[chazter]

Originally posted by Charter
Hi. External binaries are certain programs that your host may, or may not, have to convert PDF/DOC/XLS files to text files.

Here is a short list of such external binaries and their uses:

name         purpose
-----------------------------------
catdoc       convert DOC to TXT
pstotext     convert PS/PDF to TXT
pdftotext    convert PDF to TXT
xls2csv      convert XLS to CSV

If you know, or can find, the path to such external binaries from your host, then just use that path in the appropriate defintion in the config file.

If your host doesn't have such external binaries, or you cannot find the path, then you could FTP them to one of your directories, and then include that path in the appropriate defintion in the config file.

Depending on the type of output that the external binaries produce, you may find this thread useful. Also, this thread may be useful.

Thanks for the reply . A couple of follow-up questions.

1. I am having a hard time contacting and getting answers from my ISP. Where do I get the binary "pdftotext"?

2. Once I get it what do I do with it. Do I create a directory called PDFTOTEXT in my website root directory and put the file there?

3. Once I put it there, do I run anything? and I assume I would have to configure my config file to point to that path.

Sorry for asking these questions if they seem obvious.

Thanks again in Advance