pdftk version: 1.41
my ability: newbie
When I first studied this list, my goal was to create a PDF document by combining 25 jpg images (about 5Kb each). A 5x5 bingo card, in other words. Finally, thanks to kind advice here, I got it working.
However, my code is very inelegant (and overly long?). Plus there's a problem. Besides a lengthy run-time (up to 30 seconds?!), the code also seems to hang/crash when the number of montages is increased. You see, I'm not only creating a 5x5 bingo card image, but I'm also combining in these in up to 4-per-page sets.
Here in essence is my code (apologies beforehand for the mental groans it is likely to induce):
Code: Select all
(
(
montage [list of 25 jpg images, in random order] -geometry +5+5 -frame 5 -bordercolor white miff:-
| convert [a jpg header] miff:- [a jpg footer] -append miff:-
montage [list of 25 jpg images, in random order] -geometry +5+5 -frame 5 -bordercolor white miff:-
| convert [a jpg header] miff:- [a jpg footer] -append miff:-
[ the above montage string is repeated 7 more times ]
)
| montage miff:- -tile 2x2 -geometry 350x470+10+10 miff:-
)
| convert miff:- -compress zip ../directory/TheResult.pdf
In case it's not clear, the code is doing two montages -- first, an 8-section long montage string of 25 jpg images (organized in random order), and, second, a much shorter "montage -tile 2x2" string of that 8-section montage (so that there's 4 bingo cards on one "page") -- and then converting all that montaging into one pdf doc.
But, there must be a (much!) better way, right?
And, as I say there's a hang/crash problem. Everything's ok when the first montage is 8-sections long. More sections than that, and the script hangs.
By the way. Upgrading the IM version is not an option. I've asked my web-host, and they're dragging their feet on it.
Thank you in advance.