Convert Scan to PDF

[AlDavis]

What application can take a scanned file and convert it over to PDF so I can cut and past the text? I have a scan program that comes with the scanner, but nothing to convert the text so I can copy it. I did a search, but I could not find anything. Hopefully, there is a free program for this. I still have my old G5 and it works great!
--Al

 

[simsaladimbamba]

Is there no OCR scan software included with that scanner?
Tried Preview > File > Import from scanner yet?

 

[Darth.Titan]

Like simsaladimbamba said, OCR software is what you're looking for. Some scanners provide it with their bundled software, but many don't. In that case you'll have to buy a separate (probably pricey) OCR package.

I'll go ahead and warn you in advance, it's not going to work well. Accuracy in all the OCR software I've ever tried has been less than satisfactory.

 

[lucasgladding]

Adobe software is probably the furthest you can get from free, but in case you have it, Acrobat (not Reader) does OCR.

ABBYY is the name I usually hear for bundled software. If nothing came with the scanner, you can buy it new, though it does cost $170.
http://finereader.abbyy.com/professional/

Apparently VueScan does OCR, though I haven't used it in years. You can find that here:
http://www.hamrick.com/

Best of luck

 

[snberk103]

If what you want is a PDF - which does not necessarily mean that the text can be made editable - then it's built into OS X.

Start to Print your scanned image - but don't select a printer. Look in the bottom left corner of the Print Dialogue, and you should see some PDF choices there. This will create a PDF. Though, it is still essentially a "picture" of some words. You can crop and select the page... but the text itself is not selectable.

I don't think this is what you want to do, but it is what you asked when you asked about the PDF.

If you want to be able to edit the text (as if you had typed it) then you are looking at OCR features. See if your scanner came with an OCR application (as stated by others above)... or just do a quick search for OCR and your scanner name.

Luck.

 

[AlDavis]

Like simsaladimbamba said, OCR software is what you're looking for. Some scanners provide it with their bundled software, but many don't. In that case you'll have to buy a separate (probably pricey) OCR package.

I did not get an OCR program with my scanner.

Adobe software is probably the furthest you can get from free, but in case you have it, Acrobat (not Reader) does OCR.

ABBYY is the name I usually hear for bundled software. If nothing came with the scanner, you can buy it new, though it does cost $170.
http://finereader.abbyy.com/professional/

Apparently VueScan does OCR, though I haven't used it in years. You can find that here:
http://www.hamrick.com/

Best of luck

All Adobe programs are for Intel Mac. I still have my PPC G5 and it performs very well. I would like to keep it.

If you want to be able to edit the text (as if you had typed it) then you are looking at OCR features. See if your scanner came with an OCR application (as stated by others above)... or just do a quick search for OCR and your scanner name.

Luck.

Yes. I want to copy and paste the scanned results.
--Al

 

[simsaladimbamba]

What exact scanner model did you get then?

 

[AlDavis]

What exact scanner model did you get then?

HP Laser Jet M1217 nfw MFP