removing password from pdfs files imported into Evernote to get them searchable (indexed)...

[FabioFS 4]

Hello!!

Since passworded pdf files contents are not indexed by Evernote, I noticed that many pdfs that I receive as receipts (by email) and send directly from Gmail (using forward filters) to Evernote are not being indexed. I meant the content of these encrypted pdf files. Ok, so far, so good... I understand the reasons.

However, I'd like to remove these passwords to get their contents searchable. It's essential to point out that I do have these passwords. 

My first idea was to select the notes in Evernote and run an Applescript, exporting pdfs from each note, removing the password by using, for example, "qpdf" and reimporting it.

Is there any easy way to apply this over a bunch of notes? 

I really appreciate any help you can provide.

Ps.: using Evernote Legacy and MacOS Monterey. 

[agsteele 2,957]

I can't think of any method working on a batch process within Evernote Legacy (or v10 either). I think you would need an external scripting process to open the PDF, remove the password and resave back into the original note. SO your Applescript idea may be worth exploring.

However, I have to say that if I was wanting to get to where you want, I wouldn't want to start from where you are

[PinkElephant 8,196]

Basically EN legacy is scriptable.

But I have no idea how to do that trick, and especially not if the pdf files are protected by different passwords. This is probably more than scripting provides - look up the pdf file, choose one of the passwords from a reference table, decrypt, safe etc.

AFAIK EN holds the attachments in legacy as files outside of the EN database. Maybe a tool like Hazel or Alfred could assist on getting such a job done, working directly on the attachments instead of through the notes.

Unless there are MANY of these files, I think decrypting them manually is probably still the more efficient method.

Instead of OCRing them it may be a viable method to use a set of tags to support search selection. This depends on the goal of making them searchable. The more details are needed, the more likely is that tags will not be sufficient.