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Rename "Save Documents" to "Save to PDF"

Posted: Wed Nov 20, 2024 8:23 pm
by Jensen Head
I understand that PDF-Tools is designed to work primarily with PDF documents. This follows from both the name and the actual purpose. However, it also supports many image and text document formats. For example, I often use it for batch conversion of image files to other image formats, and batch conversion of doc to .docx. (The uniqueness of your application is that it can do this from the search results of Windows File Manager, replacing successfully converted files with new ones.) Just like PDF-XChange Editor is convenient for OCR of any text on screenshots (a similar function in the FOSS PowerToys works much worse with national alphabets).

Thus, for me it has long been not just a tool for working with PDF documents, but a tool for working with documents in general.

Among the settings of action "Save Documents" there are only the following inscriptions:
Save to
Folder
Filename
When file already exists:
Preserve original timestamp for file
Use incremental save if possible
That is, nothing says in what format the document will be saved, regardless of what format it was in at the input. For example, one can assume that in the original. However, this is not so (PDF only!). For example, saving in other formats is called like this:
  • Export PDF to Images
  • Export PDF to Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet
  • Export PDF to Microsoft PowerPoint Presentation
  • Export PDF to Microsoft Word Document
  • Export PDF to Plain Text
We see that in their case the format is specified explicitly. I suggest doing the same with the action "Save Documents", specifying the word "PDF" if not in its name, then at least in its description.

Re: Rename "Save Documents" to "Save to PDF"

Posted: Wed Nov 20, 2024 11:10 pm
by Daniel - PDF-XChange
Hello, Jensen Head

Thank you for the suggestion, I cannot make any promises, but I have passed this along for consideration.

[Edit]
A quick update, this tool is intended (at some time in the future) to act as a replacement for nearly all the other "specific" export tools, which would make it the generic save action that the name currently seems to imply. That was the original intent when the tool was named at least. Over time more and more formats have been supported, and so that has evidently been muddled.

At the moment, I cannot be sure which way this will go, but the Dev team is now keeping it in mind, and it will see an extended discussion when the team is ready for such action. If we decide to keep the current separated handling, we may see a name change. If the desire that we make it a global action instead remains, than the name will similarly stay as it.

Kind regards,