PDF XChange Forum

* "Choose input files" should also have an option to set a specific file very easily (just as simple as a folder, I would like to have the same options like within "Save Documents")

* "Overlay PDF" should have identical file options like in "Save Documents" (Use source folder / Use custom folder)

* an additional action "Log" or "Message" or something like that to show information in the tool report window

* Copy action / Paste action - as there's no other way to copy one customized action from one script to another script

* some GUI tweaks, like a more compact representation of the action boxes (no arrows), colorize the active task of ascript in the tool info window. The progress bar on the top of the window seems to be also not very common, maybe it could be moved to the bottom

I have a dream for program version 10 as well: programming elements, like variables (%a%=%document_width%-10) which can be used as parameter in all actions, if then else statements, dialogs ("Do you want to start? yes|no" or even something "Please set the border width [%border%]. ok|cancel")

Hello, Puffolino

It has been a while since you made this list, sorry for the delay in getting a reply, I was just going through to see what we've managed to hit home.

~ Your choose input files wish was answered with the implementation of the "select file list" feature, which allows you to specify a single, or multiple individual files to be processed.

~ The "log" section of PDF-Tools does offer feedback on the current tool processing, I do not think that this has changed much, but it may now offer more details than it did when you originally posted here.

The other items you mentioned do not seem to have changed, but lets review them as well.

~ The overlay action is only intended to overlay a single file, so I am not certain that this could be implemented at this time, perhaps in the future when we see changes to the use of the overlay function.

~ A Copy Paste action would be quite difficult to implement, and highly convoluted to use, so I cannot see this happening. As you can only edit a tool by clicking the "edit" button and navigating to another Window, then likewise leaving that window will require to save the changes, or loose them, offering this would mean the few people using it would need to do the following: "Edit > click > copy > exit > create new tool > paste > save > exit edit > select old tool > edit > click > copy > exit > ..... you see where this is going.
The only reasonable way to offer this would involve an overhaul of how tools are created, and that is not something we are looking at at this time.

~ Your minor GUI tweak suggestions here seem reasonable, and I could see some of them being implemented after due consideration. Thought I cannot make any promises, I will ensure that our Dev team reviews them.

Finally, your dream for programming elements. Although it is a dream that a handful of people share, doing so would, like the copy paste action before, require a massive overhaul of the entire application. It would also undoubtedly result in something that is fantastically customizable for advanced users, like yourself, but that would be borderline unusable by basic users. The current UI, while admittedly not the most intuitive, is still widely usable even by users with minimal computer knowledge. There is a fine line that we need to balance this UI on, and I think we have done a fairly good job of staying on it thus far.

Kind regards,