> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.apryse.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.apryse.com/cli/pdf-pagemaster/usage/split.md).
# Split PDFs from command-line
Split PDF documents based on manually defined page ranges with PageMaster. Learn how to split by odd/even pages, reverse order, page sets, and more. Find syntax examples and customization tips here! T
## Split by Pages
You can split PDF documents based on manually defined page ranges with multitude of available options such as odd/even pages, reverse order, page ranges, page sets, etc.
**Syntax:**
`pagemaster (-s or --split),,`
To split a PDF document by pages, specify -s (or --split) on the command-line followed by a list of one or more PDF documents to split.
### Examples
The following command-line will split 'in.pdf' and all PDF documents in 'MyPDFs' folder into individual PDF documents:
`pagemaster -s in.pdf MyPDFs -o OutDir`
The last option (-o OUT) instructs PageMaster to store all resulting documents in the new folder called 'OutDir'.
The splitting process can be fine-tuned with a 'page list' parameter that can immediately follow the input PDF filename (after comma).
For example, the following command-line will extract the first five pages from 'in.pdf':
`pagemaster -s in.pdf,1-5`
For a detailed description of how to specify 'page-lists' as part of 'Split-By-Page' operation, please refer to Section 4.8 of this user manual. The following are some additional examples of how to use 'page-lists' to customize the splitting process:
Split 'in.pdf' into a set of PDF documents containing 2 pages each:
`pagemaster -s in,2x`
Split 'in.pdf' into two parts. The first PDF will contain pages 1 through 10, and the second document contains the remainder of the document:
`pagemaster -s in,1-10,11-`
The above command-line will break 'in.pdf' into several parts: A PDF containing pages 1 through 5, a PDF containing pages 6 to 10 (in the reverse order), and a set of odd pages in the page rage from page 15 to the last page in the document:
`pagemaster -s in,1-5,10-6,15-odd`
### **File Naming Convention**
Generally, by setting the '--digits' option, all numbers will be replaced by numbers with that number of digits: --digits \
* If the user specifies a page range \-\(i.e. 1-5), then the created file will become \\_\-\ regardless of whether \ or \ are in the document.
* If - is specified, then the resulting filename is \\_1-last.pdf
* If e or o is specified, then the resulting filename is \\_\.pdf
* If \-\\ is specified, then the resulting filename is \\_\-\\
* If <# pages per doc>x is specified and <# pages per doc> is not 1, then each file created has the filename \\_\-(\ + <# pages per doc>)
> Even if the last document contains less than (\ + <# pages per doc>) pages
* If 1x is specified or no pagelist is specified (1x is used as the default), then each file created has the filename \\_\
* If \ is specified, then a file is created (with just that one page) with the filename \\_\
## Split by Bookmarks
Most PDF utilities offer the ability to break documents by first or second level bookmarks only. With PDF PageMaster, you can split PDF documents by any bookmark level while retaining bookmarks and links in output files.
\--bybookmarks \ will cause PDF PageMaster to split the pages of the given file based on the destinations of bookmarks that are at that depth in the bookmark tree. (Please note that pagelists are ignored if the '--bybookmarks' option is specified.)
\--bybookmarks \,\ will cause PDF PageMaster to split the pages of a given file based on the destinations of bookmarks that are at a depth between depth1 and depth2 in the bookmark tree.
### **Examples**
Split 'in.pdf' based on the destinations of the root bookmarks (usually chapters etc.):
`pagemaster -s \--bybookmarks 1 in.pdfpagemaster -s \--bybookmarks 1,1 in.pdf`
Split 'in.pdf' based on root bookmark as well as the second level bookmark destinations:
`pagemaster -s \--bybookmarks 1,2 in.pdf`
Split 'in.pdf' based on 3rd level bookmark destinations:
`pagemaster -s \--bybookmarks 3 in.pdf`
### **File Naming Convention**
The file is named by the pages that it contains
\\_\-\ where firstpage is never larger than lastpage
## **Split by File Size**
You can specify the size of your PDF files and PDF PageMaster will split the PDFs to the closest possible kilobyte.
\--byfilesize \ will cause PDF PageMaster to attempt to split with the file size of each created file being less than \ KB. (It may not succeed in doing that if any one page is larger than \ KB.)
### **Examples (assuming that each page can fit into the size provided)**
Split largepdf.pdf into files of size 1000 KB or less:
`pagemaster -s \--byfilesize 1000 largepdf.pdf`
Split largepdf.pdf into files of size 232 KB or less:
`pagemaster -s \--byfilesize 232 largepdf.pdf`
### **File Naming Convention**
The file is named by the pages that it contains
\\_\-\ where firstpage is never larger than lastpage
---
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