How to run Tesseract (to Ocr Pdfs) on the Mac?

MarjaE · 01-25-2018, 08:40 PM

What's a good way to run Tesseract to ocr pdfs on the Mac?

I've previously used Elucidate, which uses Tesseract but reformats pdfs in Quartz, which limits compatibility with k2pdfopt later on. I've also tried k2pdfopt, which can use Tesseract if requested and reformats pdfs in MuPdf. It's really useful for reformatting pdfs, but not as good as Elucidate for ocr.

I've tried straight-up Tesseract, installing with Macports, but I can't get it to work. Apparently I have to create a config file to actually use Tesseract? The Macports installation doesn't include the required config files.

orebmur · 01-26-2018, 05:23 PM

Not sure what's the final aim behind "to ocr pdfs", but maybe this here is of interest for you:

github.com/jbarlow83/OCRmyPDF

MarjaE · 01-27-2018, 02:53 PM

Okay, thanks. I'll try Homebrew and Ocrmypdf.

I want to be able to (a) search pdfs (b) in some cases copy text to translation tools (c) and still be able to process the pdfs in k2pdfopt so they will load on the Kindle, and will load faster on the Mac.

P.S. Had some trouble with Homebrew, but it installed on the 2nd try.

P.P.S. Having more trouble with ocrmypdf. I followed the installation instructions here, but when I try to check ocrmypdf --help, I get a message stating "-bash: ocrmypdf: command not found"

https://github.com/jbarlow83/OCRmyPDF

MarjaE · 01-27-2018, 06:15 PM

I had to move Macports out of the way to install Ocrmypdf using Homebrew... I haven't tested Ocrmypdf yet.

P.S. Ocrmypdf can ocr a few files which Elucidate and K2 had balked at. It can leave good images on its own, but bad ones when combined with k2.

MarjaE · 02-05-2018, 06:46 PM

I also installed cpdf, using HomeBrew this time. Some success with individual files, but it refuses to work with folders; it interprets invisible system DS_Store files as malformed pdfs.

01-25-2018, 08:40 PM	#1
MarjaE Guru Posts: 924 Karma: 53902736 Join Date: Jun 2015 Device: multiple	How to run Tesseract (to Ocr Pdfs) on the Mac? What's a good way to run Tesseract to ocr pdfs on the Mac? I've previously used Elucidate, which uses Tesseract but reformats pdfs in Quartz, which limits compatibility with k2pdfopt later on. I've also tried k2pdfopt, which can use Tesseract if requested and reformats pdfs in MuPdf. It's really useful for reformatting pdfs, but not as good as Elucidate for ocr. I've tried straight-up Tesseract, installing with Macports, but I can't get it to work. Apparently I have to create a config file to actually use Tesseract? The Macports installation doesn't include the required config files.

01-27-2018, 02:53 PM	#3
MarjaE Guru Posts: 924 Karma: 53902736 Join Date: Jun 2015 Device: multiple	Okay, thanks. I'll try Homebrew and Ocrmypdf. I want to be able to (a) search pdfs (b) in some cases copy text to translation tools (c) and still be able to process the pdfs in k2pdfopt so they will load on the Kindle, and will load faster on the Mac. P.S. Had some trouble with Homebrew, but it installed on the 2nd try. P.P.S. Having more trouble with ocrmypdf. I followed the installation instructions here, but when I try to check ocrmypdf --help, I get a message stating "-bash: ocrmypdf: command not found" https://github.com/jbarlow83/OCRmyPDF Last edited by MarjaE; 01-27-2018 at 03:32 PM.

01-27-2018, 06:15 PM	#4
MarjaE Guru Posts: 924 Karma: 53902736 Join Date: Jun 2015 Device: multiple	I had to move Macports out of the way to install Ocrmypdf using Homebrew... I haven't tested Ocrmypdf yet. P.S. Ocrmypdf can ocr a few files which Elucidate and K2 had balked at. It can leave good images on its own, but bad ones when combined with k2. Last edited by MarjaE; 01-27-2018 at 09:15 PM.

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01-26-2018, 05:23 PM	#2
orebmur Veteran Linux user Posts: 144 Karma: 678910 Join Date: Mar 2017 Location: Barcelona/Spain Device: Boyue Likebook Note & Mimas, Hisense A5, hopefully soon a PineNote	Not sure what's the final aim behind "to ocr pdfs", but maybe this here is of interest for you: github.com/jbarlow83/OCRmyPDF

02-05-2018, 06:46 PM	#5
MarjaE Guru Posts: 924 Karma: 53902736 Join Date: Jun 2015 Device: multiple	I also installed cpdf, using HomeBrew this time. Some success with individual files, but it refuses to work with folders; it interprets invisible system DS_Store files as malformed pdfs.