An All-in-One Bash Script for PDF Conversion

Do you often find yourself needing to convert various file types to PDF format? If so, this versatile bash script can be a valuable tool in your arsenal. With this script, you can easily convert files to PDF using appropriate command-line utilities based on their file types. Whether you have text documents, markdown files, presentations, or even obscure file formats, this script has got you covered.

#!/bin/bash
# Making pdf from anything.
# This script is mapped to a key in my ranger config.

file=$(readlink -f "$1")
dir=$(dirname "$file")
base=$(basename "$file" ."$ext")
ext="${file##*.}"

cd "$dir" || exit 1

textype() {
    command="pdflatex"
    if head -n5 "$file" | grep -qi 'xelatex'; then
        command="xelatex"
    fi
    if head -n1 "$file" | grep -qi 'handout'; then
        $command --output-directory="$dir" --jobname="${base}_handout" "\PassOptionsToClass{handout}{beamer} \input{$base}" && bibtex "${base}_handout.aux"
    fi
    $command --output-directory="$dir" "$base" && bibtex "$base".aux
}

mdtype() {
    command="md1"
    if head -n5 "$file" | grep -qi 'beamer'; then
        command="beamer"
    fi
    if head -n5 "$file" | grep -qi 'twoside'; then
        command="md2"
    fi
    ~/scripts/pandoc.sh "$1" "$command" # It's a bash script made using pandoc with some predefined settings.
}

case "$ext" in
    djvu) ddjvu -format=pdf "$file" "${base}.pdf";;
    md) mdtype "$file";;
    ps) ps2pdf "$file";;
    odt|ods|doc|ppt|pptx|docx) unoconv -f pdf "$file";;
    txt) enscript -j -p -B --margins=10:10: -X dos -o "${base}.ps" "$file" && ps2pdf "${base}.ps" "${base}.pdf" && rm "${base}.ps";;
    chm) chm2pdf --book "$file" "${base}.pdf";;
    epub) pandoc -s -t latex "$file" -o "${base}.pdf";;
    tex) textype "$file";;
    bib) pandoc "$file" --csl ieee.csl -s -o "${base}.pdf";;
    *) head -n1 "$file" | grep "^#!/" | sed "s/^#!//" | xargs -r -I % "$file" ;;
esac

Script Overview

Let’s take a closer look at the key features and functionality of this script:**

Flexibility: This script is designed to handle a wide range of file types, making it a convenient tool for various conversion needs.

Ease of Use: The script can be easily executed by binding it to a key in a file manager like Ranger, simplifying the conversion process.

Automatic Detection: The script automatically detects the file type based on its extension and applies the appropriate conversion command.

Customizable Conversions: The script includes two functions, textype and mdtype, which scan the first 5 lines of the file for predefined parameters and apply corresponding conversion commands. This allows you to customize the conversion process based on specific requirements.

Multiple Utilities: The script utilizes various command-line utilities such as pdflatex, xelatex, bibtex, pandoc, unoconv, ddjvu, ps2pdf, enscript, and chm2pdf to handle different file types and perform the conversions.

Usage Instructions

To use this script effectively, follow these steps:

1. Save the script to a file, e.g., makepdf.sh.
2. Make the script executable by running the command: chmod +x makepdf.sh.
3. Bind the script to a key or shortcut in your file manager (e.g., Ranger,vifm,thunar) for easy access.
4. Select the file you want to convert and trigger the script using the bound key or shortcut.
5. The script will automatically detect the file type, apply the corresponding conversion command, and generate a PDF file with the same name in the same directory as the original file.