Delete, Move and Style PDF Bookmarks Using The AutoBookmark™ Plug-in

Delete, Move and Style PDF Bookmarks

Introduction

This tutorial shows examples on how to edit bookmark properties in a PDF document using the AutoBookmark™ plug-in for the Adobe® Acrobat®. This operation provides a powerful and flexible mechanism for managing existing bookmarks in PDF documents.

This operation is also available in the Action Wizard (the Acrobat's batch processing tool) and can be used for automating of document processing workflows.

Prerequisites

You need a copy of the Adobe® Acrobat® along with the AutoBookmark™ plug-in installed on your computer in order to use this tutorial. You can download trial versions of both the Adobe® Acrobat® and the AutoBookmark™ plug-in.

Overview

Use "Plug-ins > Bookmarks > Modify Bookmarks > Find and Edit Bookmark Properties" menu to perform the following operations:

How To Use Find And Edit Bookmark Properties Tool
How To Set A Style For All Bookmarks At Specific Level
How To Set A Style For Child Bookmarks At Specific Level
How To Set A Style For All Bookmarks With Specific Title
How To Set A Style For All Bookmarks Pointing To Pages In Another Document
How To Move All Child Bookmarks One Level Up
How To Move Child Bookmarks With Specific Title One Level Up
How To Collapse All Bookmark Levels Except First Two Levels
How To Remove Actions From Bookmarks At Specific Level
How To Delete Only Bookmarks With Empty Title
How To Delete All Bookmarks Without Actions But Keep Child Bookmarks
How To Delete All Bookmarks With Specific Title
How To Delete Bookmarks With Specific Title But Keep Child Bookmarks
How To Delete All Bookmarks At Specific Level
How To Delete Bookmarks With Specific Title At Specific Level
How To Delete Child Bookmarks At Specific Level

How To Use Find And Edit Bookmark Properties Tool ^↑overview
Step 1 - Open a PDF File: Start the Adobe® Acrobat® application and using "File > Open…" menu open a PDF file that contain bookmarks that need to be processed.
Step 2 - Open The "Find And Edit Bookmark Properties" Dialog: Select "Plug-Ins > Bookmarks > Modify Bookmarks > Find And Edit Bookmark Properties…" to open the "Find And Edit Bookmark Properties" dialog.
Step 3 - Specify Searching And Editing Settings: Check the "Find what:" box if it is necessary to match any specific bookmark by the title. This operation searches bookmark titles for a user-specified text or text pattern (using regular expressions) and performs one of the available editing operations on the matching bookmarks. If the "Find what:" box is unchecked, then all bookmarks at the selected levels will be processed.; It is possible to limit text search to bookmarks that match a specific criteria.; The list of available search filters (selected via the "Bookmark subset" option menu) include:; Use "Bookmark level" option menu to process only bookmarks at selected level:; Select editing action from the "Perform the following action" option menu.; The list of available editing operations include (selected via the "Perform the following action" option menu):; Click "OK" to perform the operation.
How To Set A Style For All Bookmarks At Specific Level ^↑overview
Step 1 - Open a PDF File: Start the Adobe® Acrobat® application and using "File > Open…" menu open a PDF file that contain bookmarks that need to be processed.
Step 2 - Open The "Find And Edit Bookmark Properties" Dialog: Select "Plug-Ins > Bookmarks > Modify Bookmarks > Find And Edit Bookmark Properties…" to open the "Find And Edit Bookmark Properties" dialog.
Step 3 - Specify Searching And Editing Settings: Select "All Bookmarks" in the "Bookmark subset" option menu. Set desired level in the "Bookmark level" option menu. Select "Set Bookmark Style" from the "Perform the following action" option menu. Specify desired text color and style. Click "OK". For example, we are going to change text color to red and text style to bold for all bookmarks at the 1st level.
Step 4 - Examine the Results: The text color has been changed to red and text style to bold for all bookmarks at the 1st level.
How To Set A Style For Child Bookmarks At Specific Level ^↑overview
Step 1 - Open a PDF File: Start the Adobe® Acrobat® application and using "File > Open…" menu open a PDF file that contain bookmarks that need to be processed.
Step 2 - Open The "Find And Edit Bookmark Properties" Dialog: Select "Plug-Ins > Bookmarks > Modify Bookmarks > Find And Edit Bookmark Properties…" to open the "Find And Edit Bookmark Properties" dialog.
Step 3 - Specify Searching And Editing Settings: Select "All Bookmarks" in the "Bookmark subset" option menu. Set desired level in the "Bookmark level" option menu. Select "Set Child Bookmarks Style" from the "Perform the following action" option menu. Specify desired text color and style. Click "OK" to process. For example, we are going to change text color to red for child bookmarks for all bookmarks at the 1st level only.
Step 4 - Examine the Results: The text color has been set to red for child bookmarks for all bookmarks at the 1st level only.
How To Set a Style for All Bookmarks With a Specific Title ^↑overview
Step 1 - Open a PDF File: Start the Adobe® Acrobat® application and using "File > Open…" menu open a PDF file that contain bookmarks that need to be processed.
Step 2 - Open The "Find And Edit Bookmark Properties" Dialog: Select "Plug-Ins > Bookmarks > Modify Bookmarks > Find And Edit Bookmark Properties…" to open the "Find And Edit Bookmark Properties" dialog.
Step 3 - Specify Searching And Editing Settings: Check the "Find what:" box and type search text or text pattern (using regular expressions). Select "All Bookmarks" in the "Bookmark subset" option menu. Set "All Levels" in the "Bookmark level" option menu. Select "Set Bookmark Style" from the "Perform the following action" option menu. Specify desired text color and style. Click "OK" once done. For example, we are going to change text color to red and text style to bold & italic for all bookmarks that contain "Chapter" text in title.
Step 4 - Examine the Results: The text color has been set to red and text style to bold & italic for all bookmarks that contain "Chapter" in the title.
How To Set A Style For All Bookmarks Pointing To Pages In Another Document ^↑overview
Step 1 - Open a PDF File: Start the Adobe® Acrobat® application and using "File > Open…" menu open a PDF file that contain bookmarks that need to be processed.
Step 2 - Open The "Find And Edit Bookmark Properties" Dialog: Select "Plug-Ins > Bookmarks > Modify Bookmarks > Find And Edit Bookmark Properties…" to open the "Find And Edit Bookmark Properties" dialog.
Step 3 - Specify Searching And Editing Settings: Select "Pointing To Pages In Another Document" in the "Bookmark subset" option menu. Set desired level in the "Bookmark level" option menu. Select "Set Bookmark Style" from the "Perform the following action" option menu. Specify desired text color and style. Click "OK" once done.
Step 4 - Examine the Results: The text color has been set to red for all bookmarks that point to pages in another document. This operation can be also used to "highlight" bookmarks that point to pages in another document.
How To Move All Child Bookmarks One Level Up ^↑overview
Step 1 - Open a PDF File: Start the Adobe® Acrobat® application and using "File > Open…" menu open a PDF file that contain bookmarks that need to be processed.
Step 2 - Open The "Find And Edit Bookmark Properties" Dialog: Select "Plug-Ins > Bookmarks > Modify Bookmarks > Find And Edit Bookmark Properties…" to open the "Find And Edit Bookmark Properties" dialog.
Step 3 - Specify Searching And Editing Settings: Select "All Bookmarks" in the "Bookmark subset" option menu. Select "All Levels" in the "Bookmark level" option menu. Select "Move Child Bookmarks One Level Up" from the "Perform the following action" option menu. Click "OK" once done.
Step 4 - Examine the Results: Allchild bookmarks have been moved one level up.
How To Move Child Bookmarks With Specific Title One Level Up ^↑overview
Step 1 - Open a PDF File: Start the Adobe® Acrobat® application and using "File > Open…" menu open a PDF file that contain bookmarks that need to be processed.
Step 2 - Open The "Find And Edit Bookmark Properties" Dialog: Select "Plug-Ins > Bookmarks > Modify Bookmarks > Find And Edit Bookmark Properties…" to open the "Find And Edit Bookmark Properties" dialog.
Step 3 - Specify Searching And Editing Settings: Check the "Find what:" box and type search text or text pattern (using regular expressions). Select "All Bookmarks" in the "Bookmark subset" option menu. Select "All Levels" in the "Bookmark level" option menu. Select "Move Child Bookmarks One Level Up" from the "Perform the following action" option menu. Click "OK" once done. For example, we are going to move child bookmarks that contain "Figure" in the title one level up.
Step 4 - Examine the Results: All child bookmarks that contain "Figure" in the title has been moved one level up.
How To Collapse All Bookmark Levels Except First Two Levels ^↑overview
Step 1 - Open a PDF File: Start the Adobe® Acrobat® application and using "File > Open…" menu open a PDF file that contain bookmarks that need to be processed.
Step 2 - Open The "Find And Edit Bookmark Properties" Dialog: Select "Plug-Ins > Bookmarks > Modify Bookmarks > Find And Edit Bookmark Properties…" to open the "Find And Edit Bookmark Properties" dialog.
Step 3 - Specify Searching And Editing Settings: Select "All Bookmarks" in the "Bookmark subset" option menu. Select "Level 2" in the "Bookmark level" option menu. Select "Set Bookmark Close" from the "Perform the following action" option menu. Click "OK" once done.
Step 4 - Examine the Results: All bookmark levels except the top two have been collapsed. Note that "Figures" bookmark is collapsed and does not show the child bookmarks.
How To Remove Actions From Bookmarks At Specific Level ^↑overview
Step 1 - Open a PDF File: Start the Adobe® Acrobat® application and using "File > Open…" menu open a PDF file that contain bookmarks that need to be processed.
Step 2 - Open The "Find And Edit Bookmark Properties" Dialog: Select "Plug-Ins > Bookmarks > Modify Bookmarks > Find And Edit Bookmark Properties…" to open the "Find And Edit Bookmark Properties" dialog.
Step 3 - Specify Searching And Editing Settings: Select "All Bookmarks" in the "Bookmark subset" option menu. Select desired bookmark level in the "Bookmark level" option menu. Select "Remove Actions" from the "Perform the following action" option menu. Click "OK" once done. For example, we are going to remove actions from the bookmarks at 2nd level only.
Step 4 - Examine the Results: Actions have been removed from the bookmarks at 2nd level only.
How To Delete Only Bookmarks With Empty Title ^↑overview
Step 1 - Open a PDF File: Start the Adobe® Acrobat® application and using "File > Open…" menu open a PDF file that contain bookmarks that need to be processed.
Step 2 - Open The "Find And Edit Bookmark Properties" Dialog: Select "Plug-Ins > Bookmarks > Modify Bookmarks > Find And Edit Bookmark Properties…" to open the "Find And Edit Bookmark Properties" dialog.
Step 3 - Specify Searching And Editing Settings: Select "With Empty Title" in the "Bookmark subset" option menu. Select "All Levels" in the "Bookmark level" option menu. Select "Delete Bookmark" from the "Perform the following action" option menu. Click "OK" once done.
Step 4 - Examine the Results: All bookmarks with empty titles have been deleted.
How To Delete All Bookmarks Without Actions But Keep Child Bookmarks ^↑overview
Step 1 - Open a PDF File: Start the Adobe® Acrobat® application and using "File > Open…" menu open a PDF file that contain bookmarks that need to be processed.
Step 2 - Open The "Find And Edit Bookmark Properties" Dialog: Select "Plug-Ins > Bookmarks > Modify Bookmarks > Find And Edit Bookmark Properties…" to open the "Find And Edit Bookmark Properties" dialog.
Step 3 - Specify Searching And Editing Settings: Select "Without Actions" in the "Bookmark subset" option menu. Select "All Levels" in the "Bookmark level" option menu. Select "Delete Bookmark, But Keep Child Bookmarks" from the "Perform the following action" option menu. Click "OK" once done.
Step 4 - Examine the Results: All bookmarks without actions have been deleted, but their child bookmarks have been preserved by moving one level up.
How To Delete All Bookmarks With Specific Title ^↑overview
Step 1 - Open a PDF File: Start the Adobe® Acrobat® application and using "File > Open…" menu open a PDF file that contain bookmarks that need to be processed.
Step 2 - Open The "Find And Edit Bookmark Properties" Dialog: Select "Plug-Ins > Bookmarks > Modify Bookmarks > Find And Edit Bookmark Properties…" to open the "Find And Edit Bookmark Properties" dialog.
Step 3 - Specify Searching And Editing Settings: Check the "Find what:" box and type search text or text pattern (using regular expressions). Select "All Bookmarks" in the "Bookmark subset" option menu. Select "All Levels" in the "Bookmark level" option menu. Select "Delete Bookmarks" from the "Perform the following action" option menu. Click "OK" once done. For example, we are going to delete all bookmarks that contain "Chapter" in the title.
Step 4 - Examine the Results: All bookmarks that contain "Chapter" in the title have been deleted. Child bookmarks have been also deleted.
How To Delete Bookmarks With Specific Title But Keep Child Bookmarks ^↑overview
Step 1 - Open a PDF File: Start the Adobe® Acrobat® application and using "File > Open…" menu open a PDF file that contain bookmarks that need to be processed.
Step 2 - Open The "Find And Edit Bookmark Properties" Dialog: Select "Plug-Ins > Bookmarks > Modify Bookmarks > Find And Edit Bookmark Properties…" to open the "Find And Edit Bookmark Properties" dialog.
Step 3 - Specify Searching And Editing Settings: Check the "Find what:" box and type search text or text pattern (using regular expressions). Select "All Bookmarks" in the "Bookmark subset" option menu. Select "All Levels" in the "Bookmark level" option menu. Select "Delete Bookmarks, But Keep Child Bookmarks" from the "Perform the following action" option menu. Click "OK" once done. For example, we are going to delete bookmarks that contain "Chapter" in the title, but their child bookmarks should remain intact.
Step 4 - Examine the Results: All bookmarks that contain "Chapter" in the title have been deleted, but their child bookmarks have been preserved by moving one level up.
How To Delete All Bookmarks At Specific Level ^↑overview
Step 1 - Open a PDF File: Start the Adobe® Acrobat® application and using "File > Open…" menu open a PDF file that contain bookmarks that need to be processed.
Step 2 - Open The "Find And Edit Bookmark Properties" Dialog: Select "Plug-Ins > Bookmarks > Modify Bookmarks > Find And Edit Bookmark Properties…" to open the "Find And Edit Bookmark Properties" dialog.
Step 3 - Specify Searching And Editing Settings: Select "All Bookmarks" in the "Bookmark subset" option menu. Select a bookmark level that need to be deleted in the "Bookmark level" option menu. Select "Delete Bookmarks" from the "Perform the following action" option menu. Click "OK" once done. For example, we are going to delete all bookmarks at the 2nd level.
Step 4 - Examine the Results: All second-level bookmarks have been deleted.
How To Delete Bookmarks With Specific Title At Specific Level ^↑overview
Step 1 - Open a PDF File: Start the Adobe® Acrobat® application and using "File > Open…" menu open a PDF file that contain bookmarks that need to be processed.
Step 2 - Open The "Find And Edit Bookmark Properties" Dialog: Select "Plug-Ins > Bookmarks > Modify Bookmarks > Find And Edit Bookmark Properties…" to open the "Find And Edit Bookmark Properties" dialog.
Step 3 - Specify Searching And Editing Settings: Check the "Find what:" box and type search text or text pattern (using regular expressions). Select "All Bookmarks" in the "Bookmark subset" option menu. Select a bookmark level that need to be deleted in the "Bookmark level" option menu. Select "Delete Bookmarks" from the "Perform the following action" option menu. Click "OK" once done. For example, we are going to delete at the 2nd level all bookmarks that contain "Table" in the title.
Step 4 - Examine the Results: All second-level bookmarks that contain "Table" in the title have been deleted.
How To Delete Child Bookmarks At Specific Level ^↑overview
Step 1 - Open a PDF File: Start the Adobe® Acrobat® application and using "File > Open…" menu open a PDF file that contain bookmarks that need to be processed.
Step 2 - Open The "Find And Edit Bookmark Properties" Dialog: Select "Plug-Ins > Bookmarks > Modify Bookmarks > Find And Edit Bookmark Properties…" to open the "Find And Edit Bookmark Properties" dialog.
Step 3 - Specify Searching And Editing Settings: Select "All Bookmarks" in the "Bookmark subset" option menu. Select desired bookmark level in the "Bookmark level" option menu. Select "Delete Child Bookmarks" from the "Perform the following action" option menu. Click "OK" once done. For example, we are going to delete child bookmarks for the bookmarks of the 2nd level.
Step 4 - Examine the Results: All child bookmarks for the second-level bookmarks have been deleted. Basically, we have deleted 3rd level bookmarks.; You can find a list of other step-by-step bookmarking tutorials here: http://www.evermap.com/abm_bm_summary.asp#tutorials.