PDF Owl: Create a table of contents using computer vision (beta test)

[soid.exe]

I invite MacRumor's users for beta testing of my PDF tool for Mac.

PDF Owl automatically generates a table of contents (also known as outline) using computer vision AI; besides, I'm making a minimalist PDF reader for MacOS with all essential functions like annotations and search.

What's your essential PDF reader features? What do you miss in your favorite PDF reader? What do you think of this app? Let me know!


Please use the link for downloading from TestFlight: https://testflight.apple.com/join/5JBMctKj
App's website: 138street.com/pdf-owl



Below is a description:

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PDF Owl is a reading application that allows some unique AI features and emphasizes functional yet uncluttered user interface:
- Generate table of contents/outline for PDF files using computer vision AI methods. The generated outline can be saved and used by other PDF readers.
- Edit outline, use sidebar with table of contents for easily navigating inside your PDF files.
- Highlight text, add notes and text annotations for your later reference.
- Use bookmarks, assign keyboard shortcuts to quickly jump between important places in your files.
- Search text with advanced options: regular expressions, among annotated pages, within outline items, and more.
- Use thoughtfully designed keyboard shortcut system to navigate your files like a PDF expert.
- No worries about keeping your reading arrangement when you edit files on other devices or between computer restarts.

# Table of Contents Generation
PDF Owl app will examine the image of each page of your PDF file and use computer vision techniques to detect headings on the pages. Then, it will OCR the headings and automatically construct a table of contents for your file (also known as TOC, or PDFOutline).

# Highlight Text and Add Text Annotations
Highlight text for later reference in colors of your choice. Add text notes to highlighted text.

# Edit Outline (also known as Table of Contents or TOC)
Select text on the page, then click "Add Outline" or use keyboard shortcuts to add new outline items. Delete or rename existing outline items, and arrange outline groups and children items into a proper outline tree.

# Use Bookmarks
Use bookmarks to quickly jump between important places in your book, such as the Notes section, Biography, or just save another page for later reference. Use bookmark shortcuts to quickly jump between various places in your file.

# Search Inside PDF Files
Use text search to jump to the place that you are looking for. The search options include matching whole word, searching a regular expression for advanced users, and searching on specific pages.

# Use Batch Outline Generation for Multiple Files
Automatic outline generation may take some time especially on the older Macs. Schedule a queue of multiple files to generate the outline when you are away, or overnight. For reference, on Apple Silicon M1 chip it takes approximately two second to process one page.

# Undo/Redo Support
Work with your PDF files with ease knowing that you can always undo and redo your changes.

# Use with Different Apps and Multiple Devices
Edit PDF files on iPad, iPhone, and other devices, sync the files in cloud, then PDF Owl will seamlessly reload the updated file and keep your exact reading position.

# Friendly to App Restarts
PDF Owl will keep your exact reading position and interface arrangement between application restarts, or reopening your file. No worries about loosing your work setup.

# Easily Navigate Across Your PDF Files
Open PDF files by dragging and dropping on the tabs. Use "Recents", "Open" menus as usual. Use ⇧⌘T shortcut to reopen recently closed files.

 

[Herbert123]

That's a pretty handy tool. (Scanned) PDFs more often than not do not include an outline/TOC that a PDF reader can utilize.

Will it be able to save the generated outline in a new version of the PDF as well? Not quite obvious after reading through your feature list.

On a side note: your app icon design seems to have been made with a generative image AI? It looks like something Midjourney would spit out. If so, please consider recreating it using other means or drawing over it with a vector app and only using the AI generated image as a reference instead. I mention this because midjourney and other generative AI image generators abuse the work of countless artists without giving those artists any due consideration.

From a moral and ethical point of view those images ought not to be used within a commercial context. (But perhaps your tool will be open source and free?)

(And aside from these objections: your app icon doesn't work very well as an icon in any case for obvious reasons; contrast, clarity, etc.)

 

[soid.exe]

Will it be able to save the generated outline in a new version of the PDF as well? Not quite obvious after reading through your feature list.

Yes, it saves the generated outline in the PDF file, so it is usable by other readers. In fact, the generation process is somewhat slow (about a second per page on my M1 Mac; slower on old Intel macs), so generation before reading is the workflow I imagine. It's not like you open a PDF file and it generates the outline every time. The app allows editing an existing outline as well, or generating an outline in addition to an existing one (and keeping both).

Regarding the app icon, it is indeed generated by MidJourney, so thanks for the ethical considerations that you brought up – I haven't thought enough about it indeed. I would like to make it a student-friendly-priced commercial product, but at this point I'd like to see if there is interest in such tool/reader; I've been busy with coding so far. I've had mild fun playing with MJ with the task of generating an icon for this app, and it seems okay for the stage. The brown colors seems to be underrepresented in my dock, so I'm happy with it. It also matches one of my favorite apps colors – Ulysses app. But I like your points; I indeed should find someone professional to help me with the icon.

 

[Herbert123]

Perhaps consider a general (paid-for) utility that adds those outlines for PDFs? Might be of interest to archives and libraries as well. Could save them a lot of work. Huge potential there for you.

 

[soid.exe]

The app is still developed and in beta testing. It will soon be released, but now available for testing for free.

From new features:
- Advanced search options. Use regular expressions, search among annotated pages, search within selected outline items (chapters, sections, etc). And more essential search options.
- Page margin editing. Detect page margins using computer vision and extend or reduce the margins space (this is in alpha: I'm still figuring out its usefulness). It's mostly useful for adding margin space on the page for annotations, when margins are too narrow.
- Bookmarks with shortcuts. Assign shortcut combination for jumping to bookmarks. E.g. easily jump to Notes section or Glossary, and back to the reading position.
- Free text annotations. Nothing novel in here, just supported now.

Also, not a feature, but new app's website: 138street.com/pdf-owl/