Batch Processing: Splitting PDF files via Action Wizard
- Introduction
- The Adobe® Acrobat® Pro offers a powerful way for automating repetitive tasks. This functionality is called “Action Wizard”. It is also known as “Batch Processing” in previous versions of Adobe® Acrobat® (prior to version X). It allows to apply a series of PDF processing commands with user-specific settings to one or more PDF files without user interaction. The "action" can be executed on multiple files at once or on an entire content of the folder(s). Once an action is created, it can be executed either manually from the Adobe® Acrobat® toolbar or from a command-line batch file using AutoBatch™ plug-in.
- This tutorial explains how to create an action using AutoSplit™ Pro plug-in tools with Action Wizard in Adobe® Acrobat® Pro DC. If you are using an older version of Adobe Acrobat, then here is the similar tutorial for Acrobat XI.
- Prerequisites
- You need a copy of Adobe® Acrobat® Pro DC along with AutoSplit™ Pro plug-in installed on your computer in order to use this tutorial. You can download trial versions of both Adobe® Acrobat® Pro DC and AutoSplit™ Pro.
- Step 1 - Start Action Wizard
- Select "Tools" panel located on the main Adobe® Acrobat® Pro DC toolbar.
- Double-click on the "Action Wizard" tool icon to open tool controls.
- Step 2 - Create New "Action"
- Click on the "New Action" icon on the "Action Wizard" toolbar to create a new batch processing "action".
- Step 3 - Expand the "More Tools" Category
- Click on the “More Tools” category to see the list of available commands.
- Step 4 - Add a Command To the Action Steps
- Double click a command ("Split Document" in this example) or select it and press "+->" button to add it to the list of action steps.
- Step 5 - Click "Specify Settings"
- Now the selected command will be added to the list of processing steps. Uncheck "Prompt User" option (otherwise this command would always display a settings dialog when executed). Press "Specify Settings" button in the "Action steps to show" box.
- Step 6 - Configure Split Document Settings
- Configure all settings as required and press "OK" button. These settings will be used when command is executed. If split settings have been previously stored in the APR settings file, then load spliting profile from the file.
- Step 7 - Do Not Add "Save" Command
- The "Split Document" command takes an input document and splits it into multple output PDF files. Unlike many of the standard batch commands, this operation does not modify the input document and therefore does not need "Save" command. It is important not to add "Save" command unless it is necessary for other reasons.
- Step 8 - Select Input Files/Folders To Process
- Now select input files/folders to run this action on. Press either "Add file" or "Add folder" icon in the "Files to be Processed" section and select an input files/folder. Repeat this procedure multiple times to add more than one file/folder.
- Step 9 - Save Action
- Now we have completed configuring the command. We have specified input files/folders, commands to use and where and how to save the results. Press "Save" button to save these settings as a named "action"
- Step 10 - Add Action Name and Description
- Type desired "Action Name" and, optionally, type description into "Save Action" dialog. Press "Save" button to save the action.
- Step 11 - Select Action For Execution
- Now you should see this new action added to the "Action Wizard" toolbar.
- Click on the action in the "Actions" list to execute it. If you have selected a folder as input and there are a lot of files in it, then it takes quite some time for Adobe® Acrobat® to display a "Start" button for launching the action (see next step).
- Step 12 - Start the Action
- Press "Start" button to execute the action.
