new utility - OCR a scanned PDF #45352
Description
Description of the new feature / enhancement
Extension for Windows Explorer Context menu (right click) for PDF files (images, scans):
- OCR the PDF (add a text layer)
- save the PDF (either override or Save as ...)
Should work on a single PDF file, on all the selected PDF files.
Maybe an option for "all PDF files in a folder" ?
If a PDF already contains a text layer (i.e. it is not a scanned image PDF), nothing needs to be done.
Scenario when this would be used?
For
- a self employed person (consultant, sales, developer, ...)
- home offices
- small offices
there is usually some multifunction scanner, but no document management systems with OCR.
The scanned documents are usually collected as non-searchable PDF files, containing images and no (searchable) text layer.
To make them searchable, I have to open the PDF tool, perform an OCR, and save the file (usually to a new file name).
Doing OCR on a PDF and saving it with a single context menu selection could make this process much less time-consuming ...
Supporting information
Powertoys already has an OCR function for on-screen OCR.
This could be used on the image in the PDF.
So we need to add the text layer (from the OCR) to the PDF and save it.
I am a C# developer; could assist implementing this feature.