Reader Guillaume C writes: “Could help me finding an app that mixes Finder and Preview. Before asking, I have crawled the web, asked in forums, nothing. I keep a lot of PDF files (really a lot, >10 000) and I would like to have a software that allows to browse directories by column, select a PDF, view the page snapshot, and navigate inside the PDF. I have made a photoshopped screenshot of it. Any idea if this app exists? I know about Pathfinder and MacGizmo, but they are not exactly what I need. Perhaps such an app would interest a lot of other people.”
I’m at a loss. Hey you reader folk, any suggestions for Guillaume? Thanks in advance for any pointers.
Hi,
just last week I found such a program, and today I cannot find it.
This might be close enough: http://www.thirdstreetsoftware.com/
From the "this is wicked"-department, I would also like to mention this: http://www.mcelhearn.com/article.php?story=20041214092120119 and this http://www.drunkenblog.com/drunkenblog-archives/000490.html . In this last link, a lot of people suggest DevonThink, which I heard good things about.
Disclaimer: this was random search for software, i don't use any of them.
maybe kip?
I don't think Kip is quite right for what they're describing, it requires the PDF's be imported into it's store so it can do it's keyword scan and thumbnailing.
This would be moderately logical behavior for the Finder, given it's behavior for audio and video files, perhaps file it as a feature request/bug for Apple (Or Cocoatech with Pathfinder, since they might actually do it), or see if there's a way to do a plugin for the Finder that would extend it's behavior.
Overkill because it's not sold as a standalone product, but if you have Adobe Creative Suite 2 the Adobe Bridge component sort of does what you're looking for.
i'd like to suggest devonthink [http://www.devon-technologies.com]. which actually does a little bit more than that. a whole lot more, actually.
Adam :
Adobe Bridge is also "sold" with Photoshop Elements 4, a little bit cheaper.
iView Media Pro does something very similar to this, allowing you to group PDFs into catalogs, search within them, etc. I'm not sure if the current version has a viewer built-in or not.
DevonThink of course!
And it does much more than that!
This might be on the right track and the current version is free:
http://www.thekip.com/Site/about%20kip.html
You might consider Pathfinder (www.versiontracker.com) which is a complete and extensive Finder replacement and contains its own document viewers. Pathfinder is shareware and is available as a universal binary for Intel Macs.
DEVONthink Pro
http://www.softobe.com/products/ippt/pp.html
Looks like this might be the ticket - or at least close. It will search for files (.pdf) and list them, with path names, with a view window attached. Not a freebie, but looks like it will do the deed.
Went to macupdate.com and searched for "PDF viewer" - have not tried the application.
This type of thing is easy to build in REALbasic... You might be able to hire someone to build it for you for a reasonable cost, try giving a shout here: http://www.realsoftware.com/support/consultants/
Try Yojimbo Really works for me.
Path Finder! It has a terrific preview pane / window.
I think I have read somewhere that iTunes does what you want. I'm not at home at my iMac so I cannot confirm this.
Adobe Acrobat Pro 7 has this feature. Choose File>Open Organizer.
Hi folks, It is me who asked Erica. Thanks to hear for posting the question, and thanks to you for the reply ! I have looked at, but I think none of the mentionned soft include a thumbnail view like preview does. DevonThink, which may be the closed app to what I'm looking for, has a three column view, but it just like the finder, and you cannot browse the pdf.
I'm a recent macuser (previously was on windows). I will likley give a try to DevonThink, but also learn how to make a little plug-in for the finder. People may also be interested of this future app
http://www.filerun.info/
Thanks for all !
G
Yep, it was the kip.
**GraphicConverter (5.9)** can do this, I just checked. Use the Browser window, and Nav to a folder of PDFs.
Also use control+click to get loads of view options in the contextual menu (also depends where you click to what you get) , like turn off 100% view .. , Create Preview (very fast)
In fact I got my window to look very much like the image here.
Ah, now although GC lets you see the PDfs it does not seem to view all the pages of multi paged pdfs
What about Kip? It is not a cross between Finder and Preview, but it appears to be a cross between iPhoto or iTunes, Flickr, and Preview.
http://www.thekip.com/Site/about%20kip.html
Take a look at KIT at http://reinventedsoftware.com/. I think it may do most of what you are looking for. It can import a link to a PDF, instead of the entire file, but stil supplies complete indexing. I'm still evaluating it for my own purposes. I like what I see so far.
Hi all!
G'night
Hello
G'night