Stripping white margins from PDFs

doreenjoy · 06-07-2009, 08:28 PM

I thought I saw a tool that would strip the wide white margins from PDF files, but I can't find it using search.

Could a kind soul please point me in the right direction?

wallcraft · 06-07-2009, 08:37 PM

One option is soPdf - Better than Yet another PDF to LRF converter.

A new option is pdfmanipulate, which is a command line utility in Calibre 0.6 beta, see New features in calibre 0.6.

doreenjoy · 06-07-2009, 08:53 PM

Thanks much!

...toddling off to check those threads...

Gideon · 06-07-2009, 09:07 PM

If you have a Mac it's INCREDIBLY easy in Preview.

doreenjoy · 06-07-2009, 10:01 PM

No Mac, alas.

Gideon · 06-07-2009, 10:03 PM

Wasn't sure, which is why I didn't give more detailed info.

But good luck! I know Adobe Acrobat can do it, but I doubt the free version can.

doreenjoy · 06-07-2009, 10:07 PM

Hmm, I *have* Adobe Acrobat, but it's the Standard version. I wonder if that's only available in Professional.

jgray · 06-07-2009, 10:31 PM

It works in Standard, too.

doreenjoy · 06-07-2009, 10:58 PM

Herm, call me what you will, but I can't find it. Is it buried somewhere on a menu?

jgray · 06-07-2009, 11:43 PM

You have to click on the "Pages" tab on the left. On the "Options" menu near the top you will find "Crop Pages". Make sure to select the range of pages before clicking OK.

rgeorg · 06-08-2009, 07:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jgray

You have to click on the "Pages" tab on the left. On the "Options" menu near the top you will find "Crop Pages". Make sure to select the range of pages before clicking OK.

jgray, Don't know how I missed that before - works great! (at least on the 1 book I've tried so far).

One other question related to PDF conversions. Following the procedure for converting a large page-size PDF for use on a smaller ebook reader, I save the PDF as RTF (per the Sony Guide). But, when the RTF is open in Word 2007 I cannot access the Page Setup actions - they are grayed-out. And the file is miserable-looking, with overlapping text boxes. Although if I reduce the font size I can eliminate the overlap.

I was able to save the PDF to text and then to rtf - fiddle around with font/size, page size, margins - and then save it back to pdf. The file size goes from 1442 (original pdf) to 853(txt) to 993 (rtf) to a whopping 2173(pdf) - is this normal? Maybe I should just stick with the pdf->txt conversion?

The only advantage that I can gather in going through the entire cycle is if I want to have the book in a special (non-jetBook supported) font?

Thanks again!

alilxmas · 06-19-2009, 02:03 AM

I actually just prefer the text version

doreenjoy · 06-19-2009, 02:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alilxmas

I actually just prefer the text version

Yes, I'd prefer a text version too, but I only have PDF versions of many, many documents. And they will not convert to text.

bozon42 · 06-19-2009, 02:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by doreenjoy

I thought I saw a tool that would strip the wide white margins from PDF files, but I can't find it using search.

Could a kind soul please point me in the right direction?

Hello,
try to search pdfcrop in google or on this forum.
Regards,

bozon42

PS1: http://www.ctan.org/tex-archive/support/pdfcrop/ (pdfcrop.pl )
PS2: http://www.wikihow.com/Crop-Pages-in-a-PDF-Document
PS3: http://www.pdfill.com/

jgray · 06-19-2009, 02:59 AM

I have yet to find a program that will take a PDF and convert it to anything useful. All the programs I've tried either give me plain text with line breaks for each line, or try to recreate the exact layout of the original PDF by using text boxes, tables, and other ridiculous amounts of formatting.

Even the HTML output from these programs suck. Either the HTML has tons of embedded font tags, or they generate extremely complex CSS in an attempt to duplicate the layout of the PDF. Yes, I can use HTML Tidy to clean some of this, but I still have to spend hours cleaning up the rest of the mess. I have done this often enough that I am tired of it. I refuse to waste any more time on converting PDF files.

All I want is simple HTML output with bold, italic, headers and such. If I need anything fancier, I can add a simple sytle sheet myself.

06-07-2009, 08:28 PM	#1
doreenjoy 01000100 01001010 Posts: 1,889 Karma: 2400000 Join Date: Mar 2009 Device: Polyamorous	Stripping white margins from PDFs I thought I saw a tool that would strip the wide white margins from PDF files, but I can't find it using search. Could a kind soul please point me in the right direction?

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06-07-2009, 08:37 PM	#2
wallcraft reader Posts: 6,975 Karma: 5183568 Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Mississippi, USA Device: Kindle 3, Kobo Glo HD	One option is soPdf - Better than Yet another PDF to LRF converter. A new option is pdfmanipulate, which is a command line utility in Calibre 0.6 beta, see New features in calibre 0.6.

06-07-2009, 08:53 PM	#3
doreenjoy 01000100 01001010 Posts: 1,889 Karma: 2400000 Join Date: Mar 2009 Device: Polyamorous	Thanks much! ...toddling off to check those threads...

06-07-2009, 09:07 PM	#4
Gideon Wearer of Pants Posts: 1,050 Karma: 7634 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Norman, OK Device: Amazon Kindle DX / iPhone	If you have a Mac it's INCREDIBLY easy in Preview.

06-07-2009, 10:01 PM	#5
doreenjoy 01000100 01001010 Posts: 1,889 Karma: 2400000 Join Date: Mar 2009 Device: Polyamorous	No Mac, alas.

06-07-2009, 10:03 PM	#6
Gideon Wearer of Pants Posts: 1,050 Karma: 7634 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Norman, OK Device: Amazon Kindle DX / iPhone	Wasn't sure, which is why I didn't give more detailed info. But good luck! I know Adobe Acrobat can do it, but I doubt the free version can.

06-07-2009, 10:07 PM	#7
doreenjoy 01000100 01001010 Posts: 1,889 Karma: 2400000 Join Date: Mar 2009 Device: Polyamorous	Hmm, I have Adobe Acrobat, but it's the Standard version. I wonder if that's only available in Professional.

06-07-2009, 10:31 PM	#8
jgray Fanatic Posts: 547 Karma: 2928497 Join Date: Mar 2008 Device: Clara 2E & Sage	It works in Standard, too.

06-07-2009, 10:58 PM	#9
doreenjoy 01000100 01001010 Posts: 1,889 Karma: 2400000 Join Date: Mar 2009 Device: Polyamorous	Herm, call me what you will, but I can't find it. Is it buried somewhere on a menu?

06-07-2009, 11:43 PM	#10
jgray Fanatic Posts: 547 Karma: 2928497 Join Date: Mar 2008 Device: Clara 2E & Sage	You have to click on the "Pages" tab on the left. On the "Options" menu near the top you will find "Crop Pages". Make sure to select the range of pages before clicking OK.

06-19-2009, 02:03 AM	#12
alilxmas Enthusiast Posts: 32 Karma: 92 Join Date: Jun 2009 Device: SmartQ 7, VX787	I actually just prefer the text version

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06-19-2009, 02:59 AM	#15
jgray Fanatic Posts: 547 Karma: 2928497 Join Date: Mar 2008 Device: Clara 2E & Sage	I have yet to find a program that will take a PDF and convert it to anything useful. All the programs I've tried either give me plain text with line breaks for each line, or try to recreate the exact layout of the original PDF by using text boxes, tables, and other ridiculous amounts of formatting. Even the HTML output from these programs suck. Either the HTML has tons of embedded font tags, or they generate extremely complex CSS in an attempt to duplicate the layout of the PDF. Yes, I can use HTML Tidy to clean some of this, but I still have to spend hours cleaning up the rest of the mess. I have done this often enough that I am tired of it. I refuse to waste any more time on converting PDF files. All I want is simple HTML output with bold, italic, headers and such. If I need anything fancier, I can add a simple sytle sheet myself.