PDF Converter

Interactive PDF conversion dashboard that extracts PDF content and exports multiple formats (interactive HTML, highlighted HTML, canvas HTML, text, CSV, H5P, images).

For a semi-technical setup and operations guide (including Node installation and port-clear troubleshooting), see USER_GUIDE.md. Word-format version: PDF_Converter_User_Guide.rtf

Install

Global CLI install (recommended)

npm install -g @j.hughes.cu/pdf-converter
pdf-converter

Run

Start server:

pdf-converter

Show CLI help:

pdf-converter --help

Start on a custom port:

pdf-converter --port 3010
# or
pdf-converter 3010

If port 3000 is already in use:

portclear
pdf-converter

portclear asks for confirmation before stopping processes. To skip prompts:

portclear --yes

To explicitly clear all listeners on port 3000:

portclear --all

For a custom app port:

portclear 3010

If the blocked process is auto-restarted by a parent Node process, portclear will also stop that related parent supervisor. Processes that look like this app are labeled as [pdf-converter] in portclear output.

Compatibility alias (still supported): pdf-converter-portclear

Open:

http://localhost:3000

Put input PDFs in:

• input/

Generated files appear in:

• output/<pdf-name>/

First Run (Empty input/ + output/)

If both folders are empty, the app now shows an introduction page at startup.

Use this quick flow:

1. Add one or more PDF files to input/
2. Refresh http://localhost:3000
3. In the dashboard, choose output formats and click Start Processing
4. Open generated files from the output menu

The intro page is only shown when there are no input PDFs and no converted output folders yet.

Publish to npm

1. Verify account/session:

npm whoami

2. Validate package contents:

npm run pack:check

3. Bump version:

npm version patch

4. Publish publicly:

npm publish --access public

Notes

• Requires Node.js >=18.18.0
• If npm 2FA is enabled, publish will require OTP
• Package exposes CLI command: pdf-converter
• Package also exposes: portclear and pdf-converter-portclear (both clear listeners on port 3000)