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Question

Print lots of files in lots of folders with different format

Sep 8, 2017 1:44PM PDT

Hello!

Im trying to convert lots of files in pdf format and tiff format into one big pdf.

Got the software PDF Architect, which does this.

There are 2 problems now:

1st: I can convert the tiffs to pdfs by this program. Even folder-wise. Problem: The pdfs are saved in an extra folder and thereby the order in the folders is broken. The big pdf will be missorted.

2nd: The program does not convert pdf into pdf, so to say "copy" the pdfs into the output folder.

So it doesnt work with this program.
I hope to get help from this forum with the following idea: I simply print all the pdfs and tiffs into one pdf. (That is what I wanted to have in the end anyway.)
Problem hereby is: The Windows Explorer right-click menu doesnt offer to print folder-wise. Even selecting two different formats renders no print option.
I looked for a solution in the web, but didnt find any. Maybe the right-click print first starts an application and cannot start multiple applications for different formats.

Any ideas? Its 700 files in hundreds of folders. Dont want to do it by hand.


Thx
Thilo

Discussion is locked

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Answer
Most likely a batch job (coding.)
Sep 8, 2017 2:02PM PDT

There are command line tools to merge PDFs but this is not an offer to write the batch file to finish the job.

That is, you have all these PDFs now and just need to merge them. Google up COMMAND LINE PDF MERGE TOOLS and you find them. Now you write your batch file and get it done.

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Answer
batching problems
Sep 8, 2017 2:40PM PDT

Thank you for the suggestion!
The problem with batching are the folders. If I hand wrote the code (how ever, with .bat file... and for printing) id have to look up all the folder and file names. would take too long.
In fact, that is what the program Ive got is doing for the pdfs. But it doesnt include the tiffs.

And the order of the files must be kept for non-automated comparison reasons.

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That's what the command line is for.
Sep 8, 2017 3:00PM PDT

For example I can DIR with full paths to a text file of just those PDFs and TIFFs then off to the editor to toss out what I don't want.

I read you had the TIFF to PDF already done but just need the merge. This is a moderately advanced batch job. The thing is that no app I know will do this for you in this instance.

But it is possible to lighten the load by some skill at the command line and then creating the batch file from that content.

I'm finding folk running away from the command line and companies trying for no-code solutions. Sometimes you have to write code.

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can you PM me?
Sep 8, 2017 5:17PM PDT

can u pls write a private message to me to start a chat?

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No need. Here we can discuss the issues in front of
Sep 8, 2017 5:21PM PDT

Everyone. If anyone finds a better way, then they can jump in.

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allright. makes no difference.
Sep 8, 2017 6:24PM PDT

i looked up the google syntax you suggested.

first hit was an advertisement for uploading it to a server. makes no sense as i already have a processed copy of the raw data as raw as they can be (in the folders).

i will check it on paper. thats a matter of principle.
therefore reading out the directory makes no sense too, as i would only see the files' names. they cannot be compared to the already processed copy as the copy is merged to one pdf.

the second hit was a real command line. but as far as i understood it, it only merges pdfs.


I am irritated because of the tiffs. I assume they are all correctly merged into the already processed copy. But why then the tiffs in the folders? Other pages of the already processed pdf are also scans. And there are no tiffs for them in the folder. Therefore I want to compare them in paper form. Thats no problem at all as I will print out the already processed pfd and throw away the pages I dont want. If I had the tiff just after the respective pdf from the folder, I could just tear out the double pages like I do with the other pages that I dont want.


I think you are also working lots with computers and know that for some tasks its better to have sheets in your hands. Screen is sometimes too small.


Thats the explanation of the workflow. I dont see another way to do it.

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Answer
Swinging back by. Had an awful thought. May be why not.
Sep 8, 2017 9:42PM PDT

Try creating a HUGE PDF. I worry that you will hit some limits.

https://forums.adobe.com/thread/1041350 kicks it around and since you have TIFFS the file would fall into the failures noted in this and other discussions.

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Thx for the discussion
Sep 10, 2017 12:02PM PDT

After contemplating 2 days over it, I will just print out the already processed large pdf.

It's so many pages that, after all, some missing ones are not worth the effort.


Thank you for your help!