Loop through pdfs in a folder

[rooster]

Is there any way to loop through multiple pdfs in a folder without opening each one individually? I would like to open the first file in a folder and then scroll through the rest.

[Bhikkhu Pesala]

Install the thumbnail viewer, open the file open dialogue, select any PDF, and scroll through the file list with the cursor keys. The thumbnail view on the right gives a preview of the first page and details about the selected file.

Preview Thumbnails in the file open dialogue.

You can also use the Find panel to search folders for PDF files containing a search string.

[rooster]

Here's what I'm trying to do: I have accounts on my system that I work daily. Each account has attchments such as bills, copy of credit files, correspondence from attys, etc. I currently save my attachments as bitmaps and open them with Windows Photo Gallery. This allows me to have multiple files in the attached folder and scroll through them as they are linked automatically in photo gallery. This system works perfectly with the exception that I can't annotate the file as photo gallery doesn't allow this. I need to accomplish this with one click to save time.

[Bhikkhu Pesala]

What on earth does this have to do with a PDF viewer? If you want to annotate bitmaps then use a bitmap viewer like IrfanView.

[rooster]

I would like the pdf viewer to act the same as photo gallery as in the way it opens files. Its hard to find a program that will open multiple files in a folder and page through them as if you were looking through a book and annotate them as needed. The pdf viewers I've looked at will only open the first file in a folder. It doesn't matter to me which program I use. I just want to mark on each file in a folder without opening each one individually. I have tried the program you suggested as well as many others. They all open the first file in the folder only. I need something that will open the first file with a link to the others so I can scroll them. I'm using photo gallery as an example.

[Paul - PDF-XChange]

Hi rooster

there is a difference between image files and PDF documents in that (typically) image files are only single page and PDF document can be thousands of pages. Preloading these in the fashion that would be required to 'scroll through them' could potentially be a problem.

We cannot make notes on the files without opening them because those changes need to be written to the files.

Perhaps the shell extensions feature will give you some of what you want. Without the ability to 'mark on each file' you can however get a preview of each PDF as a thumbnail in the folder view and can scroll through the pages of each PDF document and see the contents by using the Preview pane in Windows Vista and Windows 7.

Does this go some way toward achieving your desired goal?

[rooster]

Paul,

Thanks for your help. I thought what I wanted would be simple but no. I am new to pdfs so I'm on a learning curve. So far, I have found no way to open files sequentially in a folder with multiple pdfs. Let me give you a brief idea of what I'm doing. I currently am using 2 23" wide screen monitors which allows me to have all the info I need at a glance. I will soon be adding a third so you can see how much info I am processing. My main screen has a program that I use to pull up files to work which have attachments. These attachments may be a copy of a bill, a credit report, criminal history or a letter from a state attorney. Next to the program I use to work the files I have left room for the attachments to be seen in there own space so as a result I have all the information at a glance. Since there are usually multiple attachments, saving them as bitmaps with a default viewer as photo gallery, I am able to scroll through all attachments in a couple of seconds without closing any other program. The problem with photo gallery is you can't annotate/write on the files. Pdf viewers allow you to annotate/write on the files but won't show them in a sequence as photo gallery does. I am looking for the best of both programs. I understand that you can merge pdf files into one and scroll vertically. Works, but I may add another file to the folder later and would have to merge that also. Speed and quality of work environment is what I need.

[Paul - PDF-XChange]

Hi again rooster,

I see your point, unfortunately, other than merging the documents into a single PDF I'm not sure I can offer a solution to you. If those attachments are multiple files then perhaps the tabs in PDF-XChange Viewer would facilitate quick navigation between them. Failing that you could disable the tabs and tile the attachments.

At least the Shell extensions with the largest 'icons' Windows offer makes the thumbnails discernible (somewhat) and that Preview Pane then with a single click can preview through an attachment.

I'm sorry I don't have anything more for you than that.

sincerely

[rooster]

If I decide to use pdfs and merge them is there an auto merge feature so if I add files at a later date they will be merged automatically? I may add files by scanning or printing from the web using the print to file feature.

[Paul - PDF-XChange]

sorry - no automerge feature

[jenskl]

The File/Open... dialog box doesn't allow to select more than
one file but you could select all pdf files in your folder in widows explorer
and open all of them simultaneously with Right Mouse Button / Open with... /
PDF-XChange Viewer. This opens each file in a separate tab.

Hope this helps you.

Regards, Jens

[jenskl]

This works on my computer unless I select more than 15 files in windows explorer.
(Windows Vista SP2)

To open more than 15 files simultaneously select all files and drag
an drop them on the PDF-XChange Viewer icon.

Regards, Jens

[Stefan - PDF-XChange]

Hello Jens,

Yes the File -> Open... is intentionally made to open just one file, and glad to hear that you found a way to load all files you might need.
(Please bear in mind that there is a system level limit that does not allow us to load more than a certain number of files (around 50) - this limitation comes from the OSystem and not from us.)

Best,
Stefan

[jenskl]

Hello Stefan,

the suggested feature by rooster could be quite
useful for professional users. I mainly use
PDF-XChange Viewer to open drawings which normally
also have only one page and open very quickly.

I found out that there there are commands named
"Next Document" and "Previous Document" which you
can add to a toolbar by the Customize dialog box.
With these commands you can loop through all open
tabs.

I suggest that you add 2 new commands named
"Next Document In Folder" and "Previous Document
In Folder" to loop through all files in the containing
folder in alphabetically order. A click on these commands
would close the current file and open the next one
in the containing folder.

These commands don't have to be in a standard
toolbar by default.

Please consider to add this funtionality. It seems easy
to program to me an it would perhaps be a unique
selling point.

Regards, Jens

[Paul - PDF-XChange]

well at the very least you have given us something to think about. Whether this means such features become manifest is another story - but the team has heard/seen the discussion so it is possible - no promises of course...

[trfndr]

I just wanted to comment on the "Next Document" and "Previous Document" commands. Unfortunately I cannot understand / make use of the order of documents used here ("Next Document" also work exactly like Ctrl + Tab). It appears to be the order I browse through the documents. I see the more obvious usage is to go through the documents in the order of the tabs shown and move the tabs around as needed. But it would be a difficult exercise now to arrange them the way the viewer tracks them. To "fix" this, one needs to stop working for a minute and just open the tabs sequentially so they restore their "order" and then make sure to never open a tab by opening it directly but only through these 2 commands (which I have assigned Ctrl + Page Up and Ctrl + Page Down).

I work mostly on a netbook so I prefer keyboard shortcuts to any mouse action. PDF-XChange Viewer seems to me the best fit because of its high customizability.

BTW Ctrl + Page Up and Ctrl + Page Down are originally assigned for vague commands "Forward One" and "Back One" in the (hidden) Edit commands but I could not find any documentation or obvious use of them. What are they?

Many thanks for the great, highly customizable software.

[Paul - PDF-XChange]

Hi trfndr,

It's possible already - you can use the CTRL+Tab (go to Next Document) or CTRL+Shift+Tab (go to Previous Document), or setup custom shortcuts for these commands (start "Customize" dialog, go to "Commands" tab, "View" category, "Next Document" and "Previous Document" commands.

hth

[trfndr]

Ctrl+Shift+Tab does not work (it ignores the shift and works as if I press Ctrl+Tab -- possible bug?)

I guess I didn't explain the issue quite clearly. Yes I know how to switch between open tabs (mouse/keyboard/custom keyboard) the problem is the order pdf-xchange goes through the open tabs is the odd one for me. It does NOT cycle them based on their position, i.e. from left to right BUT rather using their opening history.

To reproduce:
Open at least 4 files. Their tab position or order is the same as your opening order. Don't touch anything. Cycle using Ctrl+tab (or a custom shortcut for Next Document) and the tabs will open in the same order.

Now suppose you have the first tab open. Open the third one. Now if you cycle by Ctrl+Tab and notice: instead of the fourth tab opening, you will get the second one open instead. Cycle again and will go to the fourth, again to go to the first, and again to return to the third.

Imagine if you have 10+ documents open and you are trying to open a particular tab most likely you will open all or most of them before arriving at the required one.

[Vasyl - PDF-XChange]

Hi, trfndr.

Strange.. I cannot reproduce this issue.
May be you used quite an older version of our program. Please update it to the latest build (2.0.55).

Best
Regards.

[trfndr]

I was using 2.0.54 and live update seems not working so I downloaded directly. It is now fixed in 2.0.55 Next/Previous Document work fine. But this version has a new "feature" for Ctrl+Tab. Now I need to press Ctrl+ (twice) Tab to select between large thumbnails of each open document. Is there a way to turn it on/off?

[Vasyl - PDF-XChange]

But this version has a new "feature" for Ctrl+Tab. Now I need to press Ctrl+ (twice) Tab to select between large thumbnails of each open document.

The right way: press and hold Ctrl+Tab keys combination until window with large thumbnails appears. When the window becomes visible - hold down the Ctrl and press Tab to select a document in thumbnails list (note: don't release Ctrl while selecting the documents in the thumbnail list).