Sunday 13 June 2010

A Free Software to Merge (Attaching) PDF Files Together

(For the latest PDF files Merger Software please have a look at the top of the left margine, inside the red box.) Frequently in academic places you might need to consolidate or technically speaking you have to concatenate two or more pdf files together. It is due to the fact that you are creating or downloading a work, such as a series of lectures during a period of time then you would like to make them in one big volume. I have created a software to do that job for me. I used iText software. I put it here for your usage. It is in RC1 phase so far. It has no risk using it. No other software is bundled with this. It does not install anything on your computer. It does not do anything with your pdf files. In the worst case scenario that never happens (since that iText is very noble a software) the concatenation might not happen. I have tested it and am using it for a long time with different files I have downloaded or scanned from the books with no problem. It has no limitation on the size and number of files or usages of software on different platforms-Windows, Unix, or Mac. It is a pity not to make it available for others. I have used iText 2.7 for implementation. I am planning to use iText 5 now with all details of open source and other fusses to become available later. Meanwhile, please enjoy these humble versions, by
click  here   or  here (Series 5 versions are slower but smaller download, 1.9MB. Latest stable Series 5 version 5.4.5; with features for "page numbering"  and  "re-size" and "zoom", and "rotate" based on iText : rev.24/March/11; finalised and no newer version will be released. Fully deprecated, now, 04/11/2014).
For a more advanced  stable version click  here  or   here  (Series 6 versions are faster but larger download, 4.5MB. Latest stable Series 6 version 6.7.2;  includes all features of Series 5 versions with additional features for "Signature Manager," and "Bookmark Manager" based on iText :   rev.25/March/11; actively being tested and debugged - still becomes more improved).
For simpler  versions please go here (Latest stable Release R2 safe to use and stable, works similar to Adobe combine feature, finalised based on iText : 22/March/11; finalised and no newer version will be released. Fully deprecated, now, 04/11/2014).
This place includes a help and Visual Help, and encountered issues page, as well.
The first free software for Insertion pdf file 23/March/11 here.

Stable pdf Splitter free software now available from Messiah's download page at, here. (Stable beta_6, 3.85 MB; new build, improved bookmark split based on iText, 21/March/11).
Please click on the "Question Mark" at the bottom right of the software to learn how to use it.
New 07/07/2014 : Modern version of Dysprosium D6.xx includes more features for Merge, Split and Inject.  
All older versions removed.
For Merge software:
You should have all the pieces of pdf files in one place, perhaps in a folder of their own, somewhere next to each other. (Still, do not worry; software won't include any non PDF files around there.) When application opens, click for "brows" and take the "file-chooser" to where you have your pdf files and then select one of them and click "OK" on the "file-chooser." It pops up for a name to choose for your consolidated file. The default consolidated pdf file name I have chosen starts with "ZZ" such that later you can recognize it easily among other pdf files. Still, you can write your own choice of name in the red highlighted text field but do not add pdf extension. Software adds it automatically. After clicking "OK" on the "name-chooser" pop up, all the pdf files in the directory comes in the "List Area" of the application. You can remove those you do not need from the list and arrange files in the order that you prefer to consolidate. Then click on the "Merge" button. It brings progress GUI for you and after few seconds or few minutes, depending on the size and number of files, you have your consolidated pdf file in the same directory as the others. Next "dialogue" box offers you more concatenation or exit, whatever you choose to do.
Please check for improvements. You might like to use "subscribe feeds."
Please note, Pdf calculations and regenerations take resources from your computer, sometimes for more than a minute, in particular, if the size of files are greater than 50 MB. Allow enough time to the software to crank and to crunch the job. All the default created files begins with "ZZ" to make it easier to find them.
Please check this place for newer versions and newer software for PDF.
Update, May 2016 : Dysprosium (Dolce edition) has been released (please click) based on iText from mid of April 2014 and smoothly on a nightly basis added more features and now I have deprecated many scattered pieces of PDF utilities I already released. There are so many features that I cannot write complete instructions for all of them. From other previous pieces only Signature manager has been remained to be integrated. I sorted out PDF viewer problem somehow satisfactorily.)
(updated : 26/May/2016) I have had over 60,000 downloads from 187 countries. All around the world, only 1 country in South America (French Guiana) and 1 country in Asia (Democratic North Korea ) have not used Dysprosium Software, yet. The remaining countries not downloaded to this date (less than 10) are from the central Africa and perhaps some very small Island countries.
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If you are merging large files, receiving "Map Failed" exception, then please increase your java heap as explained (please click) here.