Batch convert images to pdf?

spindizzy 15 Nov 2006 09:49:09 6,162 posts
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Hi all,

Does anyone know how to take a directory of images and create a pdf file from them? I'd like to have (say) 4 images per page. I assumed that it'd be easy but after an hour of fiddling, googling etc I'm stuck! Any help much appreciated. Ta!

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Blerk Moderator 15 Nov 2006 10:01:52 47,784 posts
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Curiously enough, I was doing this exact same thing yesterday.

You need a 'pretend printer' which prints directly to a PDF, like PrimoPDF (free), and an image browser like Faststone (also free).

Set them all up, browse to the directory full of images. Select all of the images, and ask Faststone to print. Set up the options as if printing to paper, choose PrimoPDF instead of a proper printer and wait.

Ta-da!

Edited by Blerk at 10:01:47 15-11-2006

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spindizzy 15 Nov 2006 10:08:23 6,162 posts
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Thanks very much Blerk, but I think that's all Windows only? I did put this is the Mac category, but I guess I should have been a bit clearer: I'm looking for a solution under OSX.

You can probably still help though - OSX is your favourite operating system IIRC? ;-)

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Blerk Moderator 15 Nov 2006 10:33:52 47,784 posts
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spindizzy wrote:
Thanks very much Blerk, but I think that's all Windows only? I did put this is the Mac category, but I guess I should have been a bit clearer: I'm looking for a solution under OSX.

You can probably still help though - OSX is your favourite operating system IIRC?

Oh shit. Sorry, man! I didn't notice.

In which case, I dunno. The same principles should hold if you can get similar bits o' software, but nothing's ever free on the Mac is it? :-)

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Nexus_6 15 Nov 2006 10:33:58 3,531 posts
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set up an action in photoshop to save all the relevant files as PDFs

(do a batch process on the single action, choosing your folder etc, its in one of the first drop down menus cant remember which)

then get a free download trial of acrobat 7.0 or whatever, not the reader though.
then through that you can select the option to combine in one pdf!

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spindizzy 15 Nov 2006 10:41:25 6,162 posts
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Hmm. I don't have photoshop, but it should be easy to write an Automator action to produce the pdfs from the image files. It's merging them that might be trickier, so I guess you're right and Acrobat would be the tool to use.

But actually, I just found that I can do exactly what I want in iPhoto, but of course that means importing all the photos there first and deleting them afterwards. Probably another job for Automator.

Sigh. I'd really have thought that this would be a little easier!

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Blerk Moderator 15 Nov 2006 10:44:04 47,784 posts
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There seem to be plenty of 'easy solutions' available providing you're willing to pay bundles of cash.

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spindizzy 15 Nov 2006 10:45:25 6,162 posts
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Blerk wrote:
There seem to be plenty of 'easy solutions' available providing you're willing to pay bundles of cash.

True! But I'm not. Frankly iPhoto will do for now, but I'll try to work out a more elegant solution later.

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spindizzy 15 Nov 2006 11:37:08 6,162 posts
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WOPR wrote:
CrispyXUK wrote:
Can't you just highlight all the images, control click > print, to PDF as its native in OS X.
Winner.

Nope (this was one of the first things I tried!)

It opens up Preview, and then you have to manually select print for each image. It's a pain in the butt (and really stupid).

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Blerk Moderator 15 Nov 2006 11:47:59 47,784 posts
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CrispyXUK wrote:
Why do you want these images as PDF anyway? they'll just be the original image contained in a PDF file, it doesn't achieve anything.

It ensures that people look at them in the right order. :-)

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deem 15 Nov 2006 11:53:18 31,634 posts
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Post deleted

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spindizzy 15 Nov 2006 11:59:32 6,162 posts
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deem wrote:
How many images are there?

Whats wrong with the iPhoto route?

There are several hundred images (possibly thousands), and they're on an external harddrive. I'm low on space on my laptop so I didn't really want to import them to iPhoto, as I'd have to do it in batches then.

And the reason I wanted them as pdfs is so I could send them to people in a format that's easy to print.

So, iPhoto looks the best solution ... but it does seem weird that I can do it more elegantly. For example, I'd have thought it'd be possible to make an automator/applescript which took a directory of pictures and did what I wanted. Never mind.

Thanks for the help everyone!