Using pstoedit to Convert PDF Files into Various Image Formats (with examples)

Convert a PDF page to PNG or JPEG format

pstoedit -page page_number -f magick path/to/file.pdf page.png|page.jpg

Motivation:

You may want to convert a specific page from a PDF file into an image format, such as PNG or JPEG. This can be useful for various purposes, including including embedding the image into a document, sharing it on social media, or using it in a presentation.

Explanation:

• -page page_number: Specifies the page number of the PDF file to convert. Replace page_number with the desired page number.
• -f magick: Sets the output format to magick, which is compatible with popular image manipulation software, such as ImageMagick.
• path/to/file.pdf: Specifies the path to the PDF file you want to convert.
• page.png|page.jpg: Specifies the output image file name and format. Replace page with the desired name and choose either PNG or JPEG as the format.

Example Output:

If you run the command pstoedit -page 1 -f magick path/to/file.pdf page.png, it will convert the first page of the PDF file located at path/to/file.pdf into a PNG image named page.png.

Convert multiple PDF pages to numbered images

pstoedit -f magick path/to/file page%d.png|page%d.jpg

Motivation:

You may have a project that requires converting multiple pages from a PDF file into individual images. By using this command, you can automate the process and save time.

Explanation:

• -f magick: Sets the output format to magick, which is compatible with popular image manipulation software, such as ImageMagick.
• path/to/file: Specifies the path to the PDF file you want to convert.
• page%d.png|page%d.jpg: Specifies the output image file name and format. The %d is a placeholder that will be replaced with the page numbers. Choose either PNG or JPEG as the format.

Example Output:

If you run the command pstoedit -f magick path/to/file page%d.png, it will convert all the pages from the PDF file located at path/to/file into PNG images. The output images will be named page1.png, page2.png, and so on, depending on the number of pages in the PDF file.