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Inspiring
June 3, 2016
Question

Batch making all folder contents into in PDF

  • June 3, 2016
  • 3 replies
  • 10449 views

I know how to combine files into one PDF by adding multiple files, selecting the folder, selecting the files, create pdf, save, etc.

I have over 5000 folders -- each folder with 1-100+ jpg files. I want the contents of each folder to be one PDF but doing all those steps over 5000 times is far too cumbersome.

I'd like to select a directory and press the GO button and it would automatically with no further input from me take all the files in that folder and create on PDF file (jpgs are sequentially named, so they should be already in the correct order.)

Is there a way to make a GO button?  🙂 I've looked at the Action Wizard and don't see a way there.

Acrobat X on Windows 10 and Mac OSX

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3 replies

try67
Community Expert
Community Expert
June 4, 2016

I've developed a script for Acrobat that allows you to do it (using an

Action).

You can get it from here:

http://try67.blogspot.com/2010/10/acrobat-batch-combine-all-files-in.html

tromba99Author
Inspiring
June 4, 2016

try67 -- thanks for your reply.

If I'm reading it correctly, it says that the contents of the folder must be pdfs. (With this tool you can combine all of the (PDF) files in a folder to a single file )

Mine are all png files (I thought they were jpg earlier). Will this work with that also?

try67
Community Expert
Community Expert
June 4, 2016

It will if you first convert them to PDFs, which is easily done using a

"blank" Action.

I have also developed a standalone version of this tool, if you're

interested.

Bernd Alheit
Community Expert
Community Expert
June 4, 2016

This is possible with VBScript or AppleScript.

Adorobat
Community Manager
Community Manager
June 3, 2016

Hello Dennis ,


I am not sure about the Batch processing but you can try this option .

Move all the folders which have jpgs to the Default "Pictures" folder and when combining a pdf , Select "Add a Folder option>Select "Pictures" and then combine.

Hope it helps!

Thanks!

Shivam

tromba99Author
Inspiring
June 3, 2016

Thank you for your reply!!

I don't know how I missed the "add a folder" before, but yes this works. However it's still several steps -- picking the folder, click to continue, then once the PDF is opened to SAVE AS and name it. (I found I don't have to use Pictures folder, but can use the folder where they all are now).

In all cases for me, the folder name should be the PDF name once the contents are combined into a single PDF.

I've recorded series of actions like this in Photoshop and use them all the time. I even thought of using PS, don't see an easy way there either.

This does save the one step of picking the files individually within a folder, but still seems cumbersome for over 5000 folders...

Adorobat
Community Manager
Community Manager
June 3, 2016

The thing is that combing files and running action are two different options and to let them work simultaneously , some java script is needed. However what you can do is you can create a new Main folder with the name you want, and copy all the 5000 sub folders into it or create a main folder above the sub-folders .

For ex -     Main Folder  -    1 

                  Sub-folder   -    1.1

                  Sub-Folder  -     1.2

Open Acrobat and when combining files , select that Main folder which contains 5000 sub-folders.This will save you from adding all those 5000 folders manually.

Hope it helps.

Thanks!

Shivam