How to create a batch script to merge/append pdf files with the same first n characters.

TOP TIPS - April 2022
Split PDF Pages in half

How to create a batch script to merge/append pdf files with the same first n characters. e.g. first 10 characters e.g. AA123421TT1.pdf and AA123421TT2.pdf will both append to AA123421TT.pdf
Products required in this tip are: Append PDF

IMPORTANT NOTE: In this example it presumes all your pdf's are in folder c:\files and you want to append the same filenames to C:\files\out\ folder.  (it's self explanatory to change the scripts to other folders - see below)

1. Download Append PDF and extract to C:\WinAppendPdf\

2. Edit/Create dos .bat script C:\WinAppendPdf\examples\append-script.bat  i.e.

@echo off
setlocal enabledelayedexpansion
for %%a in (c:\files\*.pdf) do (
set fn=%%~na.pdf
set fn10=c:\files\out\!fn:~0,10!
..\AppendPdf !fn10!.pdf c:\files\!fn!
move c:\files\!fn! c:\files\archive\
)

pause

Change the paths as required, make sure folders C:\files\   c:\files\out and c:\files\archive are created.

4. now double click the append-script.bat file to run it.

5. change the number of charatcers in the script 0,10!   Takes first 10 chars from filetitle so you could easily  change this to e.g. 8

6. to schedule this to run e.g. weekly use windows task scheduler e.g. Windows start menu-->control panel, scheduled.
Add scheduled task

Make sure you remove the 'pause' from the script.

Point the command to run to C:\WinAppendPdf\examples\append-script.bat

Having difficulty?   please email us: support@traction-software.co.uk