Converting an ugly PDF to text

1,742 Views | 10 Replies | Last: 4 yr ago by wealeat09
bigtruckguy3500
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Anyone have any tips on good (preferrably free/cheap) OCR software that can convert a PDF to text? It looks like a scan of a copy of a copy of a copy that was done on a copy machine from the 80's, maybe early 90's. It's over 150 pages long and I'm trying to scan it for historical purposes mostly, but also to make it searchable.

Thanks
LOYAL AG
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AG
If it' that bad of a copy I'm hard pressed to see it working well via OCR. It seems like those things are good but not great when it's a clean copy.

What about using something like FIVRR to find someone to transcribe it? I'm thinking someone in Asia would do that for $100 or less and probably be more accurate.
Bradley.Kohr.II
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AG
The best result I've had is reading it into a dictation service.
Hagen95
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AG
These are the tasks that minions were created for.
CapCity12thMan
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AG
I would scan the interwebz for a site like this and see just how far and effective you can go:

https://pdftotext.com/

CrottyKid
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AG
Have you tried Adobe Acrobat or do you not have the full version? I'd be happy to try to run it through Adobe for you and try to OCR it.
JSKolache
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AG
Sounds exactly like the HOA bylaws i was forced to purchase, for $400. That thing was a mess.
bigtruckguy3500
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CrottyKid said:

Have you tried Adobe Acrobat or do you not have the full version? I'd be happy to try to run it through Adobe for you and try to OCR it.
Not sure if I have access to the full version. I don't think so, but I'll check on a couple computers this week.

Here is the file though, if you want to give it a go. Thanks

https://drive.google.com/file/d/123VwzjGcVdkEY3MX1IuhA2ZoUs-lj34R/view?usp=sharing
Bregxit
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AG
bigtruckguy3500 said:

CrottyKid said:

Have you tried Adobe Acrobat or do you not have the full version? I'd be happy to try to run it through Adobe for you and try to OCR it.
Not sure if I have access to the full version. I don't think so, but I'll check on a couple computers this week.

Here is the file though, if you want to give it a go. Thanks

https://drive.google.com/file/d/123VwzjGcVdkEY3MX1IuhA2ZoUs-lj34R/view?usp=sharing


I have IRIS OCR at home. I'll try to remember and give it a try tonight when I get in.
Hville Havoc
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AG
I tested a few pages on Paperport (19-23 from the pdf file) and the OCR to MSWord was fairly good - only a couple of errors with bolded or underlined formatting.

Paperport is provided with some Brother Multifunction printer scanners as optional software.
TexAggee05
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AG
I used the ENHANCE SCANS -> RECOGNIZE TEXT tool in Adobe and it made the whole document searchable.
wealeat09
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AG
That doc actually looks like it's in good shape to me. OCR should easily pick that up.
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