PDF-Tools command line with file lists (.pdtfl)

[involve39]

Hi,

I’d like to call a custom tool from the command (PDFXTools.exe /RunTool: …), with the input files selected via a predefined file list (*.pdtfl).

The reason why I’m using file lists ist that the source files need to be processed in a certain order (i.e. not sorted alphabetically or by timestamp).
The location of the file list is not static, instead it has to be set dynamically at runtime.

Is that possible?

Unfortunately, the tool action „Choose input files“ only permits static file list locations.

[Daniel - PDF-XChange]

Hello, involve39

If you leave the field empty, the tool should prompt you to locate a file list at runtime.
Beyond that, it should be possible to do this via the command line, simply by running the tool with a different input file path to the PDTFL files: https://help.pdf-xchange.com/pdfxt10/co ... ons_t.html

Kind regards,

[involve39]

Thanks for your reply!

If you leave the field empty, the tool should prompt you to locate a file list at runtime.

This wouldn't work, because the process has to run without user interaction.

Beyond that, it should be possible to do this via the command line, simply by running the tool with a different input file path to the PDTFL files: https://help.pdf-xchange.com/pdfxt10/co ... ons_t.html

I looked at that manual, but it doesn't mention PDTFL files - which is why I asked
But I'll try it out, feeding a PDTFL as input to PDFXTools.exe.

[Jordan - PDF XChange]

[BKIM]

Hello, since some years I use the command line
%pathTools%PDFXTools.exe /RunTool:showui=no;showprog=no splitMergePDF "%datei1%" "%datei2%" "%datei3%" "%datei4%" "%datei5%" "%datei6%" "%datei7%" "%datei8%" "%datei9%" "%datei10%" "%datei11%" /Output:Overwrite=yes;showfiles=no;filename="%pfad%\%Ergname%"
to merge files together.
Since this summer, the files have been sorted alphabetically. Can I avoid this and put the files back together as shown in the list?

[Daniel - PDF-XChange]

Hello, BKIM

I am not sure if a change in this nature was intended, but I suspect it was not. I have passed this along to the Dev team for review.

In the meantime, instead of inputting each filename via CMD individually, it may help you to use a "file list" document instead. This is simply a text file with the extension changed to *.PDTFL. The text file contains the path to each desired file, one path per line of text.

With this, you would need to adjust your tool to use file list input, but otherwise it should begin processing without issue and in the defined order:

image.png (8.94 KiB) Viewed 1425 times

[edit]
we have made a ticket to revert to the old handling for CMD entered lists:
RT#7208: bug: tools cmd-line input is sorting alphabetically

Kind regards,