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How can I save PDF as single page TIFF's, or JPEG's

Forum|Forum|9 years ago
January 8, 2017
4 replies
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I have been saving single pages of PDF's using the GUI, but it would be much faster to use Java.

I can't work out how to set the save path, and I also need error trap any failed TIFFS, and save as JPEG's instead. Acrobat won't save TIFFS larger than the international size. Also need to increment each file name to match the page number, please.

So far, I've got...

set tAT to POSIX path of ((path to desktop as text) & "Temporary Acrobat TIFFS")

tell application "Adobe Acrobat"

activate

tell document 1

set theTempName to name of document 1

set Params to ""

set Params to Params & "var dEnd = (this.numPages-1);" & return as text

set Params to Params & "this.extractPages(0,dEnd);" & return as text

set Params to Params & "var cFlName = this.documentFileName ;" & return as text

set Params to Params & "save to : ((path to desktop as text) + \"Temporary Acrobat TIFFS\" + \":\"+ cFlName) using: \".tiff\";" & return --< this fails, correct format needed.

#set Params to Params & "var this.closeDoc(false);" as text

do script Params

end tell

This topic has been closed for replies.

Correct answer Karl Heinz Kremer

Thank you Karl.

I did say at the end of my post, that I had a thought you might mens to wrap the '/' in its own quotes, and of course you did. Once I changed my code, viola!. It worked.

Until I tried to save it!!!

I CAN'T use "/Users/username/Desktop/" instead of just "/Desktop/" because I don't know the name of the user. It's going to be used an another machine, so I require a versatile path name. Surely there's something in Java that allows this?

There IS a Desktop in MacOS, 'path to desktop as text' is a common used command when accessing the desktop and automatically generates the Desktop path, for the user.

However, is this the reason the new file gives a 'can't save' error? Or, is the file actually locked?

AND, I have checked the new file path, just before trying to save the referred file. I got up early this morning to read through any Java Script documentation I could, but could not find answers.

Regards

Santa

There is no "/Desktop" folder - you need to read exactly what I typed. I did not say that there was no Desktop folder. That's different, and when it comes to programming, these small differences are important. When it comes to Unix paths (or what you refer to as Posix paths in AppleScript), a path that start with a '/' always means that it is in the "root" directory of the disk. What I said was that there is no "Desktop" folder in the root directory, which does not mean that there is no Desktop folder in a user's home directory. Every user on Mac OS does have a Desktop folder, but that is referenced differently (e.g. /Users/username/Desktop).

Take a look at the App.getPath() method: Acrobat DC SDK Documentation

This is all there is in terms of asking Acrobat about user specific (or application specific) paths. Unfortunately, there is no function to get the user's Desktop. There is however a function to get the user's Documents directory, which on a Mac is on the same level as the user's Desktop. This means you could get the Documents directory and then just replace "Documents" with "Desktop":

var pathToDesktop = app.getPath("user", "documents").replace("Documents", "Desktop");

This is dangerous, because the next version of Mac OS X could move Documents, or a user could have reconfigured Mac OS X to store Documents in a different location. This is one area where you could use your AppleScript wrapper to your advantage and get the path to the desktop as a Posix path. (e.g. set pp to POSIX path of (path to desktop) as text )

As to why you are getting error when trying to save - until you fix your path problem, it's impossible to say if that is caused by a non-existing folder ("/Desktop") or something else.

T

Test Screen Name

Legend

It isn't clear whether you ever verified the path name syntax or whether you've just stuck with /Desktop... In reply 10 /Desktop was used as an example "Let's say it was..."

T

Test Screen Name

Legend

No, but you can use AppleScript syntax in AppleScript. And then use DO SCRIPT to run the appropriate JavaScript. Rarely done but the Windows equivalent (VB/VBScript running JavaScript fragments) is often seen.

I agree that filename syntax is crucial and may be unexpected (being neither the HFS nor the UTF-8 name).

I hope the original poster will do as I asked and show the string passed to DO SCRIPT. I'm not going to try to guess what the AppleScript does, I used to use AppleScript and I know that what you get is rarely what you expect.

O

OzSanta2Author

Known Participant

Thank you TRY67, at last something I can get my teeth into.

The Applescript version produces a file as below. (after all the /// 's indicating quote marks are removed)

On the Java console, it Errors in line 6, Syntax error 5 (coloured blue.)

The second line does NOT produce any output, don’t know why??? There's a 2 page document open.

Regards

Santa

var dEnd = this.numPages - 1;

alert(dEnd);

var cFlName = this.documentFileName;

var outputPath = "/Desktop/" ;

var outputPathTwo = outputPath & "Temporary Acrobat TIFFS"/;

for (i = 0; i < dEnd ; i++ )

{

var oNewDoc = this.extractPages(i,i);

oNewDoc.saveAs({cPath: outputPathTwo + "Page "+ (i + 1) + " of " + cFlName + ".pdf", cConvID: "com.adobe.acrobat.pdf"});

}

When I run the actual Applescript version, I get a different error…

Keep in mind "\"" represents a quotation mark in the built up text string.

error "Adobe Acrobat got an error: \"var dEnd = this.numPages - 1;

alert(dEnd);

var cFlName = this.documentFileName;

var outputPath = \\\"/Desktop/\\\" ;

var outputPathTwo = outputPath & \\\"Temporary Acrobat TIFFS\\\"/;

for (i = 0; i < dEnd ; i++ );

{

var oNewDoc = this.extractPages(i,i);

oNewDoc.saveAs({cPath: outputPathTwo + \\\"Page \\\"+ (i + 1) + \\\" of \\\" + cFlName + \\\".pdf\\\", cConvID:\\\"com.adobe.acrobat.pdf\\\"});

}\" doesn’t understand the “do script” message." number -1708 from "var dEnd = this.numPages - 1;

alert(dEnd);

var cFlName = this.documentFileName;

var outputPath = \"/Desktop/\" ;

var outputPathTwo = outputPath & \"Temporary Acrobat TIFFS\"/;

for (i = 0; i < dEnd ; i++ );

{

var oNewDoc = this.extractPages(i,i);

oNewDoc.saveAs({cPath: outputPathTwo + \"Page \"+ (i + 1) + \" of \" + cFlName + \".pdf\", cConvID:\"com.adobe.acrobat.pdf\"});

}”

tell application "Adobe Acrobat"

activate

tell document 1

set Params to ""

set Params to Params & "var dEnd = this.numPages - 1;" & return

set Params to Params & "alert(dEnd);" & return

set Params to Params & "var cFlName = this.documentFileName;" & return

set Params to Params & "var outputPath = " & "\"" & "/Desktop/" & "\" ;" & return

set Params to Params & "var outputPathTwo = outputPath & " & "\"" & "Temporary Acrobat TIFFS" & "\"" & "/;" & return

set Params to Params & "for (i = 0; i < dEnd ; i++ )" & return & "{" & return

set Params to Params & "var oNewDoc = this.extractPages(i,i);" & return

set Params to Params & "oNewDoc.saveAs({cPath: outputPathTwo + " & "\"" & "Page " & "\"" & "+ (i + 1) + " & " \"" & " of " & "\"" & " + cFlName + " & "\"" & ".pdf" & "\"" & ", cConvID:" & "\"" & "com.adobe.acrobat.pdf" & "\"" & "});" & return & "}" as text

#set Params to Params & "var this.closeDoc(false);" & return as text

end tell

do script Params

end tell

O

OzSanta2Author

Known Participant

Ohhh, I also tried the 'this.path;' suggestion, and all that was returned was 'this.path;'.

The two page pdf was opened from the desktop folder 'Temporary Acrobat TIFFS'.

T

Test Screen Name

Legend

You could do worse than the Acrobat JavaScript forum. My advice: don't show the AppleScript. it won't be understood. It will be a distraction from what you really need to know. Tell us the specific value of Params when you run Do Script Params. Never mind that it's wrong, it's a starting point. Tell us (copy and paste don't paraphrase!) the console error.

O

OzSanta2Author

Known Participant

OK, I give in.

Here's the best I can do showing the Java Script without any Applescript added. I don't know if the script is exactly right, cause I know stuff all about Java Script formatting, but the error I get is...error "The variable i is not defined." number -2753 from "i” and it occurs in the saveAs line

var cFlName = this.documentFileName;

var dEnd = this.numPages-1;

alert(dEnd );

for (i = 0; i <= dEnd-1; i+ );

{

var oNewDoc = this.extractPages(i,i);

oNewDoc.saveAs : “~/Desktop" & "/" & "\"" & "Temporary Acrobat TIFFS" & "\"" & "/" & "\"Page " & "\"" & (i + 1) & " \"" & "\"" & cFlName & "\"" & " using: " & "\"" & ".pdf" & "\"; "

}

try67

Community Expert

There are a lot of errors in your code. You need to first of all study the code JS syntax and then the Acrobat-specific methods and properties that you want to use.

You can't use AS syntax in your JS code. That's just not going to work.

You also need to find out the correct file-path syntax for your files. The best way to do that is to open a PDF from that folder in Acrobat and then execute this command in the JS Console:

this.path;

It will print out that file's full path, in the syntax that you must use in your code.

Let's say that path is "/Desktop/". In that case, the code above should be changed to something like this:

var outputPath = "/Desktop/";
var originalDoc = this;
var cFlName = originalDoc.documentFileName;
var dEnd = originalDoc.numPages;
for (i=0; i<dEnd; i++) {
    var oNewDoc = originalDoc.extractPages(i,i);
    oNewDoc.saveAs({cPath: outputPath + "Page " + (i+1) + " of " + cFlName + ".tiff", cConvID: "com.adobe.acrobat.tiff"});
    oNewDoc.closeDoc(true);
}

Edit: Made some minor fixes to the code

Karl Heinz Kremer

Community Expert

This is not Java, which also would not be supported by Acrobat, it's also not JavaScript, which is a supported language within Acrobat, it's actually AppleScript.

Can you please tell us what the script is not doing correctly. What are you expecting, and what is the script doing?

O

OzSanta2Author

Known Participant

G'day from there land of Oz, Karl.

What I am trying to do is save each individual page of a PDF, as a separate document, as a TIFF, and also it must be 'trimmed' of excess graphics, to the crop box. I then re-open the cropped TIFF in Acrobat,( which it opens as a PDF), enlarge the top of the document, and add 4 text boxes, 2 with barcodes, then print and save the amended page.

Ate the moment, I'm using the Graphics User Interface in the 'save As' dialog box to save the PDF as TIFFS, and it trims each page to it's crop box. But it's slow, and I need to speed up the process.

The handler above is the accepted method of creating a 'Java Script' within Applescript, and calling the compiled script. I have a long way to go yet, but I need to get the 'save to:' path right. The correct terms are eluding me. I'm a complete Novice at Java.

I want to use the above to check if the 'Save' trims to the crop box, first.

Thanks for you interest.

Santa (aka Brian Christmas)

PS, Here a handler I use to add dialog boxes in Acrobat

# This handler uses Java Script

#

on Add_WaterMarkText_(temp)

try

local cName, cText, cFont, nFontSize, nS, nE, nTA, nHorizontalAlignment, nVerticalAlignment, nHorizontalWidth, nVerticalHeight, nR, currentPage

set p to 1

set {cName, cText, cFont, nFontSize, nS, nE, nTA, nHorizontalAlignment, nVerticalAlignment, nHorizontalWidth, nVerticalHeight, nR, currentPage} to temp as list

set p to 2

set Params to "" as text

set p to 3

set Params to Params & "var f = this.addField(\"" & cName & "\", " & "\"" & "text" & "\", " & currentPage - 1 & ", [" & nHorizontalAlignment & ", " & nVerticalAlignment & ", " & nHorizontalAlignment + nHorizontalWidth & ", " & nVerticalAlignment - nVerticalHeight & "]" & ");" & return as text

set p to 4

set Params to Params & "f.value = \"" & cText & "\";" & return as text

set p to 5

set Params to Params & "f.userName = \"" & cName & "\";" & return as text

set p to 6

set Params to Params & "f.textSize = " & nFontSize & ";" & return as text

set p to 7

set Params to Params & "f.textFont = \"" & cFont & "\";" & return as text

set p to 8

set Params to Params & "f.alignment = \"" & "left" & "\";" & return as text

set p to 9

set Params to Params & "f.multiline = false;" & return as text

set p to 10

set Params to Params & "f.lineWidth = 0;" & return as text

set p to 11

set Params to Params & "f.display = display.visible;" & return as text

set p to 12

set Params to Params & "f.textColor = color.black;" & return as text

# set javaScript to Params

on error errmsg

set temp to "Add_WaterMarkText error " & errmsg & " Text is " & cText as text

my writeFile4("MMErrorsList", (temp & return & return as text))

tell application "System Events" to display dialog temp giving up after 20

# if RunForOz then tell application "System Events" to display dialog temp giving up after 36000

end try

return Params as text

end Add_WaterMarkText_

Karl Heinz Kremer

Community Expert

Let's take the AppleScript out of the equation. What is the JavaScript you are trying to run?

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