Extract multiple sections of pages from a pdf

Question

I have a ton of pdf files (past exams), of which only two sections of pages (about 8 pages each) are relevant to me. I'd like to extract the two sections into a separate file for each of them.

I used Adobe to extract the two sections into individual new files, then copied one over into the other. This is time consuming however, as Adobe does not allow me to extract, for example, pages 2-9 and 22-30 at once into the one file. Is there a better way to do this? I'm on OS X Yosemite 10.10.3.

Thanks.

Answer 1

You can use a lot of tools, included pdftk

pdftk A=Original.pdf  cat A2-9 A22-30 output Extracted.pdf

It was born for Linux but it exists for Windows too.

Answer 2

You might look at the Aerialist plug-in, now maintained and sold by Debenu.

If you have a way to programmatically find the sections you want to export (for example using titles), it would also be possible to assemble an Action (using the Action wizard), where the main work would be done by an according JavaScript.

Answer 3

If you are a Windows user, there is a software called doPDF. When you install the software, it gets listed as a printer driver in your machine, with the exception that it prints to a pdf file. So, when you want to extract some pages of a pdf, do the following:

1. Open the pdf file in adobe reader
2. Click the print option
3. Select dopdf as the printer (provided its already installed)
4. Mention the exact page numbers you want to print
5. Click done
6. When dopdf launches, provide a name for the new file and the location where its has to be saved.
7. When you click done, you will have a new file created with exactly the pages you need.

Hope that helps.