[Cross Post from PDF Tools] How to Combine Many PDFs Interlaced with Coversheets

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bqxmprij
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[Cross Post from PDF Tools] How to Combine Many PDFs Interlaced with Coversheets

Post by bqxmprij »

This is a cross post from PDF Tools in case Editor can do this (it does have a combine functionality).

Hello-

I am hoping you can help. I need to combine 300+ pdfs of different number of pages (which I can do) with sequentially numbered cover sheets (e.g., Cover Sheet 1, Cover Sheet 2, etc.). The cover sheets do not exist. I can do this all manually, but I am hoping that PDF Tools can, from a folder of 300+ pdfs:
1. Identify an order to the pds;
2. Create sequentially numbered cover sheets;
3. Combine the pdfs and sequentially numbered cover sheets in sequential order.

The end result would be Composite Annex A with Annex A-1 (Cover Sheet A-1 plus document A-1), Annex A-2, etc.

While we are at it, I would like the bookmarks to end up being Annex A-1, Annex-2, etc. and pointing to the cover sheet of A-1, A-2, etc.

Is something like this possible?

I know I can do the following, but I am hoping for something less convoluted.

1. run a script to rename the 300+ files to append a sequential number to the beginning of the file name;
2. create 300+ blank page pdf;
3. Bates label those 300+ blank pages with something that looks like normal cover sheet text;
4. Split the 300+ blank pages into single page pdfs
5. run a script to rename those single page pdfs
6. dump the 300+ files and the single page pdfs into PDF Tools
7. sort alphabetical
8. combine
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Will - Tracker Supp
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Re: [Cross Post from PDF Tools] How to Combine Many PDFs Interlaced with Coversheets

Post by Will - Tracker Supp »

Hi bqxmprij,

Thanks for the post - If this is a one-off thing that you need to do, then your current method is the simplest method. This would be outside the scope and bounds of any single tool, even in PDF-Tools as it has no way of recognizing where each cover sheet would be. Manipulating the bookmarks in this manner should be fairly trivial: simply create bookmarks based on e.g. filename. Any sub-level bookmarks would need to be added later however, or done by 'chaining' tools together and creating bookmarks by page text (e.g. a custom tool that inserts pages, then creates bookmarks).

If this is something you need to do more than once, then let us know and we can discuss potential options (if any), but given that this wouldn't be all that simple/trivial, I'd rather not spend too much time (and waste yours!) discussing something that isn't ultimately necessary - hopefully you understand.
If posting files to this forum, you must archive the files to a ZIP, RAR or 7z file or they will not be uploaded.
Thank you.

Best regards

Will Travaglini
Tracker Support (Europe)
Tracker Software Products Ltd.
http://www.tracker-software.com
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TrackerSupp-Daniel
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Re: [Cross Post from PDF Tools] How to Combine Many PDFs Interlaced with Coversheets

Post by TrackerSupp-Daniel »

Hello bqxmprij,

Your other posts have been deleted as they were duplicate posts, I apologize for the confusion that may have caused. In regards to this topic however, we have had a discussion with the Dev team and believe that PDF-Tools may offer the solution you need. Could you try using the attached tool and let us know if this will work for you?

Kind regards,
Attachments
AddCoverSheet.zip
(1.93 KiB) Downloaded 66 times
Dan McIntyre - Support Technician
Tracker Software Products (Canada) LTD

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bqxmprij
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Joined: Tue Dec 18, 2012 3:51 am

Re: [Cross Post from PDF Tools] How to Combine Many PDFs Interlaced with Coversheets

Post by bqxmprij »

It worked! Thanks guys. This will keep me renewing.
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TrackerSupp-Daniel
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Re: [Cross Post from PDF Tools] How to Combine Many PDFs Interlaced with Coversheets

Post by TrackerSupp-Daniel »

Glad to hear it worked.

Have a great day! :)
Dan McIntyre - Support Technician
Tracker Software Products (Canada) LTD

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Our Web site domain and email address has changed as of 26/10/2023.
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