Converting a PDF to a Personal Book on Apple Computer

Steven Leavitt
Steven Leavitt Member Posts: 94 ✭✭
edited November 2024 in English Forum

Hi there. I am sorry if this is something already mentioned in the forums. For some reason when I search the forums right now I am getting an error message. Anyway, I have study guides from a ministry in PDF format. I would love to be able to view and keep these in my Logos software. From what I was able to find from searching Google, it appears that I can convert the PDF files from Microsoft Word but I do not have that software because it has an annual fee. I do have Apple's Pages which is free. Is it possible to convert from this software? If not, are there any recommendations?

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  • For some reason when I search the forums right now I am getting an error message.

    Logos Wiki Using the Forums includes Searching the forum using Google

    site:community.logos.com pdf grainger

    results include => "Importing" a PDF

    Thread Logos 9 Wishlist includes reply by Bradley Grainger (Faithlife)

    One main problem for PDF files is that some are just pictures of text. Yes, maybe they could be converted but only as page after page of pictures of text. And thus, not searchable

    Even PDFs that have text (not just page scans) can be surprisingly difficult to extract text from. I highly recommend reading https://www.filingdb.com/pdf-text-extraction to give an overview of the problems that could be encountered.

    Concur some textual PDF's can be quite challenging to convert (easier to read PDF on screen so can type into a new document).

    I do have Apple's Pages which is free. Is it possible to convert from this software?

    No. Pages cannot open PDF format. LibreOffice is free (does ask for a donation), which can open PDF's (resulting conversion depends on internal format) and edit docx. For printing PDF's on macOS, like using Preview (included with macOS), which can select text in PDF for copy and paste. Pages can export a document as Word docx format. Internet search for free pdf converters finds many results.

    Keep Smiling [:)]

  • Robert M. Warren
    Robert M. Warren Member Posts: 2,453 ✭✭✭

    Hi Steven:

    While you're investigating this issue, I can help you with the immediate need, if the PDFs are text-based, and if you are allowed to temporarily copy them to others. You can put them in a zip file (please, no esoteric formats like rar, etc., just zip), I have a Word macro that automatically converts every PDF in a folder, so I can convert and send the Word docxs back. My email is on my Faithlife profile. Depending on the size, you can try to email the zip, or just use a file-sharing service (Dropbox, etc.) to send it. If you have a wider permission to share them generally, let me know; otherwise, I'll remove them from my computer when we're finished.

    macOS (Logos Pro - Beta) | Android 13 (Logos Stable)

    Smile

  • Steven Leavitt
    Steven Leavitt Member Posts: 94 ✭✭

    Thank you Keep Smiling and Robert for replying. These study guides that I would like to add to my library are from Ligonier Ministries. The study guides are currently free to download at this time. They do have pictures in them so it is probably not a simple thing for me to just add them to my Logos library. I'm thinking of just saving the PDF files in a folder on my computer instead.

    Thank you.