Yes, sometimes it’s critical to check for and install the latest version of an app. Frederick’s comment about differences in code of apps purchased from Apple’s App Store and the developer is also potentially important. Especially if Applescript extension may be important, I’m more and more in favor of downloading from the developer, as Apple’s emphasis on sandboxing can cripple AppleScript dictionaries.
Off topic: The free version of FineReader included with ScanSnap scanners will OCR scans produced by that scanner, but not image-only files produced by other means. The OCR module included in DEVONthink Pro Office doesn’t have that limitation, and of course versions of ABBYY FineReader that are purchased from ABBYY don’t have that limitstion.
Thanks for the script. It successfully sent the pdf to FineReader, it got scanned and OCR was complete.
I understood from the script that fine reader save the file on the same location. I could not figure out how to get DTPO to recognise automatically the file and replace the original.
The script works… and it doesn’t
what? again, please:
ok, here is the story: “FineReader” works… but “FineReader” is the trial version from the ABBYY homepage. Once you buy the program in the Apple App Store, the program calls itself “FineReader OCR Pro”. THAT program does not accept calls from the outside world nor via workflow nor via Automator.
the good news: finereader 12 (trial or app store version) both create wonderful, great small files versa the old “Abbyy FineReader 8” Engine.
so, please, dear DTPO Team pleeeeease implement the new engine for OCR.
@Chris: If life was so simple. What ABBYY offers for the consumer is not necessarily what it offers developers at the same time. In fact, the Mac and PC versions of the ABBYY engine don’t have feature-parity either. We can’t just implement something if it’s not an available resource through ABBYY’s licensing program.
That being said, it is possible an update would be coming in the future.
In case it wasn’t clear - only buy the version of FineReader direct from Abbyy’s store. If you email them you might be able to persuade them to swap your app store version for the real unrestricted version.
I’m wondering whether this is also relevant to the discussions elsewhere about support for double-byte languages such as Japanese? If I OCR’d files using the Pro version, would search in DT Pro Office work better; or is the OCR itself a side issue, with the main issue being that DT is designed mainly for European, alphabetic orthographies?
FineReader Pro 12 produces much, much better results than the engines found in DEVONthink or ScanSnap. I’m guessing ABBYY won’t license the technology because they would then be foregoing the revenue from people buying FineReader Pro. Here’s an idea: importune ABBYY to allow DEVONthink to use the engine if FineReader Pro is installed on the user’s machine.
I just bought the full version of FineReader Pro, and have a quick question about usage with a ScanSnap.
Currently, I have ScanSnap set to use DTPO as its default application, with a folder I call ‘InScans’ under the ‘Save’ tab in ScanSnap settings.
Is it better to just import the files from ScanSnap into DTPO without OCR, and then manually set up the OCR using this script? Or can I use FineReader as the default application under ScanSnap settings, and then manually/via script import them to DTPO after OCR?
Thanks!
After doing a lot of searching, I am wondering if I can use Hazel and/or automator, so that ScanSnap documents get sent to FineReader, then saved in a Finder folder, after which Hazel imports to DTPO only after they are OCR’ed.
Alternately, can I use and modify a folder actions script to allow this?
I’ve been using DevonThink for about a year now and I’m pretty impressed by this great piece of software.
Even though I bought DTPO I’d like to use FineReader 12 due to the much better results from the newer OCR engine. The script from this topic worked quite well for me so far. Thank you very much! I’m not into scripting at all so this was a big help!
Unfortunately, it doesn’t work entirely the way it should. I’m not quite sure but maybe it has to do with the release of 2.9.12 as I think it worked the way it should before the update?
When using the script everything works fine except the new version of the file doesn’t get recognized from DTPO. After trying a few times I looked at the original file (Testfile.pdf) in the finder and there I also found the new version of the file (Testfile_2.pdf). So the original file seems to be not being replaced by the new one.
Is it just me or is there someone having the same problems with the script?
Thank you for any kind of help!
Mac Version of Abbyy FineReader Pro is 12.1.11. Windows version is up to 14. The newer Mac version is multi-core capable so recognition of multiple documents is faster - and given most modern Macs have 4+ cores its worthwhile. Accuracy and language support is improved as well. Automator and AppleScript support remains decent. Would just be nicer to have the latest Abbyy engine embedded. Given both tools are best of breed …
Based on a previous discussion, it’s not easy for the DTPO team to upgrade their version of Abby Finereader. I actually own the separate version, purchased before I got DTP. But having an integrated version would indeed make life easier.
By the way, I find Abbyy Finereader (freestanding) is quite awkward. Converting a document takes multiple steps. First, it generates a “coded” version of the text. Then separate commands are needed to convert that to a PDF. Then rename and move the PDF to what the original file was called. And each of these can take minutes for a 50 page document.
I’m going to get the trial version of DTPO, and see if it is less awkward.
The flip side is that if you take the time, Finereader is indeed very good at reading things.
