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PDF-ShellTools Changelog

What's new in PDF-ShellTools 3.4.0.0

Feb 18, 2021
  • Favorite bookmarks functionality, with custom caption and virtual folder organization, added tthe PDF-ShellTools Reader. Works as PDF bookmarks, where a page index and view destination can be targeted, but maintained externally.
  • Enhanced reader new tab interface, with access tthe most recently used list and now alswith a Windows Search field, teasily locate documents by searching with the Windows Search advanced query syntax. Provides alsaccess tthe new bookmark favorites list functionality. The thumbnails can now show a caption and its size can be changed.
  • The Reader pinned documents now remember the last page index and view.
  • Merge functionality added tthe Reader, teasily merge opened documents.
  • Open width shell menu functionality now available from the preview handler and the Reader tabs.
  • The Reader, when pinned tthe Windows Task Bar, provides now a recent opened documents jump list and a task topen the manager.
  • View image, textract and show PDF image objects in a new tab, functionality added tthe Reader.
  • Text read out loud added tthe Reader tool.
  • Adds support tthe JPEG 2000 image file format, sit can now use this image file format in any of the tools that can handle image files, such as the merge, stamp and reader tools.
  • The Split tool has now the option tdelete the source file(s) after splitting.
  • The stamp tool can now show the preview of the document page on the stamp designer, instead of just showing a blank page. Useful when batch stamping similar documents, in order tmore easily define the position of each stamp object.
  • Dynamic file renaming added tthe stamp tool, sit can give a custom name tthe PDF after stamping. Uses the same functionality of the file rename tool.
  • Bates number logging added tthe stamp tool, sit can save, tan external text file, the range of bates numbers stamped on each document.
  • In the stamp tool, when the stamp object is a PDF document, it is now possible tdefine a list of source pages tuse, instead of just a fixed page. Useful when different pages need tbe stamped with different content. E.g. stamp a letterhead on the first page and a watermark on the rest of the pages.
  • The digital signing tool can now position the visible part of the signature by searching for a key word/phrase.
  • In tools where a list, interval or sequence of pages can be defined, it is now possible tset the page index reference tthe the last page of the document, instead of the first one, sit is now possible treference, e.g., the penultimate page of a document by typing _2 as the page index specified.
  • The merge and insert pages tools now have the possibility tdefine a number of copies, of each document specified pages, being merged/inserted.
  • Several bug fixes and other small improvements.

New in PDF-ShellTools 3.1.1.0 (Jan 25, 2017)

  • Fixes a bug that was making the tools help infotips showing garbled text for some languages.
  • The split tool was producing broken PDFs when using the option "keep bookmarks".
  • The extract images tool can now be used to extract images from other file formats, such as: .cbz, .cbr, .epub, .xps, .oxps, .docx, .pptx and .xlsx. It can also extract frames from animated GIFs and individual pages from multi-page TIFFs.

New in PDF-ShellTools 3.1.0.0 (Jan 11, 2017)

  • New in this release:
  • For increasingly stability, the preview handler tools now run on its own out-of-process server.
  • File renaming functionality added to the preview handler tools, with an optional filename field showing on its metadata pane. Useful for situations when the Windows Explorer complains the renaming is not possible because the file is locked in the preview handler.
  • Enhancements added to the find duplicates tool, now with dynamic selectors to easily select the files to delete, based in custom defined rules such as newest/oldest modification date, higher/smaller filename length, or any other characteristic that can be defined by a custom script.
  • When converting images to PDF, with the merge and insert pages tools, it is now possible to use the image DPI information to properly scale the page, or define a default DPI value for images without embedded DPI information.
  • The Windows Search index browser tool can now browse any of the indexed file types in the Windows Search index, not just PDF.
  • Embedded files property added to the My Scripts API, to access any other PDF embedded files not included in the list of attachments.
  • Annotations property added to the My Scripts API, to access PDF annotations, at a specific page, or entire document, and by annotation type.
  • Enhancement of the My Scripts API PDFE object echo method, now with options to append, replace or clear the console, and colors support added for scripts output when running from the command line interface.
  • The My Script functions, used in tools such as the InfoEdit, rename and find duplicates, can now define customizable parameters the user can then easily configure from the function parameters panel, when defining the function call. This functionality is demonstrated in the HasAttachments and the new HasAnnotations and FileHash sample functions, and some of the new find duplicates dynamic select scripts.
  • Various bug fixes and other small improvements.

New in PDF-ShellTools 3.0.0.0 (Jan 11, 2017)

  • New in this release:
  • A new shell extension. The PDF filter handler metadata properties extender, to extend the installed PDF filter with all the custom defined metadata properties.
  • Optimize images tool, able to color convert and resample the document images, to reduce the file size.
  • Barcodes stamp object added to the stamp tool. To stamp 1D, 2D and composite type barcodes, such as Code 128, Data Matrix, QR Code, etc.
  • The stamp tool dynamic text functionality can now also use custom scripts to generate the dynamic value. This dynamic data functionality is also shared by the new barcode stamp object, so barcodes can also be generated dynamically.
  • Parameters filler helper added to the My Tools functionality.
  • The InfoEdit property sheet handler extension can now edit all the defined metadata properties and use advanced edit expressions to make reference not only to static text but also other metadata fields content and dynamic generated data functions and scripts.
  • Bookmarks optimization added to the merge and delete pages tools, in order to keep only the relevant bookmarks, when target pages are no longer included in the new document.
  • Adds the possibility to use the My Scripts API from an external host, such as the Windows Script Host, MS Office tools or any other technology that can instantiate COM/ActiveX objects.
  • Many bug fixes and other small improvements.

New in PDF-ShellTools 2.6.3.0 (Jan 11, 2017)

  • Bugs fix release, that also adds:
  • Split by top-level bookmarks functionality added to the split/extract pages tool.
  • The My Scripts API Bookmark object has now a DestPageIndex property that returns the bookmark destination page index.
  • Some missing parameters, related to functionality added in previous releases, to the command line interface of the Merge and Insert pages tools.

New in PDF-ShellTools 2.6.2.0 (Jan 11, 2017)

  • Minor bug fixes release.

New in PDF-ShellTools 2.6.1.0 (Aug 31, 2015)

  • Maintenance release that fixes several bugs.
  • Also adds:
  • Attachments and Bookmarks handling to the My Scripts API.
  • Two scripted functions (HasBookmarks and HasAttachments), ready to use in the file renamer and find duplicates tool.
  • Two new sample scripts.

New in PDF-ShellTools 2.6.0.0 (Apr 29, 2015)

  • The GUI is now high DPI aware (per-monitor on Windows 8.1 and up), i.e. the GUI scales accordingly to the screen DPI
  • On multi-monitor systems, the tool dialog window will open at the monitor where the mouse is
  • ConvertImagesToBW command line function. To convert PDF color images to black and white, or grayscale. Mainly used to reduce PDF file size
  • Show console window option added to the My Tools functionality
  • Close method added to the IFileObject of the My Scripts API. To close any file open handle, so the respective PDF file could be moved, deleted or edited by the script itself or another process, while the script is still running
  • Some bug fixes and other small improvements

New in PDF-ShellTools 2.5.0.0 (Feb 18, 2015)

  • My Tools - The versatility of the command line interface, to pre-configure the tools functions, directly available from the Shell context menu, i.e. create a menu item to rotate the PDF pages with a specific angle or to stamp a specific pre-created stamp, etc..
  • Possibility to have the metadata edit pane, of the preview handler tools, in a stand alone window.
  • Backup and restore settings functionality added to the manager, as well as the possibility to define any user specific settings as the default settings for all the users.
  • Command line parameter to specify the shell extension handlers to register at install time.
  • Possibility to define a custom metadata property as of multi-values type.
  • Many bug fixes, especially in the scripting API, and other small improvements.

New in PDF-ShellTools 2.4.1.0 (Oct 28, 2014)

  • Fixes several bugs found in the preview handler tools.

New in PDF-ShellTools 2.4 (Oct 22, 2014)

  • New in this release:
  • Preview handler tools - view, edit and capture metadata, directly from the Windows Explorer preview pane. Easily fill the metadata properties, extracting text or OCRing page snapshots of the text to extract.
  • Command line interface added to the extract images tool.
  • Command line interface added to the My Scripts tool.
  • The My Scripts API now implements the setters of the page boxes (MediaBox, CropBox, etc.) and rotation angle.
  • BatesStartNum parameter added to the Stamp tool, to define the bates numbering start number directly from the command line.
  • Fix several issues that occur when installing, or running, from a standard user (not administrator) Windows account.
  • Many bug fixes and other small improvements.

New in PDF-ShellTools 2.3.1 (Mar 22, 2014)

  • Fix two important bugs in the property handler and adds small enhancements to the Windows Search index browser tool.

New in PDF-ShellTools 2.3 (Feb 20, 2014)

  • Windows Search tools, to manage the Windows Search PDFs metadata indexation, are now available from the manager
  • It's now easy to share a My Scripts script with the import and export functions added to the My Scripts editor
  • Many bug fixes, with an important one in the 64-bit version of the property handler

New in PDF-ShellTools 2.2 (Jan 29, 2014)

  • Document JavaScripts tool, to add, delete and edit PDF JavaScript actions to events such as: document open and close events, page show or hide events, mouse events on page elements or interactive form fields validate, format or calculate events. It includes command line interface.
  • The stamp/watermark tool has now a new type of stamp object. Named multimedia is used to add Flash SWF animations, MP3 audio, Flash FLV's and H.264 video. Useful to add animated logos, audio and video content. The content can be embedded or remotely accessed (e.g. YouTube videos). Supports the creation of play lists for audio and video content. Supports JavaScript event actions.
  • The rotate tool is not limited to rotation angles of 90-degrees increments anymore. Any angle is now suitable, adding deskew possibilities to the tool.
  • Possibility to dynamically specify the bookmark names added to the merge/rearrange and insert/append tools, with access to document metadata, numbering and script functions.
  • The attachments tool can now search for other embedded files, that are not marked as attachments.
  • Export to CSV functionality added to the find duplicates tool.
  • Added support to the password protection Adobe standard security algorithm revision 6, so it can now work with password protected PDFs created by Acrobat X, and up.
  • MergeBlankPage method added to the merger object of the the My Scripts API.
  • As usually, includes many bug fixes and other small improvements.

New in PDF-ShellTools 2.1.3 (Jan 28, 2014)

  • Maintenance release to fix several bugs.

New in PDF-ShellTools 2.1.2 (Jan 29, 2013)

  • The column handler now works on 64-bit Windows.
  • Windows Explorer alike tools (64-bit) were crashing, when showing the context menu for PDF files or at the closing of the program.

New in PDF-ShellTools 2.1.1 (Jan 24, 2013)

  • This is a patch release that fix a myriad of bugs

New in PDF-ShellTools 2.1.0 (Jan 9, 2013)

  • Scripting functionality added to the Rename tool.
  • More functionality added to the My Scripts API.
  • The Windows Search indexer was not indexing custom defined metadata properties, in 32-bit Windows.
  • Many other small bug fixes and general improvements.

New in PDF-ShellTools 2.0.0.0 (Dec 5, 2012)

  • Add Signature tool, to digitally sign our PDF documents.
  • A new powerful context menu tool, the My Scripts. This tool uses the Windows Automation technology to enable the custom creation of scripts, that have access to all the functionality of the technology (i.e. can run scripts developed for the Windows Script Host), plus PDF-ShellTools specific features. Code your own tool, with the embedded editor and debugger, in JScript or VBScript, or any other Active Scripting enabled language, and run it directly from the Windows shell context menu.
  • Find Duplicates tool, to easily find and manage document duplicates.
  • Extract Images tool, with drag&drop and batch extraction of image objects or entire page renderings.
  • Renewed Rename tool, now with the possibility to access all the metadata registered fields, plus functions for numbering, search/replace and to use dates in the composition of the new file name.
  • Possibility to add OnClick Actions (such as: open a web link, run a JavaScript or play a sound) to any of the stamp objects of the Stamp/Watermark tool.
  • PDF type stamp objects have now the possibility to be previewed in place, while designing the stamp.
  • The advanced custom fields editor can now import metadata fields settings from the document metadata info object, that are not declared in the document XMP metadata stream.
  • And, as usual with new versions, includes many bug fixes and other small improvements.

New in PDF-ShellTools 1.0 Build 13 + Patch 6 (Aug 17, 2012)

  • This release includes essentially bug fixes.

New in PDF-ShellTools 1.0 Build 13 + Patch 5 (Aug 10, 2012)

  • Essentially fix bugs found in the previous release, but also adds this major enhancements:
  • Enhanced error handling mechanism, that informs the user of its occurrence, and cause, providing chances to retry, rename output, ignore (when in batch mode), or cancel the tool task, when appropriate.
  • Any of the tools, or specific features, can now be disabled, preventing user access to its functionality. This can be defined from the installer itself, or by adding some values to the Windows registry.

New in PDF-ShellTools 1.0 Build 13 + Patch 4 (Jan 5, 2012)

  • Fixes a bug that prevents the Windows Search Indexer from indexing custom defined metadata fields.

New in PDF-ShellTools 1.0 Build 13 + Patch 3 (Jan 5, 2012)

  • Fixes a bug that was crashing the Windows Shell in 64-bit Windows systems.

New in PDF-ShellTools 1.0 Build 13 + Patch 2 (Jan 5, 2012)

  • The Create/Edit PDF Package tool can now pack entire folders, and its sub-folders.
  • The dynamic text object of the Stamp/Watermark tool has now a constant to stamp text passed in a command line parameter, when using the command line interface.
  • When saving a Stamp/Watermark template, there is the possibility to embed all the tool options, even the range of pages to stamp. When embedded this way, using a saved template will automatically setup the tool with these saved options.

New in PDF-ShellTools 1.0 Build 13 (Oct 5, 2011)

  • A new tool, the PDF-Create/Edit Packages. Used to create and edit PDF packages, and edit PDF Portfolios. Ship with its related command line interface function.
  • Finally, it is now possible to define custom fields stored in the XMP object. With a new, and powerful, advanced custom fields editor that is able to import the fields definition from the files itself. This editor can also configure the myriad of settings used in the integration of the field in the Windows Property System.
  • The Merge/Rearrange and Insert/Append pages tools have now options to keep the layers and bookmarks.
  • The split tool has now: options to keep the layers, and a preview button.
  • The command line interface is now provided by a real console application.
  • As usual with new versions, includes many bug fixes and other small improvements.

New in PDF-ShellTools 1.0 Build 12 (Jan 27, 2011)

  • New in this release:
  • The manager can now configure the Property Handler to map any of the metadata fields, specially the custom defined, to any of the properties registered in the Shell. This enable the possibility to add system standard properties, such as Comments and Rating, to PDF's too!
  • The InfoTip Handler can now show custom defined metadata fields in the info tip balloons.
  • Delete source files on successful completion option added to the PDF-Merge/Rearrange and PDF-Insert/Append tools.
  • As usual with new versions, includes many bug fixes and other small improvements.

New in PDF-ShellTools 1.0 Build 11 Patch 1 (Aug 10, 2010)

  • Should now properly register the property handler in the 64-bit Shell of Windows Vista and Windows 7, 64-bit versions.
  • All the tools were failing to register in the 64-bit Shell of Windows XP 64-bit. All should now work fine, except the, not yet 64-bit compatible, column handler.
  • Some anti-virus were flagging the new command line interface tool, file pdfshelltools.exe, as containing a virus. This is a false detection, but some changes have been introduced to try to change the code pattern that led into this false, heuristics only based, detection.

New in PDF-ShellTools 1.0 Build 10+Patch 1 (Jan 15, 2009)

  • Patch 1, to fix issues found on 1.0 build 10 new release, merged to the online trial download.

New in PDF-ShellTools 1.0 Build 10 (Nov 28, 2008)

  • PDF Metadata can now be Shell accessed by a Column Handler, Win2k-XP, and from the powerful Property Handler, for Windows Vista. Not only standard metadata items are accessible. Custom fields can be easily defined.
  • A Drop Handler Shell extension is now provided to extended to interface to the PDF-Insert/Append and PDF-Attachments tools. Just drop supported file types on top of a PDF file to easily and intuitively start these tools.
  • The Merge/Rearrange and Insert/Append tools can now integrate not only PDFs but also image .bmp, .png, jpeg, .gif and .tiff files, with multi-image gif and Tiff files support. Very handy to rapidly merge a Tiff fax to a PDF, or transform a bunch of image files into a PDF document.
  • The PDF-Stamp/Watermark is now much more powerful, with possibility to stamp dynamic text. The dynamic objects include: Date, Time, Page number, Bates numbers, and External Applications text output.
  • The image stamp object can now access .bmp, .png, jpeg, .gif and .tiff images, with muti-page images, bit and alpha transparency, support.
  • A new Stamp object as been added. The PDF page, providing the possibility to use as stamp the contents of a PDF document page. If the stamp is to complicated to be composed by the Stamp/Watermark tool, just create it with another application.
  • Extra spacing can be added to the page, in order to find space to the stamp, with the possibility to define page margins.
  • Many of the tools now have a preview functionality. Very handy to check how the document will look like after tool operation, or to simple create a temporary document to print, or whatever, without the need to create a new, or change the source, document.
  • Command Line interface added to the PDF-Insert/Append tool.
  • As usual, includes also many more small improvements and some bug fixes.

New in PDF-ShellTools 1.0.0.9 (Oct 25, 2007)

  • PDF-Rotate pages- New tool used to rotate the PDF documents pages by 90� increments.
  • Two new command line functions, ExportMetadata and SetMetadata.
  • Automatic updates feature added to the PDF�ShellTools manager.
  • Better tools manager Windows Vista integration.
  • As usual, with new releases, this one also includes many bug fixes and small enhancements

New in PDF-ShellTools 1.0.0.6 (Jun 9, 2006)

  • Two new PDF tools:PDF-Insert/Append pages - Used to insert pdf pages/documents into other documents specifying insertion point and using powerful merge rule expressions to specify pages to insert;PDF-Stamp/Watermark pages - Used to stamp pdf documents pages with text, images and geometric shapes. Support templates and has various composition tools to create the overall stamp using the supported stamp objects. The PDF-Merge/Rearrange tool has now an option to do the merge sequencing thru the documents in the list. The PDF-InfoTip tool can now show system file size, creation date and modification date;Added option to sort the files in the PDF Merge/Rearrange and PDF Insert/Append tools. Important bugs discovered in the merge/rearrange tool that produced invalid files or fault pages have been fixed. As usual, include many more bug fixes and several small enhancements.

New in PDF-ShellTools 1.0.0.5 (Apr 10, 2006)

  • The PDF-InfoTip tool can now show, in NTFS systems, file summary information items.
  • The ones we can see or edit when right-click in Explorer, to get the file properties, in the summary tab.
  • -In the PDF-ShellTools Preferences Editor we can now configure the info items presented by PDF�InfoTip tool.
  • Important bug fix in the PDF-Merge/Rearrange pages tool that produced files with fault fonts
  • Fix in the odd and even split and merge rules processor.

New in PDF-ShellTools 1.0.0.4 (Mar 7, 2006)

  • Two new tools. PDF-Split/Extract pages: To extract pages from pdf documents; PDF-Merge/Rearrange: To merge pdf documents. Also added support to command line interface