extract images from portfolio

[jfraze]

Is there any way to export all the images from a portfolio? I know I can combine PDFs into a single document, but that renumbers all the pages. I need the automatic file naming to include the page number of the original PDF documents. If my original document was numbered pages 12-14, for instance, the images exported from that document need to have those page numbers, even though the portfolio consists of 10 or more such documents all with different page numbers.

Alternatively I can painstakingly open each document one at a time and export from there, but I'm hoping there's a more automated way to accomplish this.

[Meenakshi Negi]

Hi jfraze,

Thank you for reaching out.

It might not be possible if you wish to export images from the PDFs in the portfolio at once. However, if you could share more information about the workflow you are looking for, we would be able to provide you with the correct information. 

Would you mind sharing a sample PDF you are working with or the screen recording of your current workflow?

It will give us an idea of what you are trying to do.

Thanks,

Meenakshi

[jfraze]

The current workflow is slow and inefficient. I'm trying to create a new workflow to fix this for the Web team. The PDFs are generally in the range of 60+ MB and typically 48-50 pages. The problem with the single-PDF option is that it exports all the images from ads, and we only need to provide images for the editorial pages.

My best solution so far is to combine all pages so the page numbers remain correct, then go through and delete all the material on the ad pages (so they're blank but still retain the page number). Then when I export all images it automatically names all the images by page number, which makes it easy for the Web team to put them in the correct place when they build the html versions. This may be the best I can do.

[Nancy OShea]

PDF is merely a cross platform print document.  It's not a file storage & recovery system. 

Your PDF was no doubt created in some other software like MS Word, Adobe InDesign or possibly Photoshop and then exported to PDF afterwards.   You should have the native originals saved somewhere.  Likewise, you should have the native image files backed up on externals or cloud drives.  Are you saying you've lost all that original data?

[Abambo]

You should have the native originals saved somewhere.  Likewise, you should have the native image files backed up on externals or cloud drives.  Are you saying you've lost all that original data?

By @Nancy OShea

I agree completely with this, but I did spend part of my work life recovering images, text, and tables from PDF documents, that the original creator had lost. The real world is not always easy.

This said, it is very probable that the quality of the extracted pictures is inferior to the original image quality, due to the PDF optimizations. Extracting pictures from the PDF file is for me always the last hope solution.

[jfraze]

Yes, I know what a PDF is. I've been using them for 30 years. There's no call for the condescension. I'm trying to automate a process to save a day's work every issue. The Web team has been taking screen shots from the final publication PDF then going back and renumbering each screen shot by page number one at a time. I'm hoping to save all that wasted effort.

[jfraze]

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[Reece31396720inja · Accepted solution]

A common method is, as you've mentioned, to open each PDF individually and save out the images one at a time. This can be quite labor-intensive for large portfolios. For One approach could be to use a batch processing script with a tool like Adobe Acrobat's Action Wizard or a third-party PDF tool that supports scripting, to automate the process of opening each file and exporting the images. The specifics of how to do this would depend on the tool you're using. Remember to verify whether these solutions comply with your organization's IT policies and guidelines.

[jfraze]

I haven't used Acrobat's Action Wizard in so long I'd forgotten it existed! That may be the best solution. I'll look into that.

[jfraze]

Thanks, this is the best solution. After playing with the settings a little it does exactly what I need: exports all the images at their original resolution and image quality, while retaining the original page numbers in the file names so our web team knows exactly what page they came from.

(One related question though... is there a way to customize the file naming convention? Some of the file names end up pretty long. It would be more manageable if I could delete the unnecessarily repetitive "Page_1_Image_" part of every file name!)