Search and Copy PDF Files
- Functionality
- The AutoBatch plug-in provides functionality for searching multiple PDF files for occurrences of one or more user-specified keywords, phrases or text patterns. Optionally, software can copy files into folders and/or apply custom document processing based on text search results.
This functionality can be used for:- PDF document searching and reporting
- Copying PDF files into multiple folders based on presence of specific text or pattern
- Applying custom document processing based on search results
- Use Cases
- Here are few examples on how the software can be used:
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- Search PDF files for account numbers and generate spreadsheet-ready report showing document names and page numbers where text is found.
- Search PDF files for a set of pre-defined keywords. Add keyword(s) to the document metadata.
- Search PDF files for a set of pre-defined keywords and insert a different cover page depending on search results.
- Search PDF files for a set of keywords such as "Invoice", "Purchase Order", "Monthly Statement" and etc., copy files into corresponding folder if a match is found. Use "Copy" functionality to organize files into folder.
- Text Search
- Search operation supports regular expression syntax for finding text patterns. Regular expressions can be used to search for social security numbers, account numbers, product SKUs, email addresses, phone numbers and other common text patterns that typically occur in business documents. The search is composed from one or more search "rules". Each search "rule" specifies a text to search for and optional parameters such as Acrobat JavaScript processing code or destination folder where to copy files with matching text.
- Report Files
- Report files are generated listing page numbers and file names for each text match. Report files are generated in two formats: plain text report and CSV (comma separated values).
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Example of the plain text report:
AutoBatch Text Search Report
Processing date and time: Sunday, August 30, 2015 07:08:20
Software build date: Aug 30 2015, Adobe Acrobat version: 15.1536
Search text: Account \d+, Number of matches: 6
File: C:\Data\A\Accounts.pdf, Page: 1, Text found: Account 3791030334
File: C:\Data\A\Accounts.pdf, Page: 2, Text found: Account 992344112
File: C:\Data\A\Accounts.pdf, Page: 3, Text found: Account 9821112008
File: C:\Data\A\Accounts.pdf, Page: 4, Text found: Account 943734112333
File: C:\Data\A\Accounts.pdf, Page: 5, Text found: Account 48384112001
File: C:\Data\A\Accounts.pdf, Page: 6, Text found: Account 8892237701 -
Example of CSV file (it can be opened directly by most spreadsheet applications including Microsoft Excel):
File,Page,Text
C:\Data\A\Accounts.pdf,1,Account 3791030334
C:\Data\A\Accounts.pdf,2,Account 992344112
C:\Data\A\Accounts.pdf,3,Account 9821112008
C:\Data\A\Accounts.pdf,4,Account 943734112333
C:\Data\A\Accounts.pdf,5,Account 48384112001
C:\Data\A\Accounts.pdf,6,Account 8892237701 - Custom Document Processing
- Custom Acrobat JavaScript code can be executed on PDF documents where a text match is found. Acrobat JavaScript is a powerful scripting language used by Adobe Acrobat. Use it to customize document metadata, insert or delete pages, add watermarks, footers, headers or annotations. The plug-in allows processing PDF documents differently, based on presence of specific text or pattern.
- Copying Files Based on Search
- Optionally, PDF files can be distributed into folders based on search results. Files can be renamed by inserting text before and/or after original file name. For example, copy files that contain word "Invoice" into "Invoices" folder and "Account Statement" into "Statements" folder.
- Action Wizard Batch Processing
- The plug-in adds PDF document search and copy functionality as a batch command to Acrobat's Action Wizard. Action Wizard is a batch processing tool (part of Acrobat Professional) that is used to apply sequences of operations to one or more PDF files without user interaction.