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Convert PDF to JPEG
Function: Converts selected files/folders of PDFs to JPEG and saves to the Desktop.
Author: Automator World
Notes: This workflow demonstrates a few strange quirks with Automator; for some reason the Render PDF action saves the converted file to /tmp/ and doesn’t pass on the original filename. Therefore, the additional step of sequentially renaming the files was added (as there seems no way to restore the original names). And, despite the “bad link” between the Render and Move actions, it still works, while the more logically sound additional step of “Get Selected Finder Items” doesn’t. The workflow is an application, but can of course be modified to suit.
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There is an issue in this workflow related to a bug in Automator. If you are using FileValue (Security Preference Pane) then the copy to Desktop does not work because the files will be misaliased.
Comment by terry chay — June 14, 2005 @ 10:43 pm
I’m trying to use the store original name and restore original name to get around the random numbering feature of the convert PDf to JPEG. it doesn’t seem to work. is there a better way to do this?
Comment by tom — March 10, 2006 @ 3:39 pm
THANK YOU for posting this! I have been bashing my head in all morning trying to figure out why I couldn’t get this to work.
I’m glad too, as the folder ended up having several gigs of jpgs that would have just sat there forever taking up disk space.
THANKS!
Comment by Tim — April 7, 2006 @ 3:54 pm
This is great tools. Is it possible to make 300dpi JPG? Or atleast the same dpi with the original PDF.
I have file PDF with 150dpi then become JPG72dpi.
Comment by LutFi — November 21, 2006 @ 1:59 pm
is there a version of this script that works correctly. i require the name to remain the same as the original file (filename1.jpg filename2.jpg ect.) this one seems to randomly generate the file names.
Comment by michael — June 5, 2007 @ 1:12 am
Leopard appears to have broken this, as files converted to jpg are now 150dpi and not 300dpi, which is what I need. I can’t seem to find anywhere to change this. Preview seems to be broken here as well, since it also only save PDFs at 150dpi
Comment by alvise — January 29, 2008 @ 9:16 pm
is there any way to render a transparent background. I could not find this option anywhere with any of the file formats.
Comment by Andreas Fischer — August 4, 2008 @ 11:18 am