Use when wish to extract a particular page or range of pages across multiple PDF files. For example to repurpose text such as found on Title pages, Table of Contents or Abstracts for metadata purposes.
Adobe Acrobat (using Acrobat JavaScript)
DOS Command (optional) for renaming files or batch moving files
Cut-and-paste below scripts into Acrobat Console Window (Actions)
NB: page numbers in JavaScript are zero-based, i.e., page zero in JavaScript is page one in the Acrobat viewer.
In Acrobat, search tools for “Action Wizard”
Select New Action
Use default settings (Files to be process = prompt for file locations)
Add “Execute JavaScript” (found under More Tools from left hand menu ) – SEE figure A
Click on “Specify settings” – SEE figure B
Copy and paste code
Click Save and enter name for action (e.g. Extract 1st page of PDFs)
Select action from “Action List”
Adjust script for different page(s), select “manage actions”
TIP: Review report when complete – SEE figure C
/* script to extract 1st page of PDF */
var filename = this.path;this.extractPages({nStart:0, cPath:filename+"_first_page.pdf"});
/* script to extract page range in PDFs */
var filename = this.path;this.extractPages({nStart:8, nEnd:9, cPath:filename+"_abstract.pdf"});
Thom Parker. 2009. “Extracting Pages from a PDF with Acrobat JavaScript.” Adobe Acrobat Users Community. https://acrobatusers.com/tutorials/extracting-pages-pdf-acrobat-javascript.
“Export Pages with Javascript in Adobe Acrobat X Pro - Stack Overflow.” 2013. http://stackoverflow.com/questions/11954064/export-pages-with-javascript-in-adobe-acrobat-x-pro.
“extractPages from JavaScript for Acrobat API Reference > JavaScript API > Doc > Doc Methods > extractPages.” Accessed 2015. http://help.adobe.com/livedocs/acrobat_sdk/10/Acrobat10_HTMLHelp/wwhelp/wwhimpl/common/html/wwhelp.htm?context=Acrobat10_SDK_HTMLHelp&file=JS_API_AcroJS.88.460.html.