How To Convert Multiple Images to a Single PDF File using ImageMagick on Ubuntu

In this article, we will guide you through the process of converting multiple images into a single PDF file using ImageMagick on Ubuntu. ImageMagick is a powerful software suite that allows you to create, edit, and compose bitmap images. It can read, convert and write images in various formats.

Prerequisites

Before we start, ensure that you have ImageMagick and pdftk installed on your Ubuntu system. If not, you can install them using the following commands:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install imagemagick
sudo apt-get install pdftk

Step 1: Convert Images to Individual PDF Files

The first step is to convert each image into a separate PDF file. This can be done using the convert command from ImageMagick. Here is the syntax:

convert input.png output.pdf

In this command, input.png is the name of the input image file and output.pdf is the name of the output PDF file. The convert command reads the input file and writes it to the output file in the specified format.

For example, to convert two images named books.png and books.jpeg into PDF files, you would use the following commands:

convert books.png book1.pdf
convert books.jpeg book2.pdf

Step 2: Merge PDF Files

The next step is to merge the individual PDF files into a single PDF file. This can be done using the pdftk tool. Here is the syntax:

pdftk input1.pdf input2.pdf cat output combined.pdf

In this command, input1.pdf and input2.pdf are the names of the input PDF files and combined.pdf is the name of the output PDF file. The cat option tells pdftk to concatenate the input files.

For example, to merge the PDF files book1.pdf and book2.pdf into a single PDF file named combined.pdf, you would use the following command:

pdftk book1.pdf book2.pdf cat output combined.pdf

Alternative Methods

If you have a large number of image files, you can use wildcard patterns or the ls command with xargs and convert to automate the conversion and merging process.

Using Wildcard Patterns

Here is the syntax for using wildcard patterns:

convert "*.png" "*.jpeg" -quality 100 combined.pdf

This command will convert all PNG and JPEG files in the current directory into a single PDF file named combined.pdf. The -quality 100 option sets the quality level of the output file.

Using ls and xargs

Here is the syntax for using ls and xargs:

ls *.tif | xargs -I% convert % %.pdf
pdftk *.pdf cat output combined.pdf && rm *.tif.pdf

This command will convert all TIFF files in the current directory to PDF files, merge them using pdftk, and then remove the individual PDF files.

Conclusion

In this article, we have shown you how to convert multiple images into a single PDF file using ImageMagick on Ubuntu. We hope that you find this guide helpful. If you have any questions or run into any issues, feel free to leave a comment below. Happy converting!

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install imagemagick
sudo apt-get install pdftk

convert input.png output.pdf

pdftk input1.pdf input2.pdf cat output combined.pdf