How to Count Words in a PDF Using Command Line Tools
Learn to count words in a PDF via command line using pdftotext and wc for accurate results.
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To count words in a PDF from the command line, you can use tools like `pdftotext` and `wc`. First, convert the PDF to text: `pdftotext file.pdf -`. Then, pipe the output to `wc -w` to get the word count: `pdftotext file.pdf - | wc -w`. This straightforward method provides an accurate word count.
FAQs & Answers
- What is the pdftotext command? The pdftotext command is a utility to convert PDF files into plain text, which can then be processed further.
- Can I count words in a PDF on Windows? Yes, you can use tools like pdftotext with Windows Subsystem for Linux or similar utilities available for Windows.
- Is the word count from command line accurate? Yes, by converting the PDF to text and using wc, you achieve an accurate word count.
- Are there any GUI tools to count words in a PDF? Yes, several GUI applications can count words in PDFs, but using command line tools is often faster and more versatile.