PDF Merge Tool¶
User Guide¶
Combine multiple images (TIFF, JPEG, PNG) into a single PDF document for archival records.
When to Use¶
Use the PDF Merge tool when you need to:
- Combine scanned pages into a single document
- Create a PDF from multiple photographs
- Merge TIFF preservation scans into one file
- Attach a multi-page PDF to an archival record
How to Access¶
From the menu: - Go to GLAM/DAM → Tools → TIFF to PDF Merge
From a record: - View an archival description - Click More → Merge Images to PDF
Step-by-Step Guide¶
Step 1: Upload Your Files¶
- Drag and drop files onto the upload area, or
- Click Browse to select files from your computer
Supported formats: TIFF, TIF, JPEG, JPG, PNG, BMP, GIF
You can upload up to 100 files at once
Step 2: Arrange Page Order¶
Once uploaded, you'll see thumbnails of each image.
- Drag and drop thumbnails to rearrange the page order
- The left-to-right order becomes the page order in the final PDF
- Click the × on a thumbnail to remove it
Step 3: Choose Settings¶
| Setting | Options | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| PDF Standard | PDF, PDF/A-1b, PDF/A-2b, PDF/A-3b | PDF/A-2b for archives |
| Quality | 1-100 | 85 (good balance) |
| Resolution | 150-600 DPI | 300 DPI for documents |
PDF/A formats are designed for long-term archival preservation
Step 4: Link to a Record (Optional)¶
To attach the PDF to an archival description:
- Click Select Record
- Search for the record by title or reference code
- Click on the record to select it
The PDF will be uploaded as a digital object when processing completes.
Step 5: Create the PDF¶
- Enter a name for your PDF (e.g., "Meeting Minutes 1985")
- Click Create PDF
- You'll see a confirmation message
Step 6: Monitor Progress¶
The merge runs in the background. Check progress:
- Watch the progress bar on screen, or
- Go to Admin → Jobs to see all running jobs
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 🟡 Pending | Waiting to start |
| 🔵 Processing | Currently merging |
| 🟢 Completed | Ready to download |
| 🔴 Failed | Error occurred |
Step 7: Download Your PDF¶
When complete:
- Click Download PDF from the success message, or
- Find the PDF attached to your selected record, or
- Go to Admin → Jobs → click on your job → Download
Tips¶
- Use high-resolution scans (300+ DPI) for text documents
- TIFF format preserves the best quality
- Give your PDF a descriptive name with dates or reference numbers
- For 50+ images, the process may take several minutes - you can close the browser and check back later
Troubleshooting¶
| Problem | Solution |
|---|---|
| Upload fails | Check file size (max 500MB per file) |
| Wrong page order | Re-upload and arrange before creating |
| Job stuck on "Processing" | Wait 15 minutes, then contact admin |
| PDF looks blurry | Use higher quality setting (90+) |
Need Help?¶
Contact your system administrator if you experience issues.
Part of the AtoM AHG Framework
PDF Merge Tool¶
User Guide¶
Combine multiple images (TIFF, JPEG, PNG) into a single PDF document for archival records.
When to Use¶
Use the PDF Merge tool when you need to:
- Combine scanned pages into a single document
- Create a PDF from multiple photographs
- Merge TIFF preservation scans into one file
- Attach a multi-page PDF to an archival record
How to Access¶
From the menu: - Go to GLAM/DAM → Tools → TIFF to PDF Merge
From a record: - View an archival description - Click More → Merge Images to PDF
Step-by-Step Guide¶
Step 1: Upload Your Files¶
- Drag and drop files onto the upload area, or
- Click Browse to select files from your computer
Supported formats: TIFF, TIF, JPEG, JPG, PNG, BMP, GIF
You can upload up to 100 files at once
Step 2: Arrange Page Order¶
Once uploaded, you'll see thumbnails of each image.
- Drag and drop thumbnails to rearrange the page order
- The left-to-right order becomes the page order in the final PDF
- Click the × on a thumbnail to remove it
Step 3: Choose Settings¶
| Setting | Options | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| PDF Standard | PDF, PDF/A-1b, PDF/A-2b, PDF/A-3b | PDF/A-2b for archives |
| Quality | 1-100 | 85 (good balance) |
| Resolution | 150-600 DPI | 300 DPI for documents |
PDF/A formats are designed for long-term archival preservation
Step 4: Link to a Record (Optional)¶
To attach the PDF to an archival description:
- Click Select Record
- Search for the record by title or reference code
- Click on the record to select it
The PDF will be uploaded as a digital object when processing completes.
Step 5: Create the PDF¶
- Enter a name for your PDF (e.g., "Meeting Minutes 1985")
- Click Create PDF
- You'll see a confirmation message
Step 6: Monitor Progress¶
The merge runs in the background. Check progress:
- Watch the progress bar on screen, or
- Go to Admin → Jobs to see all running jobs
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 🟡 Pending | Waiting to start |
| 🔵 Processing | Currently merging |
| 🟢 Completed | Ready to download |
| 🔴 Failed | Error occurred |
Step 7: Download Your PDF¶
When complete:
- Click Download PDF from the success message, or
- Find the PDF attached to your selected record, or
- Go to Admin → Jobs → click on your job → Download
Tips¶
- Use high-resolution scans (300+ DPI) for text documents
- TIFF format preserves the best quality
- Give your PDF a descriptive name with dates or reference numbers
- For 50+ images, the process may take several minutes - you can close the browser and check back later
Troubleshooting¶
| Problem | Solution |
|---|---|
| Upload fails | Check file size (max 500MB per file) |
| Wrong page order | Re-upload and arrange before creating |
| Job stuck on "Processing" | Wait 15 minutes, then contact admin |
| PDF looks blurry | Use higher quality setting (90+) |
Need Help?¶
Contact your system administrator if you experience issues.
Part of the AtoM AHG Framework
PDF Merge Tool¶
User Guide¶
Combine multiple images (TIFF, JPEG, PNG) into a single PDF document for archival records.
Workflow Overview¶
┌──────────────┐ ┌──────────────┐ ┌──────────────┐ ┌──────────────┐
│ Upload │ │ Arrange │ │ Create │ │ Download │
│ Images │ ──▶│ Pages │ ──▶│ PDF │ ──▶│ Result │
│ │ │ │ │ │ │ │
│ TIFF/JPG/PNG │ │ Drag & Drop │ │ Background │ │ Save or │
│ up to 100 │ │ to reorder │ │ Processing │ │ Attach │
└──────────────┘ └──────────────┘ └──────────────┘ └──────────────┘
When to Use¶
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ USE PDF MERGE FOR: │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ 📄 Scanned document pages → Single searchable PDF │
│ 📷 Multiple photographs → Photo album PDF │
│ 🖼️ TIFF preservation scans → Access copy PDF │
│ 📑 Loose papers → Combined file PDF │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
How to Access¶
Option A: From Menu Option B: From Record
───────────────────── ─────────────────────
Main Menu Archival Description
│ │
▼ ▼
GLAM/DAM Click "More"
│ │
▼ ▼
Tools "Merge Images to PDF"
│ │
▼ ▼
TIFF to PDF Merge PDF Merge (linked to record)
Step-by-Step Process¶
Step 1: Upload Files¶
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ │
│ ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ 📁 Drag & Drop Files Here │ │
│ │ or │ │
│ │ [ Browse Files ] │ │
│ │ │ │
│ └─────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
│ │
│ Supported: TIFF, TIF, JPEG, JPG, PNG, BMP, GIF │
│ Maximum: 100 files, 500MB each │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Step 2: Arrange Page Order¶
BEFORE (upload order):
┌───┐ ┌───┐ ┌───┐ ┌───┐ ┌───┐
│ 1 │ │ 2 │ │ 3 │ │ 4 │ │ 5 │
│ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │
│p.3│ │p.1│ │p.5│ │p.2│ │p.4│
└───┘ └───┘ └───┘ └───┘ └───┘
↓ Drag & Drop to reorder ↓
AFTER (correct order):
┌───┐ ┌───┐ ┌───┐ ┌───┐ ┌───┐
│ 1 │ │ 2 │ │ 3 │ │ 4 │ │ 5 │
│ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │
│p.1│ │p.2│ │p.3│ │p.4│ │p.5│
└───┘ └───┘ └───┘ └───┘ └───┘
Click [×] on any thumbnail to remove it
Step 3: Choose Settings¶
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ PDF SETTINGS │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ │
│ PDF Standard: ○ PDF │
│ ○ PDF/A-1b │
│ ● PDF/A-2b ← Recommended for archives │
│ ○ PDF/A-3b │
│ │
│ Quality: [====●=====] 85% │
│ Lower ◄────► Higher │
│ │
│ Resolution: [ 300 ▼] DPI │
│ (150/200/300/400/600) │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Step 4: Link to Record (Optional)¶
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ │
│ Attach PDF to archival record? │
│ │
│ [ Select Record ] │
│ │ │
│ ▼ │
│ ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ 🔍 Search: meeting minutes____________ │ │
│ ├─────────────────────────────────────────────┤ │
│ │ ○ ABC/001 - Board Meeting Minutes 1985 │ │
│ │ ● ABC/002 - Annual General Meeting 1986 ← │ │
│ │ ○ ABC/003 - Committee Notes 1987 │ │
│ └─────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
│ │
│ Selected: ABC/002 - Annual General Meeting 1986 │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Step 5: Create and Monitor¶
Click Create
│
▼
┌──────────────────┐
│ Job Created │
│ ID: #1234 │
└────────┬─────────┘
│
┌─────────────┼─────────────┐
│ │ │
▼ ▼ ▼
┌────────┐ ┌──────────┐ ┌─────────┐
│🟡 │ │🔵 │ │🟢 │
│Pending │ ─▶│Processing│ ─▶│Complete │
│ │ │ │ │ │
│Queued │ │Merging │ │Ready! │
└────────┘ └──────────┘ └─────────┘
│
┌─────────────┴─────────────┐
│ │
▼ ▼
┌──────────────┐ ┌──────────────┐
│ 📥 Download │ │ 📎 Attached │
│ PDF │ │ to Record │
└──────────────┘ └──────────────┘
Job Status Guide¶
┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ STATUS │ MEANING │ ACTION │
├────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ 🟡 Pending │ Waiting in queue │ Please wait │
│ 🔵 Processing │ Creating PDF now │ Please wait │
│ 🟢 Completed │ Ready to download │ Download/View │
│ 🔴 Failed │ Error occurred │ Check message │
└────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
View all jobs: Admin → Jobs
Tips for Best Results¶
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ ✓ DO │ ✗ DON'T │
├────────────────────────────────┼────────────────────────────┤
│ Use 300+ DPI scans │ Upload blurry images │
│ Use TIFF for best quality │ Mix portrait/landscape │
│ Name files logically │ Upload huge files (>500MB)│
│ Check page order before merge │ Rush - verify first! │
│ Use PDF/A-2b for archives │ Use plain PDF for archive│
└────────────────────────────────┴────────────────────────────┘
Troubleshooting¶
Problem Solution
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
Upload fails → Check file size (<500MB)
Check file format
Wrong page order → Remove all, re-upload
Arrange before clicking Create
Job stuck "Processing" → Wait 15 minutes
Check Admin → Jobs
Contact administrator
PDF looks blurry → Use quality 90+
Use higher DPI (400-600)
Can't find my PDF → Go to Admin → Jobs
Search by job number
Need Help?¶
Contact your system administrator if you experience issues.
Part of the AtoM AHG Framework
PDF Merge Tool¶
User Guide¶
Combine multiple images (TIFF, JPEG, PNG) into a single PDF document for archival records.
Workflow Overview¶
┌──────────────┐ ┌──────────────┐ ┌──────────────┐ ┌──────────────┐
│ Upload │ │ Arrange │ │ Create │ │ Download │
│ Images │ ──▶│ Pages │ ──▶│ PDF │ ──▶│ Result │
│ │ │ │ │ │ │ │
│ TIFF/JPG/PNG │ │ Drag & Drop │ │ Background │ │ Save or │
│ up to 100 │ │ to reorder │ │ Processing │ │ Attach │
└──────────────┘ └──────────────┘ └──────────────┘ └──────────────┘
When to Use¶
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ USE PDF MERGE FOR: │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ 📄 Scanned document pages → Single searchable PDF │
│ 📷 Multiple photographs → Photo album PDF │
│ 🖼️ TIFF preservation scans → Access copy PDF │
│ 📑 Loose papers → Combined file PDF │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
How to Access¶
Option A: From Menu Option B: From Record
───────────────────── ─────────────────────
Main Menu Archival Description
│ │
▼ ▼
GLAM/DAM Click "More"
│ │
▼ ▼
Tools "Merge Images to PDF"
│ │
▼ ▼
TIFF to PDF Merge PDF Merge (linked to record)
Step-by-Step Process¶
Step 1: Upload Files¶
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ │
│ ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ 📁 Drag & Drop Files Here │ │
│ │ or │ │
│ │ [ Browse Files ] │ │
│ │ │ │
│ └─────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
│ │
│ Supported: TIFF, TIF, JPEG, JPG, PNG, BMP, GIF │
│ Maximum: 100 files, 500MB each │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Step 2: Arrange Page Order¶
BEFORE (upload order):
┌───┐ ┌───┐ ┌───┐ ┌───┐ ┌───┐
│ 1 │ │ 2 │ │ 3 │ │ 4 │ │ 5 │
│ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │
│p.3│ │p.1│ │p.5│ │p.2│ │p.4│
└───┘ └───┘ └───┘ └───┘ └───┘
↓ Drag & Drop to reorder ↓
AFTER (correct order):
┌───┐ ┌───┐ ┌───┐ ┌───┐ ┌───┐
│ 1 │ │ 2 │ │ 3 │ │ 4 │ │ 5 │
│ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │
│p.1│ │p.2│ │p.3│ │p.4│ │p.5│
└───┘ └───┘ └───┘ └───┘ └───┘
Click [×] on any thumbnail to remove it
Step 3: Choose Settings¶
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ PDF SETTINGS │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ │
│ PDF Standard: ○ PDF │
│ ○ PDF/A-1b │
│ ● PDF/A-2b ← Recommended for archives │
│ ○ PDF/A-3b │
│ │
│ Quality: [====●=====] 85% │
│ Lower ◄────► Higher │
│ │
│ Resolution: [ 300 ▼] DPI │
│ (150/200/300/400/600) │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Step 4: Link to Record (Optional)¶
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ │
│ Attach PDF to archival record? │
│ │
│ [ Select Record ] │
│ │ │
│ ▼ │
│ ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ 🔍 Search: meeting minutes____________ │ │
│ ├─────────────────────────────────────────────┤ │
│ │ ○ ABC/001 - Board Meeting Minutes 1985 │ │
│ │ ● ABC/002 - Annual General Meeting 1986 ← │ │
│ │ ○ ABC/003 - Committee Notes 1987 │ │
│ └─────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
│ │
│ Selected: ABC/002 - Annual General Meeting 1986 │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Step 5: Create and Monitor¶
Click Create
│
▼
┌──────────────────┐
│ Job Created │
│ ID: #1234 │
└────────┬─────────┘
│
┌─────────────┼─────────────┐
│ │ │
▼ ▼ ▼
┌────────┐ ┌──────────┐ ┌─────────┐
│🟡 │ │🔵 │ │🟢 │
│Pending │ ─▶│Processing│ ─▶│Complete │
│ │ │ │ │ │
│Queued │ │Merging │ │Ready! │
└────────┘ └──────────┘ └─────────┘
│
┌─────────────┴─────────────┐
│ │
▼ ▼
┌──────────────┐ ┌──────────────┐
│ 📥 Download │ │ 📎 Attached │
│ PDF │ │ to Record │
└──────────────┘ └──────────────┘
Job Status Guide¶
┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ STATUS │ MEANING │ ACTION │
├────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ 🟡 Pending │ Waiting in queue │ Please wait │
│ 🔵 Processing │ Creating PDF now │ Please wait │
│ 🟢 Completed │ Ready to download │ Download/View │
│ 🔴 Failed │ Error occurred │ Check message │
└────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
View all jobs: Admin → Jobs
Tips for Best Results¶
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ ✓ DO │ ✗ DON'T │
├────────────────────────────────┼────────────────────────────┤
│ Use 300+ DPI scans │ Upload blurry images │
│ Use TIFF for best quality │ Mix portrait/landscape │
│ Name files logically │ Upload huge files (>500MB)│
│ Check page order before merge │ Rush - verify first! │
│ Use PDF/A-2b for archives │ Use plain PDF for archive│
└────────────────────────────────┴────────────────────────────┘
Troubleshooting¶
Problem Solution
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
Upload fails → Check file size (<500MB)
Check file format
Wrong page order → Remove all, re-upload
Arrange before clicking Create
Job stuck "Processing" → Wait 15 minutes
Check Admin → Jobs
Contact administrator
PDF looks blurry → Use quality 90+
Use higher DPI (400-600)
Can't find my PDF → Go to Admin → Jobs
Search by job number
Need Help?¶
Contact your system administrator if you experience issues.
Part of the AtoM AHG Framework