source: kdnuggets: 5 useful python scripts to automate boring pdf tasks
level: technical
pdfs are common in many workflows, but manual tasks like merging reports or extracting tables can be slow and error-prone. these five python scripts automate the most frequent pdf operations. they run from the command line, handle batches of files, and are easy to set up. the scripts use libraries like pypdf, pdfplumber, reportlab, and pymupdf to perform operations without changing the original files.
the first script merges a folder of pdfs into one file or splits a pdf by page ranges or fixed chunks. the second extracts text and tables, writing text to plain or markdown files and tables to csv or excel. the third applies watermarks, stamps, or page numbers using text or images, with configurable position and opacity. the fourth redacts sensitive content by permanently removing text that matches regex patterns or predefined categories like emails and phone numbers.
the fifth script generates an inventory of a pdf collection, extracting metadata such as page count, file size, author, and whether the file contains searchable text or scanned images. all scripts produce new output files and include a summary report. they are designed for safe batch processing, and users can start with small tests before scaling up. the scripts are available on github with configuration sections for paths and settings.
why it matters: automating pdf tasks saves time and reduces errors in data preparation and document management workflows common in data science projects.
source: kdnuggets: 5 useful python scripts to automate boring pdf tasks