PDFMerge Version 0.8.0 for eCS (OS/2) (FINAL RELEASE FROM THIS CODEBASE!)
=========================================================================

0. What is this?
----------------

This is a tool to manipulate PDF or PS files in the following ways:

- Concatenate multiple PDF files into a single one.
- Split PDF files into single pages.
- Rearrange pages within in a PDF file.
- Compose a new PDF file with single (or multiple) pages from other PDF files.
- Save sets of PDF files to disk and reload these sets into PDFMerge later for
  further processing.
- Preview pages while manipulating
- Print multiple PDF files to a PS or PCL printer at once (experimental).

This is the final release of PDFMerge/2 from this codebase.
So, PDFMerge/2 will only receive bug fixes, but no more new features.

As the GUI architecture turned out to be a major obstacle for adding
new features (bookmarks, document info etc.), I decided to completely 
rewrite the whole thing from scratch. In fact the biggest part of the 
work is already done. Stay tuned!

See file "changes" for recent additions in PDFMerge/2 Version 0.8.0.

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, READ THIS FILE DOWN TO THE BOTTOM!

1. License
----------

This is provided "AS IS". There is no warranty that this program will 
fulfill any particular purpose. Use it entirely at your own risk.

You are not allowed to think nasty about the author.

In addition you are only allowed to use this program legally if you
accept the fact that it is perfectly acceptable to post eComStation
related issues in OS/2 newsgroups and/or mailing lists.
Yes, there is no valid license for FUDsters.


2. Requirements
---------------

This program can be considered a companion to Frank Wochatz's ePDF.

ePDF (and therefore GhostScript, too) must be installed and properly 
configured in order to use PDFMerge.

PDFMerge.EXE must reside in the same directory as ePDF, as it relies 
upon distiller settings defined in ePDF.

Make sure VROBJ.DLL is somewhere in your LIBPATH.
Make sure DRCTL017.DLL is somewhere in your LIBPATH.
Make sure VRPRINT.DLL is somewhere in your LIBPATH.

The file Empty.PDF, which is an empty page in PDF format must reside 
in the same directory as PDFMerge.EXE.

If you intend to use the context menu items "Info" and "Split into pages"
you also need the binaries from XPDF 3.01.pl1 somewhere in your PATH.

Get XPDF 3.01.pl1 from hobbes:
http://hobbes.nmsu.edu/pub/os2/util/convert/xpdf_301_pl1_os2.zip

This is the recommended version for PDFMerge. Version 3.00 and 3.01.pl2
are compiled using EMX and are significantly slower, than 3.01.pl1, which
is compiled with GCC 3.3.5.

However XPDF 3.00 and the latest 3.01.pl2 also work. Unfortunately the 
executables of these releases are really huge and therefore you will 
notice a considerably slower performance of some operations.

3. Operation
------------

The GUI should be pretty self explanatory. Read the hints at the bottom lines.

3.1 Most simple szenario:
=========================

1. Add multiple PDF files to the list box using the "Add PDF" button. 
   A valid target filename is created automatically (this behaviour 
   can be turned off by using the target filenames entry field context 
   menu or by pressing the "Pick target filename" button and choosing 
   a filename manually). As soon as you left click on a file a little
   preview window showing a thumbnail of the first page of the document
   will appear. The size of the preview can be configured in the
   properties menu.
2. Press "Merge".
3. The freshly created PDF file will be launched immediately.
4. Eventually press "Erase source PDF files" in order to erase the 
   source files from disk. 
   NOTE: The "Remove PDF" button only removes the source PDF/PS files 
         from the list but not from disk.

In addition you might want to add empty pages in between.
The source PDF/PS files list also has a context menu.


3.2 Splitting PDF files into single page PS files
=================================================

This only works if PDFINFO.EXE and PDFTOPS.EXE are found somewhere in 
your PATH. PDFMerge automatically disables these functions if it cannot
find these executables.

1. Select a PDF file.
2. Right click on it, the context menu appears.
3. Select "Split into pages".
   Now the entry of the PDF file is replaced by a list of PS files
   representing the single pages of the PDF file. The PDF file itself is 
   removed from the listbox (but nor erased from disk!).
4. Now you can reorder the pages (or remove some of them) just as you like.
5. As soon as you are ready press "Merge" and you end up with a new PDF
   files composed only of those pages and document you left in the listbox.

3.3 Tag/untag files
===================

In order to merge only certain files from the listbox a new option was
introduced in Version 0.6.5.

Right click on a selected file and choose "Tag/untag selected file".
A + (plus) sign will be added at the left side of the file.

If you set the option "Merge tagged files only", only files with a +
on their left side will be merged into a new PDF file.

3.4 Experimental printing functionality:
========================================

Ever wanted to print a bunch of PDF files at once?

Well, here is an (experimental) answer to this problem.

Choose some .PDF files as you would do to concatenate them
and press the new printing button.

A dialogue will appear that lets you choose a valid OS/2 printer.

After that a dialogue will appear that lets you choose the output
device for GhostScript, do that and press ok and all files should be printed
(at least in theory, your mileage may vary).

Please note: This functionality is still very experimental!

4. Restrictions:
----------------

The printing functionality is highly dependent on your printer/printer driver.
It may not work reliably with your equipment.

5. Future development:
----------------------

As noted above I have started a complete rewrite of the whole program 
because the GUI as it is now turned out to be a major obstacle to add 
new features.

Except bugfixes no more new features are planned for the current codebase.

6. Author:
----------
Herwig Bauernfeind, 06-06-2006
email: herwig.bauernfeind@aon.at
