Import PDF as text

[LaRetta]

I have searched and can find nothing similar to my request. One of our largest chain customers now pays their (hundreds of) invoices by direct deposit. They are providing us with a pdf with the detail (dollars paid on each invoice number). I currently import transactions from many other companies who provide delimited text of their detail but this chain said it was not possible - their program only provides pdf.

I have tried dragging pdf to FM shortcut; nada, the result is garbage. I tried saving the pdf as straight text and it works but the lines are one multiline (all Invoice dates, then the Invoice numbers then the amounts); the format would be difficult (and I think unpredictable). Printing 'print to text' is garbage and standard import pulls everything (including garbage characters) into one field.

Are we stuck re-entering this information? Granted, we did before but it would be a shame if our auto-pay process couldn't handle it for us. :wink2:

[mr_vodka]

Just a suggestion Laretta, but have you tried some of the third party softwares out there? I vaguely recall using a shareware or freeware a couple of years ago when I had a similar problem. I just cant get myself to remember the program name. It was a one time deal.

[LaRetta]

Hi John,

So maybe something like OmniPage? I believe it converts to text but I haven't used it for several years and not for something like this. It wouldn't automate easily for an end-user but I'll check into it. Thanks for the idea.

I might also try printing to text printer.

Edited December 21, 2006 by Guest

[normanicus]

Try looking here:

http://www.foolabs.com/xpdf/about.html

There are command line tools and I used to do a batch conversion of my PDF FM scripts using them. Unfortunately, I have changed computers and no longer have the batch file that did it.

Also, if Acrobat is scriptable with VB or VBScript, then it is possible to do Ctl-A, Ctl-C to copy a PDF as text. The advantage of the xpdf tools is that it is possible to copy and preserve formatting which does not happen when copying directly from Acrobat,

Norman