Extract text from pdf?

Anyone know if PDFpen or similar software could extract text from a pdf through a shortcut? Trying to grab some text out of one and have Siri tell me versus show me the pdf on screen.

Shortcuts can extract text from the text layer in a PDF.

If your PDF has no text layer and requires running through an OCR process, then it is a bit trickier. You could hand off to a Mac running say PDF Pen Pro and pick up the results. You could use a web service, maybe even one with an API to do the heavy lifting. However, if you want on device, you could do the following.

  1. Use the Shortcuts Convert Image to change your PDF to JPGs.
  2. Pass the JPGs to the PrizmoGo app and get back the OCR’d text - see the MacStories Prizmo Review for an example.
  3. Speak the returned text.

If you have long PDFs to read I’d consider not going with this general type of automation and instead incorporating a dedicated reader like [Voice Dream Reader](Voice Dream Reader by Voice Dream LLC). It’s a world of difference to the experience.

However, you also mention “some text”, so it may be that you need to describe what you envisage for identifying that piece of text to truly be able to hone in on a best solution.

Hope that helps.

The PDF is a calendar, so Id be parsing for the current day and then speak the result. I’ll try these options, thank you!