Regarding the PDF layering issue

[Hzjboss404]

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Regarding the PDF layering issue, I want to perform OCR on a PDF without converting the original PDF into an image. The original PDF uses vector fonts which are infinitely clear, but I can only select one character at a time and cannot search. I aim to overlay the OCR text on the original PDF without converting it to an image. The mentioned software, UMI-OCR, skips over vector fonts, but what I need is to recognize vector fonts as if they were images and then overlay a text layer on the original PDF. This way, I can preserve the clarity of the vector fonts while also gaining search functionality.

[LiteBrite82]

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[collinpksmith]

Hi @Hzjboss404
Hope you are doing well.

Here are some of my solutions to solve that issue.

OCRmyPDF is a command-line tool designed specifically for adding OCR layers to PDFs without converting them into images. It preserves the original PDF content, including vector graphics and fonts, while adding a hidden text layer that enables search functionality.

1. Install OCRmyPDF: You can install OCRmyPDF using pip:
   pip install ocrmypdf

2. Run OCR with OCRmyPDF: OCRmyPDF includes options to skip rasterizing vector content while still performing OCR on the visible text. This allows it to recognize text from vector fonts and overlay it as a hidden text layer on top of the original vector-based PDF.
   ocrmypdf --skip-text --force-ocr original.pdf output.pdf
--skip-text: Tells OCRmyPDF to ignore text that it can already recognize, which allows it to focus on any unselectable vector text.
   --force-ocr: Forces OCR processing on every page, even if OCRmyPDF detects text layers (this is helpful for ensuring vector text gets recognized).

3. Output PDF with Searchable Text Layer: The output.pdf generated by OCRmyPDF will retain the original vector clarity while adding a hidden text layer, making the document searchable and selectable.

Hope to be helpful for you!
If then, please mark this answer as done~~

Thank you