Watch-folder OCR. Three pipelines.

Free Windows OCR engine. Three pipelines, each with a watch folder and an output folder. Input is a scan or a flat PDF. Output is a searchable PDF at the original page size. The source file is not deleted.

Download 2.4 Back to LockStepPDF

Free. Windows setup file. No account. LockStepPDF is a separate subscription and has its own OCR hot folders.

The engine

One master switch. Three pipelines.

Three pipelines. Each has a watch folder, an output folder, a file name, and a post-process action. Output is a searchable PDF at the original page size. The source file is not deleted. The master engine starts when the folders are set. Status stays idle until a file lands.

Pipeline 1

Separate watch folder, output folder, prefix, original name, and suffix. The build shown here defaults the prefix to Searchable_OCR_. Output is a searchable PDF. The source file remains in the watch folder. Page size is unchanged.

Pipeline 2

Runs while the other pipelines run. Separate watch folder, output folder, prefix, original name, and suffix, so the rename rule does not collide with pipeline 1.

Pipeline 3

Third pipeline. Separate watch folder and output folder. Same output: searchable PDF, original page size, source file left in the watch folder.

Watch folder	Folder the engine watches for a scan or a flat PDF. LockStepPDF does not need to be open.
Output folder	Where the searchable PDF is written. Originals stay in the watch folder.
File name	A prefix, the original name, and a suffix, then .pdf. The build shown here defaults the prefix to Searchable_OCR_.
Page size	The new file keeps the page size of the art. OCR is a text layer, not a reflow.
After processing	Post-process action when the file is written. “Do nothing” leaves the PDF in the output folder.

LockStepOCR on the desk

Three pipelines, each with a watch folder and an output folder, and a start button for the whole engine.

LockStepOCR v2.4 Multi-Pipeline Engine with three pipelines, watch folder, output folder, file naming, after processing, and Start Master OCR Engine — LockStepOCR v2.4, Multi-Pipeline Engine. Three pipelines, watch folder, output folder, file naming, after processing, and Start Master OCR Engine.

Standalone installer and LockStepPDF folders

LockStepOCR is the free standalone installer. LockStepPDF has three OCR hot folders, separate from its prepress pipelines. A file there becomes a searchable PDF at the original page size. The text is selectable. The job is not imposed.

See the OCR hot folders on the PDF page

Input

Scan or flat PDF with no text layer: a flattened proof, a form, a previous job. The pipeline writes a searchable PDF at the original page size for prepress or archive.

Download LockStepOCR 2.4

Free. Windows setup file. No account.

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