Converting PDFs

[BasilC]

Originally posted by BasilC
It ought to be really good - it costs £159!

Make that $159 - but it's still serious money!

[BasilC]

Originally posted by Alexander
Gemini Solo is supposed to be one of the best PDF -> HTML convertors, you can find info here: http://www.iceni.com/soloSet.html

I've just downloaded and tried this, but I can't get it to convert more than the first five pages, and even those didn't come out perfectly.

Am just trying out pdaConverter 1.1, which is available via PalmGear. Slightly puzzled so far. It looks as if this was basically intended as a gui for conversion to of web pages for viewing on Plucker, before Plucker Desktop was available. But it does claim to be able to convert pdf. We shall see... Anyone had experience of this and able to give some advice?

[Alexander Turcic]

I have heard of pdaConverter, but I haven't tried it because I think it directly converts to palm .DOC format. Right?

Anyways, what problems did you have with Gemini Solo ("those didn't come out perfectly")?

[BasilC]

Originally posted by Alexander
I have heard of pdaConverter, but I haven't tried it because I think it directly converts to palm .DOC format. Right?

It also claims to be able to convert to Plucker format, but I couldn't get it to work, I think it was writtetn for an older version of Plucker. I was pretty mystified by how to use pdaConverter in general, but did get it to produce a text-only document that works well in iSilo (but presumably isn't compressed). I think that in view of your expertise in assessing iSilo vs. Plucker, you might want to have a look at it. It may just be a question of producing clearer instructions.

Originally posted by Alexander Anyways, what problems did you have with Gemini Solo ("those didn't come out perfectly")?

I tried it with three random pdf files. All three were reduced to the first five pages (maybe you have to register to get full documents?), but in other respects the first two were rendered very well. The third was in Italian, and words were run together like this:

"“Afuriadidiscorrereediragionarcisu,queitremonelli finironoperpersuadersiche,avendereiloro libri di scuola, facevano un'operazione d'oro.Lostessogiorno,Cesare,conunfagottosottoilbra ccio,andòincercadiunrivenditoredilibriusati: e quand'ebbe in tasca le tre lire, gli parve di aver toccato il cielo con un dito.Laserachedovevanoandarealteatro,finserotuttie trediavereungransonno:ecomefecerobene la loro parte in commedia!...“Io non posso più tenere gli occhi aperti”, diceva Cesare.“Io dormo e cammino”, diceva Orazio.“Un sonno come stasera, non l'ho avuto mai”, diceva Pierino.“Seavetesonno”,disselaloromamma,“èunamalat tiachesiguariscepresto!Andatealettoenon se ne parli più.”I tre ragazzi non se lo fecero ripetere: presero il loro candeliere e si chiusero in camera.“È meglio che ci vestiamo subito”, disse Cesare.“E poi?”“E poi s'entra a letto.”“Equandovienelamammaadarciilsolitobacioditu ttelesere?...SecitrovavestitidaRigoletti?...”“Che discorsi! Prima di chiamar la mamma, si spenge la candela.”“E se la mamma entra in camera col suo bravo lume acceso?”“Hai ragione. Bisogna ricordarsi di star coperti perbene fino al collo...”"

OK, Italian has some quite long words, but not that long!

It could be that there was something wrong with the original pdf document. I'll try it out a few times more when I get a chance.

[Alexander Turcic]

Yup, only the first 5 pages are converted in the unregistered version. And I admit, it is very pricy. My point is to find all available pdf->html convertors and then sum up the best.

Maybe you should really try to convert some other .pdf files as well. I've tried a couple of English ones and the outcome was very nice.

I am sure there are other, maybe better, alternatives out there. Maybe someone can find the time and compile this here for the PC and MAC and make it available to everyone to try.

[BasilC]

Here's a free one to try: PDFTEXTextractor

It appears to be completely free, but only if you trial one of their other applications. Haven't downloaded or tried it yet.

[Alexander Turcic]

As mentioned earlier, a good free solution to convert PDF to HTML is the open-source project pdftohtml.

If you are a Windows user, you can get the Windows binaries from here
(you can try to download the current latest v0.35 directly from here)

This version is console, i.e. text-based. If you prefer a nice and easy graphical interface for it, get it from here (note that the console version is still required).

Maybe someone feels like posting his/her impressions of this tool.

Alex

[Pride Of Lions]

...PorDiBle because it's easy and converts stuff to other stuff. PDB to HTML, TXT to PDB, this to that and that to this.

I use it whenever I download a TXT from Project Gutenberg and convert it to PDB so my DeepReader can find it.

Works wonders.
POL9A

[Saud]

Originally posted by Alexander

Maybe someone feels like posting his/her impressions of this tool.

i posted on this issue here
though its abit of a repeatition of what has been already suggested on this thread

[Alexander Turcic]

Originally posted by Saud
i posted on this issue here
though its abit of a repeatition of what has been already suggested on this thread

Ah thanks for the link. I saw you posted something about IntraPDF which looks also very promising. It costs money but at least there is a Trial version to test.

[Alexander Turcic]

This one looks *very* promising:

http://www.scansoft.com/PDFConverter/Beta/

and

http://www.scansoft.com/pdfconverter/beta/download/

Description:
Unlock the information trapped in PDF files! The ScanSoft PDF Converter is a new plug-in for Microsoft Office 2003 that allows you to open and convert PDF files from within Microsoft Word. It automatically converts PDF files into documents that you can edit, maintaining column flow while separating text from graphics and tables. Instantly re-purpose entire documents, or cut/paste charts and graphs into Microsoft Word - quickly and easily.

[sUnShInE]

Wow. That sounds a bit disturbing in some ways. I know alot of people (myself included) who use Adobe Acrobat *.pdf format for things like legal documents or other materials which need to be transmitted electronically, but cannot be altered. The whole point of putting them into that format was so they can't be deconstructed.

[hesire]

to all ppl who may find it useful..


im no xpert but i knows theres this app called

Iceni Solo from http://www.iceni.com

its a tool/ for Adobe acrobat to convert PDFs to html/Doc/txt

and once u have done that u can convert it via IsiloX..


There are only two bad notices:
1.I think is german, so all manuals are in GERMAN
2. I havent found a way to find a FREE copy .


anyway hope someone finds this useful

hesire
cya

[Alexander Turcic]

(Hesire, I moved your posting to this thread where we discuss PDF->HTML conversions)

Indeed, Gemini Solo by Iceni is a great tool to convert PDF files and you can find a demo as mentioned here. Unfortunately, it is not free and the demo you download is crippled (unless you have the appropriate registration number).

You should also have a look at new product by Scansoft which looks very promising from what it says.

Cheers!!

[hesire]

hehehe sorry

i should have read this oine first


cya