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Asked: 2024-09-27T01:31:04+05:30 In:

How can I combine all PDF documents located in a specific folder into a single PDF file on Ubuntu?

I’ve been trying to figure out a way to combine all the PDF documents in a specific folder on my Ubuntu machine into a single PDF file, and I’m kind of stuck. I have a ton of reports and papers that I’ve downloaded over the past few months, and they’re all scattered in this one folder. It’s getting super chaotic, and honestly, I need to streamline them into one PDF for easier sharing with my colleagues.

I’ve heard there are a few ways to do this using different tools, Maybe some command line magic or GUI applications could do the trick, but I’m unsure what the best approach is. I want to make sure I don’t mess anything up since I really don’t want to lose any of this important information.

You know how it feels, right? You think you have everything organized, then suddenly you realize it’s a complete mess, and you’re left wondering how you let it get that way in the first place. I can’t even remember half of what I downloaded! So, combining them into one document seems like the best solution right now.

I’ve seen some options like using `pdftk` or `ghostscript`, but I’m not very familiar with command-line tools. And I’d love to know if there’s a simpler way, like a graphical app where I can just drag and drop files. Is there a safe and easy tool out there that anyone has had success with? Or maybe there are simple terminal commands, if that’s the route to go?

Also, I’m curious about things like maintaining the original order of the files or ensuring the quality doesn’t get messed up in the process. If there’s a straightforward step-by-step guide, that would be amazing. I would really appreciate any tips or suggestions on how to make this work without getting too deep into technical stuff. Anyone out there who’s been in the same boat? What’s your go-to method for merging PDFs on Ubuntu?

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    2 Answers



    1. Combining PDF Files on Ubuntu

      How to Combine PDF Documents on Ubuntu

      Combining your chaotic PDF files into one neat document is totally doable on Ubuntu! Here are some simple methods to merge all those reports and papers without losing your sanity:

      1. Using the Command Line

      Your New Best Friend: pdftk

      If you’re open to trying some command-line magic, pdftk is a popular choice. It’s pretty straightforward! Here’s how to get started:

      1. Open your terminal.
      2. First, install pdftk if you haven’t already: 
        sudo apt-get install pdftk
      3. Navigate to your folder with the PDFs: 
        cd /path/to/your/folder
      4. Now, combine all PDFs with this command: 
        pdftk *.pdf cat output combined.pdf

      This will create a file called combined.pdf with all your PDFs in the same order they were in the folder.

      Ghostscript – Another Option

      If you prefer Ghostscript, you can do it like this:

      1. Install Ghostscript: 
        sudo apt-get install ghostscript
      2. Run: 
        gs -dBATCH -dNOPAUSE -q -sDEVICE=pdfwrite -sOutputFile=combined.pdf *.pdf

      2. Using a Graphical Tool

      If command-line tools aren’t your thing, no worries! There are GUI applications that are super user-friendly. Here’s a recommendation:

      PDF Arranger

      1. Install PDF Arranger: 
        sudo apt install pdfarranger
      2. Launch PDF Arranger from your applications menu.
      3. Drag and drop all your PDFs into the window.
      4. You can rearrange them as needed by dragging them around.
      5. When you’re ready, go to File and then Export as PDF!

      This method is nice because you can visually organize your files before combining them.

      Final Tips

      • Always keep backups of your original PDFs just in case something goes wrong.
      • Check the output PDF to ensure everything looks good before sharing it with colleagues!
      • If you care about the order, make sure the files are named in the way you want them to appear in the final document.

      Now you should be all set to tackle that PDF chaos! Choose the method that feels most comfortable for you, and you’ll be organized in no time!


    2. To combine PDF documents on your Ubuntu machine, you can use a variety of tools that cater to both command-line enthusiasts and those who prefer a graphical user interface. If you’re comfortable with the command line, pdfunite (part of the Poppler utilities) is a straightforward option. To install it, you can run sudo apt install poppler-utils in the terminal. Once installed, navigate to the directory containing your PDFs and execute the command: pdfunite *.pdf output.pdf. This command combines all PDF files in the folder into a single document named output.pdf. To ensure the original order of the files, you can specify the filenames explicitly, for example: pdfunite file1.pdf file2.pdf file3.pdf output.pdf.

      If you prefer a graphical method, applications like PDF Arranger or PDFtk GUI are excellent choices. These tools allow you to drag and drop your PDF files into the application window and arrange them in the desired order before merging. To install PDF Arranger, run sudo apt install pdfarranger in your terminal. After installing, open PDF Arranger, import your PDFs, arrange them as needed, and then export them as a single file. Both options maintain the quality of your PDFs, and using the GUI tools simplifies the process, making it accessible even if you are not very familiar with command-line operations. Be sure to back up your original files before merging, just to be safe!

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