pdf-ingest

Extract text and per-page PNG images from PDFs using poppler-utils.

7|1|Updated Apr 1, 2026
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/gyy0592/claude-config --skill pdf-ingest
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent▼
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: pdf-ingest
Source: https://github.com/gyy0592/claude-config/tree/main/skills/pdf-ingest
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/gyy0592/claude-config --skill pdf-ingest

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

💡 This Skill requires pdftotext, pdftoppm, and includes scripts (resource) components.

What problem does it solve?

PDFs often lose critical visual information when converted to plain text: equations, subscripts, tables, and figures can be mangled or removed, making automated analysis unreliable. This skill preserves both a searchable text channel and faithful page images so downstream processing can quickly scan prose while verifying any visual content against an exact image.

Core Features & Use Cases

  • Dual-channel extraction: produces a text.txt extracted with layout preservation and one PNG per page to retain visual fidelity.
  • Reliable tooling: uses pdftotext -layout and pdftoppm to keep columns and render high-quality page images at configurable DPI.
  • Practical scenarios: ideal for paper reading, report parsing, form extraction, and any task where formulas, tables, or figures must be confirmed visually before use.
  • Failure handling guidance: detects missing tools, missing files, and scanned-image PDFs (text may be empty but images remain usable).

Quick Start

Ingest paper.pdf at 150 DPI and return the path to the generated paper_temp directory along with the counts of text lines and page images.

Frequently Asked Questions about pdf-ingest

High-intent search queries and answers about installing and using this skill.

FAQPage Schema
How do I extract text and images from a PDF without losing tables and equations?▼

To extract text and images without losing tables and equations, use a dual-channel approach that runs pdftotext for layout-preserved prose and pdftoppm to render page PNG files. This outputs a directory containing both text.txt and per-page images for visual verification.

Why does my PDF text extraction lose visual layout and formatting?▼

PDF text extraction loses visual layout because plain text conversion strips equations, tables, and figures. Applying a dual-channel method preserves columns using pdftotext -layout while rendering exact page images with pdftoppm to retain visual fidelity for verification.

Do I need poppler-utils to extract text and page images from a PDF?▼

Yes, you need poppler-utils installed to extract text and page images. The workflow specifically requires the pdftotext and pdftoppm command-line tools to generate the text.txt file and render the per-page PNG images.

Can I parse scanned-image PDFs where text extraction returns empty?▼

Yes, you can parse scanned-image PDFs even when text extraction returns empty. The dual-channel approach detects empty text but continues to render high-quality page images using pdftoppm, leaving the visual content fully usable for processing.

What is the best way to parse research papers and reports containing figures?▼

The best way to parse research papers and reports with figures is using a dual-channel extraction that produces searchable text.txt alongside per-page PNG images. This ensures formulas, tables, and figures are preserved for visual confirmation before analysis.