Help creating Index/TOC from existing pdf

Good Day Kathryn,

You can use a Batch Sequence to obtain a list of the bookmarks you created manually.
This can be inserted at the front of the PDF to provide a TOC for hard copy.
The Batch Sequence is "List all bookmarks". The link immediately below is to a post for info and link(s) to the Adobe document and example sequence files (includes "List all bookmarks").
[url]http://www.acrobatusers.com/forums/aucbb/viewtopic.php?id=2114[/url]

An example of the Batch Sequence output PDF (sequence run against Adobe's Batch Sequence document):
[url]https://share.acrobat.com/adc/document.do?docid=5be8bcbf-be18-4d2a-bd11-829b9212139b[/url]

Having the page number, from the PDF, placed adjacent to the TOC (bookmark list) may be problematic.

See also: Thom Parker's post
[url]http://www.acrobatusers.com/forums/aucbb/viewtopic.php?id=12614[/url]

Getting an Index, in the traditional sense of the term, may not be practicable using only the PDF.
If that should be the case & you must have one then you may have to build it separately (manually), output to PDF, add it to the original PDF and then manually create any links you want.
If the source file is available, building the index in the authoring application from which the PDF was created might be easier.

Be well...

You can create a printable TOC as follows: Copy/paste the list of the bookmarks (created with the batch sequence described in previous post) to Word or Excel. (Word and Excel are 'authoring' apps.) Now you may add page numbers, reformat font (size, color, etc.) and otherwise edit the TOC with flexibility. When the TOC is in acceptable configuration, print the file (Word or Excel, whichever) to PDF. Then insert the TOC (pdf version) in your document at desired location. Now you have a 'printable' TOC in the body of your document. If desired, you may lay hyperlinks on the page numbers. However, since you already have bookmarks and only wanted a printable TOC, you may find it unnecessary to lay links on the printable TOC.

So, I can do this within Acrobat 7.0? I'm noticing that all the information only refers to 8.0. I am an EXTREEM novice and know absolutely ZERO Javascript and have only played and done the basics in Acrobat (self-taught and by the grace of wonderful people on the forums). I know it's a pain, but could you walk me through step by step? I seem to be having a very 'blonde' week (and yes, that is my hair color), so what was in the first link I couldn't quite follow. I'd be soooooo appreciative and it will be heavenly, I'm sure!!! Thank you so much!

Kathyrn hello again ,
The Batch Sequences provided by Adobe can be used with both Acrobat 7 and 8.
For most of the sample sequences available in the zip file you do not need to go "hands on" with javascript.
Just use the sequence.
n.b., it does help to read the document to learn what each sample sequence does and how to use it.

Additionally, I just used rbogie's suggest on a test PDF. It is elegant in its simplicity & most functional.
If you've not tried it yet, may I suggest you do?

Something that is useful to know when one does use the List Bookmarks sequence.
Once you have the "bookmarks" PDF file, use the Select Tool or, in Windows "Ctrl+A", to select all of a page's listed bookmarks.
Now, with the Select Tool "on" (the "I" beam with the arrow at its right), put the cursor into any area of the highlighted text. Next, right click to call up the context menu.
Play with the "Copy as Table", "Save as Table", and "Open Table in Spreadsheet" choices.
Example: Have an empty *.xls file open. Use "Copy as Table" in the PDF. In the Excel file, with the A1 cell selected, paste the contents of the clipboard.

About the first link I posted.
By going to the forum/board thread that is the target destination of this link you access the links to where Adobe keeps the
Batch Sequence "User's Manual" document (a PDF file) and the compressed file (batchseq.zip).
Follow this link [url]http://www.adobe.com/devnet/acrobat/wwdistiller.php[/url]
Once at the webpage, Scroll down to mid-page.
Locate "Batch sequences" and "Sample sequences used in the Batch Sequences document"
Right click on each link in turn. In the context menu, select "Save Target As..."; in the download dialog, browse to the location on your hard drive where you want to put the files. Then click on the "Save" button.
.
Extract the contents of the ZIP file. Copy the extracted sequence files (file extension is *.sequ) to...
For Acrobat Professional 7
C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 7.0\Acrobat\Sequences\EN
The next time you launch Acrobat Pro the sequences will be available.

Again, read/review the PDF document for what is says about the sample sequences.

Let us know how it goes.

Be well...

The expert below noted: "Getting an Index, in the traditional sense of the term, may not be practicable using only the PDF. If that should be the case & you must have one then you may have to build it separately (manually), output to PDF, add it to the original PDF and then manually create any links you want."Is that still true today? I am indexing a book, which will be printed, and which has been exported already into pdfs.

Thanks!

Hi cupito,
Pulling from the March-April 2000 issue of Adobe Magazine.
[url]http://www.adobe.com/products/adobemag/archive/qaacro.php[/url]

[b]What's the difference between an Acrobat Catalog Index and an Index I make in a word-processing or layout program before its output to PDF?[/b]

Each serves a distinct function.
Acrobat Catalog creates a full-text index that supports search for any string of text within the PDF(s) cataloged.
Some search options:
--| exact text strings
--| word stemming
--| sounds like
The Catalog index is not a visual reference designed fo linear human perusal in the manner of a page-based
or topic-based referential index.
The Catalog index inventories everything. The user provides the advanced search queries to "bag 'n tag" what they are
interested in.

Traditional Index creation requires predefining the pages/topics and nesting to be mastered in the authored Index.
Traditional Index creation is done with Index applications or with authoring applications
(such as FrameMaker, InDesign, MS Word, WordPerfect, QuarkXpress, etc).
How robust/interactive the TOC or index will be in an output PDF is a function of what the
authoring application uses to output the PDF.

With that said, it is important to understand that PDF is not an edit - layout - format - content mastering format.
Nor are any of the applications that render PDF and permit some measure of manipulation "authoring applications".
Just a paper (book, journal, magazine, etc.) is the end game, so to is PDF ("electronic paper").

Consequently, a index must be mastered in an authoring application's native format not in PDF.
Alternatively, the Index (for the hardcopy book) could be mastered in an "Index" application while the individual (you) refers to the PDF or to a print out of the PDF.

Ideally, you could obtain a copy of the PDF's authoring file and use the associated application to master the Index.
Failing that there may be another option.
IF the PDF is a well-formed, tagged PDF then you could export the content to MS Word.
There would be some clean up called for. But, if the PDF is well-formed (e.g., mastered in authoring application with adequate logical hierarchy & supporting layout/format) and a Tagged PDF then the clean up will not be too onerous.
Regardless, an export of content to MS Word permits use of MS Word's Index features.

Be well...

if u hv got the solution then plz let me know......at asnani_satish [at] yahoo [dot] com

DAKA360
Will adobe x pro do a table of contents, an index and does it have a stamp facility for adding pagenumbers and footers?
Any help appreciated
Tony

No to TOC and index (although you can create a TOC from the bookmarks tree using this tool I created: http://try67.blogspot.com/2011/03/acrobat-create-toc-from-bookmarks.php ), yes to adding page numbers and footers as a watermark.