Script to resize pdf-files by percentage

Question

Dear all,
I have a rather simple problem: I need to resize a collection of several pdf files (around 60) by a certain percentage, because those files are included in a text (LaTex) - and I need to change the LaTex page style (in other words: the layout) - so that my old images are all a bit too large for the layout; thus I want to do a quick-and-dirty solution and resize them all by a certain percentage (defined by the difference between my old layout and the new, more slim one).
So - the simple question is: does anyone know either if there is simple free software out there that can do this (I didn't find any - and Acrobat 9 doesn't offer the possibility to change the dimensions of pdf images) - or, b) if this would be possible to do with Applescript? Off course, I wouldn't mind a ready-made script - but, since I don't know, but want to learn Applescript, I thought that this might be a good task to start with - although I also need a solution in 3 to 4 days - hope it wouldn't be a too frustrating task to start with...
Thanks for any hints!
With kind regards,
Björn
Message was edited by: bBcuda

Answer 1

Hello
You might try something like the following script.
It will a) resize the pdf image by using Image Events and save it as png and b) convert png to pdf by png2pdf.
You'd need to have png2pdf installed in advance.
(Image Events can open pdf but cannot save as pdf according to the document.)
The script will let you choose source folder where original pdfs reside and destination folder where modified pdfs are to be stored. Also it will let you specify scaling factor. After that it will open each pdf file (*.pdf) in source folder, resize and save as new png file in destination and then convert the png to pdf (and delete png if successful). Hopefully it's like that.
Script is NOT tested and I don't know how good (or bad) Image Events and png2pdf are, for I don't use OSX for myself. Sorry about that.
Good luck,
H
--SCRIPT (NOT TESTED)
Using Image Events and png2pdf
Image Events
http://www.apple.com/applescript/imageevents/
http://www.apple.com/applescript/imageevents/04.html
http://www.apple.com/applescript/imageevents/08.html
png2pdf
http://png2pdf.sourceforge.net/
http://png2pdf.sourceforge.net/png2pdf.pdf
main()
on main()
script o
property scaling_factor : 0.8 -- default scaling factor
property remove_png : true -- whether remove intermediate png files or not
property nn : {} -- working list
--(0) preparation
-- (0.1) set input and output directories (= ind, indp, outd, outdp)
set ind to choose folder with prompt "Choose source folder."
set outd to choose folder with prompt "Choose destination folder."
set indp to ind as Unicode text
set outdp to outd as Unicode text
-- (0.2) set scaling factor (= r)
set r0 to scaling_factor as string -- default scaling factor as string
repeat
display dialog "Enter scaling factor." default answer r0 with icon 1
try
set r to text returned of result as real
exit repeat
on error --
end try
end repeat
-- (1) process each pdf file in input directory
set nn to list folder ind without invisibles -- get item names
repeat with n in my nn
set n to n's contents
if n ends with ".pdf" then -- only process "*.pdf"
-- (1.1) open pdf, resize and save it as new png file
set infp to indp & n
set outfp to outdp & n's text 1 thru -4 & "png" -- set output path
tell application "Image Events"
set p to open (infp as alias)
scale p by factor r
save p as PNG in file outfp
close p
end tell
-- (1.2) convert png to pdf (and optionally remove png if successful)
set infpx to quoted form of POSIX path of (outfp as alias)
set outfpx to quoted form of ((POSIX path of outd) & n)
if remove_png then
do shell script ("png2pdf -p1.4 -n -a " & infpx & " " & outfpx & " && rm -f " & infpx)
else
do shell script ("png2pdf -p1.4 -n -a " & infpx & " " & outfpx)
end if
end if
end repeat
-- (2) decent notice
display dialog "Done." with icon 1 giving up after 5
end script
tell o to run
end main
--END OF SCRIPT
Message was edited by: Hiroto (fixed typo)