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CylonGlitch

macrumors 68030
Jul 7, 2009
2,956
268
Nashville
Are you sure? When I do that it just saves the last page under the new filename. I am using MacOS 10.6.5.

Here is the trick. Open the first PDF [multiple pages or not] (or image, that works too) then drag the second PDF (or image) on to it. It will open at the END of the first pdf. It has NOT appended it, it just has both open. Grab the second one in the bar on the right and drag it up to the first one. You'll see the first one highlight gray and you'll get the blue underbar typically under the first page. Move the cursor up and down to get the underbar to where you want the second PDF inserted (if it is a multiple page pdf). Then release.

Now when you do save as it will save ALL of the pages. Perviously it was only saving the last PDF (or image) you opened.


The problem is, in preview, it is hard to distinguish between pages of one pdf and pages of another pdf when you have multiple pdfs open. It looks like they are one large PDF but it isn't unless you drag them together.
 

LapsangSouchong

macrumors 65816
Jul 15, 2010
1,349
0
the burrows
I've found yet another way of doing this: use TextEdit! Odd, but it works.

What you do is this:
  1. Open PDF in Preview
  2. Copy page(s) from it
  3. Paste 'em into TextEdit
  4. Repeat for other PDFs
  5. Print resulting file as PDF
Even easier. Open Preview with the sidebar open and drag the other pdf to where you want it.
 

RHD

macrumors 6502
Jan 14, 2008
355
0
London
For Leopard and beyond - the easy way.

Just open preview with your 1st pdf. Open the sidebar (button next to the search area).

Drag additional pdf's into the sidebar (you can rearrange order if you like).

Use "save as" and you are all set. Multiple pdfs that can be printed or emailed in one file. Nice and easy!

On 10.6.7 they have put a stop to that. The Print Selected images method worked for me as long as I selected all the images.
 

pebblescory

macrumors newbie
Jan 14, 2012
1
0
Since the thread is 4 years old now, maybe everybody already knows the answer. But, to contribute to the knowledge of people looking it up for the first time, and just now finding this thread, I'll post my no-purchase-necessary solution here.

Use Automator.
It contains an operation "Combine PDF Pages" which does the job.

How to:
In finder, select the pages you want. Ctrl-click, go to the menu item "more", choose Automator.
Find the "Combine PDF Pages" operation and add to the list.
Find the "Move Finder Items" operation and add to the list (I haave had trouble finding the results without that step)
Customize and run. Add a "Rename..." operation if you like.
Easy.

Hope this helps someone, somewhere, sometime.:)

Cheers!


Thank you, Thank you, THANK YOU!!! I have a huge project coming up and being able to combine these files is going to make my project more efficient and streamlined! I love that I'm learning how to use a tool that I've never accessed before and the best part of all is it's free!
 

Macillus

macrumors newbie
Sep 5, 2006
13
0
I've tried almost ALL the methods above using MacOS 10.6.5 and the only one that worked for me is that recommended by wrldwzrd89 above:

1. Open PDF in Preview
2. Copy page(s) from it
3. Paste them into Text Edit
4. Repeat for other PDFs
5. Use Print command to save as PDF.

It's fast and works like a charm. Thanks wrldwzrd89!
 

jpdemers

macrumors newbie
Mar 9, 2009
14
0
New York, NY
The battle goes on...

Latest salvo in Adobe's war against us poor folks (who don't have hundreds of dollars to throw at them): I just tried opening a pdf with Preview, and got this lovely message:

If this message is not eventually replaced by the proper contents of the document, your PDF viewer may not be able to display this type of document.
You can upgrade to the latest version of Adobe Reader for Windows®, Mac, or Linux® by visiting http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html.
For more assistance with Adobe Reader visit http://www.adobe.com/support/products/ acrreader.html.​
:mad:

Reader, of course, does even less than Preview does (or did) ... nice "upgrade", Adobe!
Let's hope Apple is busy tackling this latest "tweak" to the pdf file format.
 
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