Scaling a pdf file from A3 to A4

This is just a quick tip for converting a pdf file from one pagesize to another.
By using the command convert this is easily achieved.

This is the quickest way I've found to do this:


convert -page a3 infile.pdf -page a4 outfile.pdf

The outfile.pdf should now be sized as an A4 page.
The command is as follows: convert [input file options] infile.pdf [output file options] outfile.pdf

Of course it is possible to convert to and from other sizes as well.

Free E-books

Just a quick tip for everyone who likes to learn more.
At BookBoon.com you'll find a few good pdf-books free to download.


As always there is a small cath; there are a few adverts in these books.

Making an A5 book from a pdf-file

Here's how to create an A5 book from a pdf file. This procedure can be done by creating a script that runs through the needed steps automatically. I'll see if I will do that later. But here is the necessary steps to do this manually.

The mission is to print a folder on A4 paper, and fold it into a book.

1. Calculate:  (number of pages \ 4) + 1 = Sheets  (This is needed as the -s parameter in the psbook-command. If the original document has 9 pages then we need to use the following calculation: (9 \ 4)+1 = 2 + 1 = 3)  2 sheets will hold 8 pages which is one page less than the document. 3 sheets will hold 12 pages and is more than the document.
2. Convert the original file to a .ps-file:  pdftops original.pdf new_original.ps
3. Create the pages in the book: psbook -s3 new_original.ps new_original_book.ps   (Refer to step 1 for info about -s3 parameter)
4. Reorder the pages using psnup: psnup -l -n2 new_original_book.ps new_original_folder.ps  (Parameter -l is to print in landscape, and -n2 is to place 2 pages on each page.)
5. Convert back to pdf-format: ps2pdf new_original_folder.ps folder.pdf
6. Remove temporary files: rm new_original_*

After we have printed the book; the pages should come sequentially as in all books. Fold, staple and deliever you brochure/folder. If the original document is more than 4-5 pages we might want to cut a little in front of the book after we have folded it.

Changing the info for a pdf-file

Usually when creating a pdf-file I do it from Libreoffice. But sometimes I need to scan some pages and create a pdf-file from that. On those occasions the title showing up in the pdf-viewers title bar is either blank or is being filled by the scanner software.
I like my pdfs to look more professional so I change the Title value and usually also the Author value.

Adding an index to your pdf-file

Have you ever created a pdf-file from multiple documents? And wanted to have a clickable index for the pdf-file?
on more than one occasion have I created documents that I need to make an index to, and after some gogling I have come up with the solution that I will share in this article.
We only ned a couple of files and programs to make this work.

Merging pdf-files

Merging and splitting pdf-files is very easy if you have pdftk installed. Using it is as simple as you could ever want it. But I usually end up having to check the man-page if I want to do more complex stuff. I use it everytime I need to do something with a pdf-file. Although there are GUI options my preferred program for working with pdf-files are pdftk.