**) 08-05-2007, 08:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LoganBlade

I think you have a pain for a client. Good luck and I look forward to a solution from someone in the forums

That's a given.

Jezza · #6 (**permalink**) 08-05-2007, 08:22 AM

Try looking here Planet PDF - The PDF User Community or here Planet PDF - Tips Archive

Sorry I can't help directly

LoganBlade · #7 (**permalink**) 08-05-2007, 11:21 AM

Split and Merge PDF Documents

Can you spend any money? This worked. I downloaded the test and bam took a 60 page document and made 30 single files sweet. $99.00 plug in will pay for itself after 2 operation of that job hope you can get it

Joe · #8 (**permalink**) 08-05-2007, 11:58 AM

You can try this if you don't mind using the command line:

AccessPDF - Pdftk

Sounds interesting...and free!

Quote:

If PDF is electronic paper, then pdftk is an electronic staple-remover, hole-punch, binder, secret-decoder-ring, and X-Ray-glasses. Pdftk is a command-line tool for doing everyday things with PDF documents. Keep one in the top drawer of your desktop and use it to:

Merge PDF Documents
Split PDF Pages into a New Document
Decrypt Input as Necessary (Password Required)
Encrypt Output as Desired
Fill PDF Forms with FDF Data and/or Flatten Forms
Apply a Background Watermark
Report on PDF Metrics such as Metadata, Bookmarks, and Page Labels
Update PDF Metadata
Attach Files to PDF Pages or the PDF Document
Unpack PDF Attachments
Burst a PDF Document into Single Pages
Uncompress and Re-Compress Page Streams
Repair Corrupted PDF (Where Possible)

Pdftk allows you to manipulate PDF easily and freely. It does not require Acrobat, and it runs on Windows, Linux, Mac OS X, FreeBSD and Solaris.
Pdftk is free software (GPL).

Joe · #9 (**permalink**) 08-05-2007, 12:04 PM

Here is another. This one has a GUI but is not free. It's $29.90.

PDF Split-Merge - Split and Merge PDF documents with this pdf split-merge software

cec-prepress · #10 (**permalink**) 08-05-2007, 12:49 PM

Thanks for the responses. I'll give them a shot. Have to wait til tomorrow to see if there's any budget, but it's a client giving us constant work with these big jobs 2 times a month, so I'm sure I can justify $30 or $100 pretty easily. Even the free command-line driven one worked for me on test files.

Thanks again,
Rick