# Split Multiple Page PDF Into a Bunch of One Page Files
**URL:** https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/split-multiple-page-pdf-into-a-bunch-of-one-page-files/63161
**Category:** DEVONthink
**Tags:** devonthink3
**Created:** [March 21, 2021, 2:59pm UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/split-multiple-page-pdf-into-a-bunch-of-one-page-files/63161 "2021-03-21T14:59:40Z")
**Posts on this page:** 10
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@rctill](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/rctill)
#### Post date: [March 21, 2021, 2:59pm UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/split-multiple-page-pdf-into-a-bunch-of-one-page-files/63161/1 "2021-03-21T14:59:40Z")
I have a bunch of 20-page pdf documents, and each page contains a graphic.
I want to break that 20-page file into 20 files, with one graphic on each page.
Is there an easy way to do this within DevonThink? This problem keeps coming up for me.
Thanks,
Bob
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### Author:  [@BLUEFROG](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/BLUEFROG)
#### Post date: [March 21, 2021, 3:17pm UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/split-multiple-page-pdf-into-a-bunch-of-one-page-files/63161/2 "2021-03-21T15:17:56Z")
Only if it had a table of contents to it.
You can drag and drop pages out of a PDF individually.
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### Author:  [@Blanc](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/Blanc)
#### Post date: [March 21, 2021, 4:09pm UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/split-multiple-page-pdf-into-a-bunch-of-one-page-files/63161/3 "2021-03-21T16:09:49Z")
It might be worth looking at [this post](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/split-pdf-by-page-count-or-toc/16523). Whether it’s worth the effort must depend on how many files you need to process. It’s also possible that you could script preview to print each page back to DT individually.
As a thought experiment, the script below will open a document selected in DT with Preview and print that document back to DT page for page. It requires that [you have set up a shortcut ⌘P](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/shortcut-for-print-pdf-to-dtpo/22974/8) for the Save PDF to DEVONthink 3 function of the print dialog. The disadvantage of this method is that the original page sizes will be changed to whatever the standard is for the printer which you choose and that each page will have the same name (the latter could be solved, I think).
```auto
tell application id "DNtp"
set theRecords to selected records
repeat with theRecord in theRecords
set thePages to page count of theRecord
set thePath to path of theRecord as string
tell application "Preview"
open (thePath as POSIX file)
repeat with n from 1 to thePages
activate
ignoring application responses
print document in window 1 print dialog 1 with properties {copies:1, starting page:n, ending page:n, target printer:"*name_of_a_printer_on_your_system"}
end ignoring
delay 0.5
tell application "System Events"
key code 35 using command down
end tell
delay 0.5
end repeat
close the first window without saving
end tell
end repeat
end tell
```
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### Author:  [@kewms](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/kewms)
#### Post date: [March 21, 2021, 4:52pm UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/split-multiple-page-pdf-into-a-bunch-of-one-page-files/63161/4 "2021-03-21T16:52:59Z")
If you have a lot of them, the best solution might be to subscribe to Adobe Acrobat for a month or two and use its tools.
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### Author:  [@BLUEFROG](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/BLUEFROG)
#### Post date: [March 21, 2021, 5:23pm UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/split-multiple-page-pdf-into-a-bunch-of-one-page-files/63161/5 "2021-03-21T17:23:01Z")
> [@DT Split PDF (Automator)](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/dt-split-pdf-automator/63169):
>
> While Automator is not specifically supported in DEVONthink 3, it doesn’t mean it can’t be used with DEVONthink at all. As is discussed in the Help \> Documentation \> Automation \> Automator section, you can still use the Run AppleScript command for some integration. Here is an example workflow for splitting PDFs showing a DEVONthink-to-Finder and a Finder-to-DEVONthink integration… [DT Split PDF.workflow.zip](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/uploads/short-url/aHH8iAuU25TG3kQ2XG7V7EwF5Zy.zip) (270.3 KB) You can put this workflow in the ~…
---
### Author:  [@Blanc](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/Blanc)
#### Post date: [March 21, 2021, 6:59pm UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/split-multiple-page-pdf-into-a-bunch-of-one-page-files/63161/6 "2021-03-21T18:59:02Z")
> [@kewms](#):
>
> subscribe to Adobe Acrobat
Academic now that Jim has posted a solution with on-board software, but I had looked at Acrobat and it would seem the split action cannot be externally scripted (although I think it can be scripted within the batch processing mechanism using JS).
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### Author:  [@psinn](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/psinn)
#### Post date: [March 21, 2021, 8:46pm UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/split-multiple-page-pdf-into-a-bunch-of-one-page-files/63161/7 "2021-03-21T20:46:44Z")
> [@kewms](#):
>
> If you have a lot of them
A command line tool, such as good old pdftk, could be an alternative solution, and for me would be the best bet.
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### Author:  [@BLUEFROG](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/BLUEFROG)
#### Post date: [March 21, 2021, 8:49pm UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/split-multiple-page-pdf-into-a-bunch-of-one-page-files/63161/8 "2021-03-21T20:49:22Z")
True, but for dealing with files inside a database, this could be a dangerous option to choose. Also, this requires installing a dependency.
The Automator workflow I submitted would be a simple and safe option to use.
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### Author:  [@rctill](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/rctill)
#### Post date: [March 21, 2021, 11:27pm UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/split-multiple-page-pdf-into-a-bunch-of-one-page-files/63161/9 "2021-03-21T23:27:06Z")
This is Exactly what I wanted!
Thanks for your time Bluefrog!
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### Author:  [@BLUEFROG](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/BLUEFROG)
#### Post date: [March 22, 2021, 12:58am UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/split-multiple-page-pdf-into-a-bunch-of-one-page-files/63161/10 "2021-03-22T00:58:31Z")
You’re very welcome 🙂