PDF to Markdown Converter

This Go project converts PDF files to Markdown format. The program extracts text and images from the PDF, saves the images in a local assets folder, and generates a Markdown file referencing the images. The CLI is built using the Cobra package, providing a structured and user-friendly command-line interface.

Features

• Text Extraction: Extracts text from a PDF and saves it to a Markdown file.
• Image Extraction: Extracts images from a PDF and stores them in an assets folder.
• Image Referencing: References the extracted images in the generated Markdown file.
• Modular CLI: Utilizes Cobra for a scalable and maintainable command-line interface.
• Fully Free and Open-Source: Built using Go libraries and CLI tools.

Prerequisites

1. Install Go:

   • Download and install Go.

2. Install the pdfcpu CLI tool:

   go install github.com/pdfcpu/pdfcpu/cmd/pdfcpu@latest

   Ensure the pdfcpu executable is in your system's PATH.

3. Install Project Dependencies:

   go get github.com/ledongthuc/pdf
   go get github.com/spf13/cobra@latest

Installation

1. Clone this Repository:

   git clone https://github.com/sukeesh/markitdown-go.git
   cd markitdown-go

2. Initialize the Go Module:

   go mod tidy

3. Build the Program:

   go build -o pdf2md main.go

Usage

The CLI tool pdf2md provides a convert subcommand to handle PDF to Markdown conversion. Below are detailed instructions on how to use the tool.

Basic Conversion

Convert a PDF file to Markdown with default settings:

./pdf2md convert <path/to/input.pdf>

Example:

./pdf2md convert sample.pdf

This command will:

• Generate an output.md file containing the extracted text and image references.
• Save extracted images in the default assets/ directory.

Advanced Usage

Specify custom output Markdown file and assets directory using flags:

./pdf2md convert <path/to/input.pdf> -o <path/to/output.md> -a <path/to/assets/>

Example:

./pdf2md convert sample.pdf -o output/sample.md -a output/assets/

Available Flags

• -o, --output: Specifies the output Markdown file.

  • Default: output.md
  • Usage:

    -o path/to/output.md

• -a, --assets: Specifies the directory to save extracted images.

  • Default: assets
  • Usage:

    -a path/to/assets/

Help and Documentation

Get help on the CLI usage:

./pdf2md --help

Get help on the convert subcommand:

./pdf2md convert --help

Example Output

Markdown File (output.md):

# Sample PDF Title

This is some sample text extracted from the PDF.

![Image 1](assets/image_1.png)

More text on the next line.

![Image 2](assets/image_2.jpg)

Assets Folder (assets/):

• image_1.png
• image_2.jpg

Project Structure

markitdown-go/
├── cmd/
│   ├── convert.go       # Defines the 'convert' subcommand
│   └── root.go          # Defines the root command
├── pkg/
│   └── pdfconverter/
│       └── pdfconverter.go  # Core logic for PDF to Markdown conversion
├── go.mod               # Go module file
├── go.sum               # Go checksum file
├── main.go              # Entry point of the application
├── README.md            # Project documentation
└── LICENSE              # License information

• cmd/: Contains Cobra command definitions.

  • root.go: Defines the base command and global flags.
  • convert.go: Implements the convert subcommand.

• pkg/pdfconverter/: Encapsulates the core functionality for converting PDFs to Markdown.

  • pdfconverter.go: Handles text and image extraction, and Markdown generation.

• main.go: Executes the root command.

Code Structure

• extractText: Extracts text from the PDF using the github.com/ledongthuc/pdf library.
• extractImages: Uses the pdfcpu CLI tool to extract images and saves them in the specified assets directory.
• generateMarkdown: Combines the extracted text and image references into a Markdown file.
• CLI Commands: Utilizes Cobra to handle command-line arguments and flags, providing a structured interface for users.

Dependencies

• ledongthuc/pdf: For text extraction.
• pdfcpu: For image extraction.
• Cobra: For building the CLI interface.

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Feel free to fork this repository, make changes, and submit a pull request. Whether it's improving documentation, adding new features, or fixing bugs, your contributions help make this project better.

How to Contribute

1. Fork the Repository: Click the "Fork" button at the top-right of this repository's page.

2. Clone Your Fork:

   git clone https://github.com/yourusername/markitdown-go.git
   cd markitdown-go

3. Create a New Branch:

   git checkout -b feature/your-feature-name

4. Make Your Changes: Implement your feature or fix.

5. Commit Your Changes:

   git commit -m "Add feature: your feature description"

6. Push to Your Fork:

   git push origin feature/your-feature-name

7. Submit a Pull Request: Go to the original repository and submit a pull request from your fork.

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License. See the LICENSE file for details.