Using Adobe Acrobat 9 in command line to covert from pdf to png using export function

Question

I am trying to use the command line to convert a pdf to png using the export function of adobe acrobat 9. Anyone know how to do this?

A program I am writing in Java will need to run this command.

Thanks for the help.

Mark Storer · Answer 1 · 2011-01-28T18:28:02.930

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Other than this paltry detail, there's no documentation on Acrobat's command line... if there's anything more to document.

I suggest you go with Ghostscript instead. They actually document their command line and are Free.

The commandline would be something like:

gs -o -q -sOutputFile=MyOutPath.png -sDevice=png16m -r300 inputPdf.pdf

-o puts it in batch mode (mostly)
-q quite mode (no std out)
-sOutputFile self explanatory
-sDevice=png16m 24-bit rgb. alternatives include pngalpha, png8, pngmono, png256.
-r300 300 dpi.

I also use:

-dTextAlphaBits=4 antialiasing info for improved text quality
-dGraphicsAlphaBits=4 ditto, only for line art.

These two vastly improved the quality of my output (I use jpeg, not png) at the DPI I use. If no one's going to zoom in on them, 72 or 96 is fine... but folks will zoom in on my images, so I ramped up the dots per inch a bit.

edited Jan 28 '11 at 18:28

answered Jan 28 '11 at 18:22

Mark Storer

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Thanks, I am looking at Ghostscript too but I might only have acess to Adobe when I implement this code. – balloffire Jan 28 '11 at 20:40
Err... free internet download? – Mark Storer Jan 28 '11 at 23:53
free internet download of Adobe Acrobat? – balloffire Jan 31 '11 at 19:17
We're not communicating. Let my rephrase that first comment: "You can download GhostScript for free. Why would you only have access to Adobe?" – Mark Storer Feb 01 '11 at 17:23
It is the company approved program to use. Ghostscript is not, but I am still looking at what it does and need to do the same in Adobe. – balloffire Feb 01 '11 at 19:17
I have tried `poppler` (`pdfimages`) and `gs`. `gs` has much better results - correct fonts, correct kerning. – Ondra Žižka Nov 24 '17 at 18:08

score 1 · Accepted Answer · answered Mar 15 '11 at 19:57

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In java, you must use command line function to open adobe acrobat then use the Robot function of Java in the awt package to emulate keystrokes to go to the export function and convert to PNG.

answered Mar 15 '11 at 19:57

balloffire

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Interesting solution. – Ondra Žižka Nov 24 '17 at 18:06

Using Adobe Acrobat 9 in command line to covert from pdf to png using export function

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