|
PDF copy protected files - how to convert to txt
I have some pdf files that I want to pull into excel but they have the
copy feature disabled so all I can do is save or print them. Does anyone know of software that can extract the data? Preferably shareware or freeware of course. I'm loathe to try printing and ocr as that takes ages to proof read and correct. Phil The uk.d-i-y FAQ is at http://www.diyfaq.org.uk/ The Google uk.d-i-y archive is at http://tinyurl.com/65kwq Remove NOSPAM from address to email me |
PDF copy protected files - how to convert to txt
Phil Addison wrote:
I have some pdf files that I want to pull into excel but they have the copy feature disabled so all I can do is save or print them. Does anyone know of software that can extract the data? Preferably shareware or freeware of course. I'm loathe to try printing and ocr as that takes ages to proof read and correct. Have a look at http://www.textfrompdf.com/tfpdownload.htm -- Grunff |
PDF copy protected files - how to convert to txt
"Phil Addison" wrote in message ... I have some pdf files that I want to pull into excel but they have the copy feature disabled so all I can do is save or print them. Does anyone know of software that can extract the data? Preferably shareware or freeware of course. I'm loathe to try printing and ocr as that takes ages to proof read and correct. Phil The uk.d-i-y FAQ is at http://www.diyfaq.org.uk/ The Google uk.d-i-y archive is at http://tinyurl.com/65kwq Remove NOSPAM from address to email me You might do better posting to one of the computer groups, such as alt. computer. I've found them helpful in the past. Derek. |
PDF copy protected files - how to convert to txt
On Sun, 8 Jan 2006 18:02:27 UTC, Phil Addison
wrote: I have some pdf files that I want to pull into excel but they have the copy feature disabled so all I can do is save or print them. Does anyone know of software that can extract the data? Preferably shareware or freeware of course. You could try Ghostview (GSView) and GhostScript...Google for more.. -- The information contained in this post is copyright the poster, and specifically may not be published in, or used by Avenue Supplies, http://avenuesupplies.co.uk |
PDF copy protected files - how to convert to txt
On Sun, 08 Jan 2006 18:12:31 +0000, in uk.d-i-y Grunff
wrote: Phil Addison wrote: I have some pdf files that I want to pull into excel but they have the copy feature disabled so all I can do is save or print them. Does anyone know of software that can extract the data? Preferably shareware or freeware of course. I'm loathe to try printing and ocr as that takes ages to proof read and correct. Have a look at http://www.textfrompdf.com/tfpdownload.htm That looked promising until I saw this in their FAQ "PDF documents can be password protected by their authors to prevent unwanted editing of their content. TEXTfromPDF honors this and therefore does not provide a way around this protection. You will not be able to extract these documents without providing the password(s) in the Password window of TEXTfromPDF. You should contact the author of the document to obtain their permission and password(s)." Thanks anyway Phil The uk.d-i-y FAQ is at http://www.diyfaq.org.uk/ The Google uk.d-i-y archive is at http://tinyurl.com/65kwq Remove NOSPAM from address to email me |
PDF copy protected files - how to convert to txt
On Sun, 08 Jan 2006 18:13:44 GMT, in uk.d-i-y "DiddyS"
wrote: "Phil Addison" wrote in message ... I have some pdf files that I want to pull into excel but they have the copy feature disabled so all I can do is save or print them. Does anyone know of software that can extract the data? Preferably shareware or freeware of course. I'm loathe to try printing and ocr as that takes ages to proof read and correct. Phil The uk.d-i-y FAQ is at http://www.diyfaq.org.uk/ The Google uk.d-i-y archive is at http://tinyurl.com/65kwq Remove NOSPAM from address to email me You might do better posting to one of the computer groups, such as alt. computer. I've found them helpful in the past. Will try, but I have yet to find a more helpful group than this one ;-) Phil The uk.d-i-y FAQ is at http://www.diyfaq.org.uk/ The Google uk.d-i-y archive is at http://tinyurl.com/65kwq Remove NOSPAM from address to email me |
PDF copy protected files - how to convert to txt
On 8 Jan 2006 18:16:00 GMT, in uk.d-i-y "Bob Eager"
wrote: On Sun, 8 Jan 2006 18:02:27 UTC, Phil Addison wrote: I have some pdf files that I want to pull into excel but they have the copy feature disabled so all I can do is save or print them. Does anyone know of software that can extract the data? Preferably shareware or freeware of course. You could try Ghostview (GSView) and GhostScript...Google for more.. I tried to instal those once before but got hopelessly lost with what version to use and which bits to install or leave out. Is there an easy way for XP or W2000? Phil The uk.d-i-y FAQ is at http://www.diyfaq.org.uk/ The Google uk.d-i-y archive is at http://tinyurl.com/65kwq Remove NOSPAM from address to email me |
PDF copy protected files - how to convert to txt
Bob Eager wrote:
On Sun, 8 Jan 2006 18:02:27 UTC, Phil Addison wrote: I have some pdf files that I want to pull into excel but they have the copy feature disabled so all I can do is save or print them. Does anyone know of software that can extract the data? Preferably shareware or freeware of course. You could try Ghostview (GSView) and GhostScript...Google for more.. I've successfully used this - I think if you install the current Ghostscript on XP it installs ghostview as well so is easier than it used to be. Also allows you to export graphics from any application that prints - install the printer "MS color publisher" which prints to a postscript file. -- Spamtrap in use To email replace 127.0.0.1 with blueyonder dot co dot uk |
PDF copy protected files - how to convert to txt
If you have lost your password to the PDF files, there are various
programs available for a small charge which claim to be able to unlock any PDF. Alternatively, if they are not your pdf's, can you ask the source of the PDF to provide you with the text? -- Steve |
PDF copy protected files - how to convert to txt
Phil Addison wrote:
I have some pdf files that I want to pull into excel but they have the copy feature disabled so all I can do is save or print them. Does anyone know of software that can extract the data? Preferably shareware or freeware of course. I'm loathe to try printing and ocr as that takes ages to proof read and correct. When you say the 'copy feature' is disabled, do you mean you can't even enter the doc, select text and copy it? (that being a route I've used myself in the past). David |
PDF copy protected files - how to convert to txt
On Sun, 08 Jan 2006 18:02:27 GMT, Phil Addison wrote:
I have some pdf files that I want to pull into excel but they have the copy feature disabled so all I can do is save or print them. Does anyone know of software that can extract the data? Preferably shareware or freeware of course. I'm loathe to try printing and ocr as that takes ages to proof read and correct. Phil The uk.d-i-y FAQ is at http://www.diyfaq.org.uk/ The Google uk.d-i-y archive is at http://tinyurl.com/65kwq Remove NOSPAM from address to email me Try printing to a (non-Adobe) PDF Printer driver - this may get you an unprotected PDF. |
PDF copy protected files - how to convert to txt
On Sun, 08 Jan 2006 19:11:55 GMT, in uk.d-i-y Lobster
wrote: Phil Addison wrote: I have some pdf files that I want to pull into excel but they have the copy feature disabled so all I can do is save or print them. Does anyone know of software that can extract the data? Preferably shareware or freeware of course. I'm loathe to try printing and ocr as that takes ages to proof read and correct. When you say the 'copy feature' is disabled, do you mean you can't even enter the doc, select text and copy it? (that being a route I've used myself in the past). Exactly that Phil The uk.d-i-y FAQ is at http://www.diyfaq.org.uk/ The Google uk.d-i-y archive is at http://tinyurl.com/65kwq Remove NOSPAM from address to email me |
PDF copy protected files - how to convert to txt
On Sun, 08 Jan 2006 19:18:15 GMT, in uk.d-i-y Mike Harrison
wrote: On Sun, 08 Jan 2006 18:02:27 GMT, Phil Addison wrote: I have some pdf files that I want to pull into excel but they have the copy feature disabled so all I can do is save or print them. Does anyone know of software that can extract the data? Preferably shareware or freeware of course. I'm loathe to try printing and ocr as that takes ages to proof read and correct. Phil The uk.d-i-y FAQ is at http://www.diyfaq.org.uk/ The Google uk.d-i-y archive is at http://tinyurl.com/65kwq Remove NOSPAM from address to email me Try printing to a (non-Adobe) PDF Printer driver - this may get you an unprotected PDF. You mean and saving it to another (pdf) file? Phil The uk.d-i-y FAQ is at http://www.diyfaq.org.uk/ The Google uk.d-i-y archive is at http://tinyurl.com/65kwq Remove NOSPAM from address to email me |
PDF copy protected files - how to convert to txt
On Sun, 08 Jan 2006 19:03:09 GMT, in uk.d-i-y Chris Hodges
wrote: Bob Eager wrote: On Sun, 8 Jan 2006 18:02:27 UTC, Phil Addison wrote: I have some pdf files that I want to pull into excel but they have the copy feature disabled so all I can do is save or print them. Does anyone know of software that can extract the data? Preferably shareware or freeware of course. You could try Ghostview (GSView) and GhostScript...Google for more.. I've successfully used this - I think if you install the current Ghostscript on XP it installs ghostview as well so is easier than it used to be. Also allows you to export graphics from any application that prints - install the printer "MS color publisher" which prints to a postscript file. Thanks - I'll try again. This is the site I am using http://www.cs.wisc.edu/~ghost/ Phil The uk.d-i-y FAQ is at http://www.diyfaq.org.uk/ The Google uk.d-i-y archive is at http://tinyurl.com/65kwq Remove NOSPAM from address to email me |
PDF copy protected files - how to convert to txt
On Sun, 08 Jan 2006 18:02:27 GMT, Phil Addison
wrote: I have some pdf files that I want to pull into excel but they have the copy feature disabled so all I can do is save or print them. Does anyone know of software that can extract the data? Preferably shareware or freeware of course. I'm loathe to try printing and ocr as that takes ages to proof read and correct. Can you print to file? -- I wish the buck stopped here. I could use a few. |
PDF copy protected files - how to convert to txt
On Sun, 08 Jan 2006 19:03:09 GMT, in uk.d-i-y Chris Hodges
wrote: Also allows you to export graphics from any application that prints - install the printer "MS color publisher" which prints to a postscript file. Where do you get the printer driver "MS color publisher" from? Phil The uk.d-i-y FAQ is at http://www.diyfaq.org.uk/ The Google uk.d-i-y archive is at http://tinyurl.com/65kwq Remove NOSPAM from address to email me |
PDF copy protected files - how to convert to txt
On Sun, 08 Jan 2006 19:32:26 GMT, in uk.d-i-y Geoffrey
wrote: On Sun, 08 Jan 2006 18:02:27 GMT, Phil Addison wrote: I have some pdf files that I want to pull into excel but they have the copy feature disabled so all I can do is save or print them. Does anyone know of software that can extract the data? Preferably shareware or freeware of course. I'm loathe to try printing and ocr as that takes ages to proof read and correct. Can you print to file? Presumably, if I install the Print to File driver. What then? Phil The uk.d-i-y FAQ is at http://www.diyfaq.org.uk/ The Google uk.d-i-y archive is at http://tinyurl.com/65kwq Remove NOSPAM from address to email me |
PDF copy protected files - how to convert to txt
On Sun, 8 Jan 2006 18:38:34 UTC, Phil Addison
wrote: On 8 Jan 2006 18:16:00 GMT, in uk.d-i-y "Bob Eager" wrote: On Sun, 8 Jan 2006 18:02:27 UTC, Phil Addison wrote: I have some pdf files that I want to pull into excel but they have the copy feature disabled so all I can do is save or print them. Does anyone know of software that can extract the data? Preferably shareware or freeware of course. You could try Ghostview (GSView) and GhostScript...Google for more.. I tried to instal those once before but got hopelessly lost with what version to use and which bits to install or leave out. Is there an easy way for XP or W2000? Sorry, can't help - don't use Windows! -- The information contained in this post is copyright the poster, and specifically may not be published in, or used by Avenue Supplies, http://avenuesupplies.co.uk |
PDF copy protected files - how to convert to txt
Phil Addison wrote:
I have some pdf files that I want to pull into excel but they have the copy feature disabled so all I can do is save or print them. Is it possible you can post links to the files so we can try out ideas on them before suggesting use X, Y & Z to you? |
PDF copy protected files - how to convert to txt
Phil Addison wrote:
Bob Eager wrote: Phil Addison wrote: I have some pdf files that I want to pull into excel but they have the copy feature disabled so all I can do is save or print them. Does anyone know of software that can extract the data? Preferably shareware or freeware of course. You could try Ghostview (GSView) and GhostScript...Google for more.. I tried to instal those once before but got hopelessly lost with what version to use and which bits to install or leave out. Is there an easy way for XP or W2000? Try again, its not rocket science. |
PDF copy protected files - how to convert to txt
On Sun, 08 Jan 2006 20:30:37 +0000, in uk.d-i-y Chris Bacon
wrote: Phil Addison wrote: Bob Eager wrote: Phil Addison wrote: I have some pdf files that I want to pull into excel but they have the copy feature disabled so all I can do is save or print them. Does anyone know of software that can extract the data? Preferably shareware or freeware of course. You could try Ghostview (GSView) and GhostScript...Google for more.. I tried to instal those once before but got hopelessly lost with what version to use and which bits to install or leave out. Is there an easy way for XP or W2000? Try again, its not rocket science. Yippee success. many thanks all of you for the ideas. The one that worked for me was GhostScript. went to http://www.cs.wisc.edu/~ghost/, clicked Obtaining AFPL Ghostscript 8.53 Installed for GhostScript Windows 95, 98, ME, NT, 2000 or XP gs853w32.exe, AFPL Ghostscript 8.53 for Win32. gsv47w32.exe, GSview 4.7 for Win32 Powered up GhostScript. Got a command prompt - Arggh Tried GSview Lovely intuitive (almost) GUI. Loaded my file. Clicked Extract Text and saved. Got everything in txt form - wonderful. Of course each table cell is on a new line. So where is my VI crib sheet. Will be doing some neat sed-ing for the next hour or so to regenerate CSV format. Thanks again guys - who needs alt.computing, pah! Phil The uk.d-i-y FAQ is at http://www.diyfaq.org.uk/ The Google uk.d-i-y archive is at http://tinyurl.com/65kwq Remove NOSPAM from address to email me |
PDF copy protected files - how to convert to txt
On Sun, 08 Jan 2006 20:16:49 +0000, in uk.d-i-y Andy Burns
wrote: Phil Addison wrote: I have some pdf files that I want to pull into excel but they have the copy feature disabled so all I can do is save or print them. Is it possible you can post links to the files so we can try out ideas on them before suggesting use X, Y & Z to you? Nice idea but no need now. Cheers. Phil The uk.d-i-y FAQ is at http://www.diyfaq.org.uk/ The Google uk.d-i-y archive is at http://tinyurl.com/65kwq Remove NOSPAM from address to email me |
PDF copy protected files - how to convert to txt
Phil Addison wrote:
On Sun, 08 Jan 2006 20:16:49 +0000, in uk.d-i-y Andy Burns wrote: Phil Addison wrote: I have some pdf files that I want to pull into excel but they have the copy feature disabled so all I can do is save or print them. Is it possible you can post links to the files so we can try out ideas on them before suggesting use X, Y & Z to you? Nice idea but no need now. Cheers. Phil The uk.d-i-y FAQ is at http://www.diyfaq.org.uk/ The Google uk.d-i-y archive is at http://tinyurl.com/65kwq Remove NOSPAM from address to email me It's a bit late in the day a this point in time relatively speaking, but if you had an old CorelDraw ver. 8, it includes an OCR program in the suite that will convert any bitmap text image to a text file. So *anything* on screen can be dumped to a .pcx or .tif and converted to text. john d |
PDF copy protected files - how to convert to txt
Phil Addison wrote:
I have some pdf files that I want to pull into excel but they have the copy feature disabled so all I can do is save or print them. Does anyone know of software that can extract the data? Preferably shareware or freeware of course. I'm loathe to try printing and ocr as that takes ages to proof read and correct. Try to find somebody with a Mac computer. OS X is the current operating system and has a feature whereby anything that can be displayed on the screen can be 'Printed to PDF'. That presumably means that the new PDF file won't be copy protected. If the files aren't too big, I could try coverting one for you - but I'm only on a dial-up connection, so contact me first before sending any large file. |
PDF copy protected files - how to convert to txt
AJH wrote:
On Sun, 08 Jan 2006 18:02:27 GMT, Phil Addison wrote: I'm loathe to try printing and ocr as that takes ages to proof read and correct. You can cut some of the noise out by saving the pdr as a tiff image and then doing OCR direct from this, still needs the proof reading though. Some OCR will work directly from a pdf. Chris -- Chris J Dixon Nottingham UK Have dancing shoes, will ceilidh. |
PDF copy protected files - how to convert to txt
In message , Phil Addison
writes On Sun, 08 Jan 2006 19:18:15 GMT, in uk.d-i-y Mike Harrison wrote: Try printing to a (non-Adobe) PDF Printer driver - this may get you an unprotected PDF. You mean and saving it to another (pdf) file? Sort of but not quite. You can programs that enable you to 'print' from a program and produce a pdf file. Depending on how they work this may I guess produce a pdf without the copy protection. I use Cutepdf for this: http://www.cutepdf.com/Products/CutePDF/writer.asp I find it useful for 'saving' copies of webpages, such a receipts etc. among other things. -- Chris French |
PDF copy protected files - how to convert to txt
Phil Addison wrote:
On Sun, 08 Jan 2006 20:30:37 +0000, in uk.d-i-y Chris Bacon wrote: Phil Addison wrote: Bob Eager wrote: Phil Addison wrote: I have some pdf files that I want to pull into excel but they have the copy feature disabled so all I can do is save or print them. Does anyone know of software that can extract the data? Preferably shareware or freeware of course. You could try Ghostview (GSView) and GhostScript...Google for more.. I tried to instal those once before but got hopelessly lost with what version to use and which bits to install or leave out. Is there an easy way for XP or W2000? Try again, its not rocket science. Yippee success. many thanks all of you for the ideas. The one that worked for me was GhostScript. went to http://www.cs.wisc.edu/~ghost/, clicked Obtaining AFPL Ghostscript 8.53 Installed for GhostScript Windows 95, 98, ME, NT, 2000 or XP gs853w32.exe, AFPL Ghostscript 8.53 for Win32. gsv47w32.exe, GSview 4.7 for Win32 Powered up GhostScript. Got a command prompt - Arggh Tried GSview Lovely intuitive (almost) GUI. Loaded my file. Clicked Extract Text and saved. Got everything in txt form - wonderful. Of course each table cell is on a new line. So where is my VI crib sheet. Will be doing some neat sed-ing for the next hour or so to regenerate CSV format. You may get somewhere with outputting as .pdf again (file | export as PDF - or something like that) Chris -- Spamtrap in use To email replace 127.0.0.1 with blueyonder dot co dot uk |
PDF copy protected files - how to convert to txt
Phil Addison wrote:
Where do you get the printer driver "MS color publisher" from? It's built in to XP. My work install had it available under add printers without needing the XP CD. I think it's under Generic, but I'm not sure and I'm on Linux here. Chris -- Spamtrap in use To email replace 127.0.0.1 with blueyonder dot co dot uk |
PDF copy protected files - how to convert to txt
Huge wrote:
A Google for "pdf2txt" or "pdf2text" would be informative. There are a number of programs about that do exactly what you want. The first few hits (when I tried it) respect the security options though. Chris -- Spamtrap in use To email replace 127.0.0.1 with blueyonder dot co dot uk |
PDF copy protected files - how to convert to txt
On Mon, 09 Jan 2006 17:59:20 GMT, in uk.d-i-y Chris Hodges
wrote: Huge wrote: A Google for "pdf2txt" or "pdf2text" would be informative. There are a number of programs about that do exactly what you want. The first few hits (when I tried it) respect the security options though. Thanks for your efforts Chris, but I did post last night that it was all sorted via ghostscript. Phil |
PDF copy protected files - how to convert to txt
On Sun, 08 Jan 2006 18:38:34 GMT, Phil Addison
wrote: On 8 Jan 2006 18:16:00 GMT, in uk.d-i-y "Bob Eager" wrote: On Sun, 8 Jan 2006 18:02:27 UTC, Phil Addison wrote: I have some pdf files that I want to pull into excel but they have the copy feature disabled so all I can do is save or print them. Does anyone know of software that can extract the data? Preferably shareware or freeware of course. You could try Ghostview (GSView) and GhostScript...Google for more.. I tried to instal those once before but got hopelessly lost with what version to use and which bits to install or leave out. Is there an easy way for XP or W2000? The only program to unlock a PDF is made by Elcomsoft but is expensive. |
PDF copy protected files - how to convert to txt
Chris Hodges wrote:
Huge wrote: A Google for "pdf2txt" or "pdf2text" would be informative. There are a number of programs about that do exactly what you want. The first few hits (when I tried it) respect the security options though. The patch to xpdf/pdf2txt took me 2 min to write - having never seen the source before. I find though that I haven't saved it. |
PDF copy protected files - how to convert to txt
In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
Owain wrote: Phil Addison wrote: Can you print to file? Presumably, if I install the Print to File driver. What then? If the copy-protection allows printing, set up a generic text printer driver and specify printer location as "file". You will then get a plain-text file of the text. That's what I thought - and was going to post to this effect last night. But I did an experiment first, and the file contained gobbledegook! -- Cheers, Set Square ______ Please reply to newsgroup. Reply address is invalid. |
PDF copy protected files - how to convert to txt
Phil Addison wrote: I have some pdf files that I want to pull into excel but they have the copy feature disabled so all I can do is save or print them. Use Foxit Reader to open them. You can use it to copy text and paste to a word processor. However the protected files are there like that for a reason. They are copyrighted, probably. |
PDF copy protected files - how to convert to txt
Ian Stirling wrote:
Chris Hodges wrote: Huge wrote: A Google for "pdf2txt" or "pdf2text" would be informative. There are a number of programs about that do exactly what you want. The first few hits (when I tried it) respect the security options though. The patch to xpdf/pdf2txt took me 2 min to write - having never seen the source before. Thus neatly making the topic relevant to uk.d-i-y -- well done:-) (though posting as was possibly less clever) Douglas de Lacey |
PDF copy protected files - how to convert to txt
Douglas de Lacey wrote:
Ian Stirling wrote: Chris Hodges wrote: Huge wrote: A Google for "pdf2txt" or "pdf2text" would be informative. There are a number of programs about that do exactly what you want. The first few hits (when I tried it) respect the security options though. The patch to xpdf/pdf2txt took me 2 min to write - having never seen the source before. Thus neatly making the topic relevant to uk.d-i-y -- well done:-) (though posting as was possibly less clever) Historical - userID was chosen when I was still using windows (3.11) |
PDF copy protected files - how to convert to txt
Phil Addison wrote:
The first few hits (when I tried it) respect the security options though. Thanks for your efforts Chris, but I did post last night that it was all sorted via ghostscript. Glad to hear it. This seems to have turned into one of those "useful threads" so I thought I'd point out thatthe rpevious suggestion might not work. When I tried was about a year ago with the same issue except I wanted to machine translate text. -- Spamtrap in use To email replace 127.0.0.1 with blueyonder dot co dot uk |
PDF copy protected files - how to convert to txt
On 9 Jan 2006 16:34:09 -0800, in uk.d-i-y "Weatherlawyer"
wrote: Phil Addison wrote: I have some pdf files that I want to pull into excel but they have the copy feature disabled so all I can do is save or print them. Use Foxit Reader to open them. You can use it to copy text and paste to a word processor. However the protected files are there like that for a reason. They are copyrighted, probably. Don't think so - printing is allowed, so that doesn't prevent photocopying. I did not want to copy them, just look at the data in different way, ie via sorts and filters in excel to easier pick out the trends I am looking for. Could do exactly the same with paper and pencil, but its somewhat easier in a spreadsheet. Phil |
| All times are GMT +1. The time now is 08:14 PM. |
Powered by vBulletin® Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004 - 2014 DIYbanter