> 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/pdf2html/usage.md). # Examples of converting PDF to HTML using command-line Apryse's PDF2HTML is a command-line application designed to convert PDF documents to HTML files while preserving the contents of the PDF. Apryse's PDF2HTML is a command-line application designed to convert PDF documents to HTML files while preserving the contents of the PDF. This section covers the basic usage of PDF2HTML, explaining all of the available options. ## Basic Syntax The basic command-line syntax is: `pdf2html [options] -in inputfile -out outputfile` The '-in' parameter can be abbreviated as '-i', and the '-out' parameter can be abbreviated as '-o'. If you are calling PDF2HTML from the console or a BAT file, you may use relative file names. However, if you are calling it from an application or a server, you should be using absolute file names. See more options in [Command-Line Summary](/cli/pdf2html/cmd-options.md) for PDF2HTML. ## General Usage Examples ### **Example 1. The simplest command line: Convert PDF to HTML.** Note: * Converts 'my.pdf' to 'my.html' located in the current working folder. `pdf2html -in my.pdf -out my.html` ### **Example 2. Convert PDF to a specific output file name.** Notes: * The '-in' (or '-i') parameter is used to specify the input file. You can use relative and/or absolute file name. * The '-out' (or '-o') parameter is used to specify the output file. You can use relative and/or absolute file name. `pdf2html -in my.pdf -out myOut.html` ### **Example 3. Convert PDF to HTM.** Note: * Use ".htm" as the file extension when specifying the output file name. `pdf2html -in my.pdf -out outHTM.htm` ### **Example 4. Convert a password-protected PDF.** Notes: * The '-password' parameter is used to specify the master password required to open the protected document. * The password provided must give unrestricted content extraction permissions. `pdf2html -password MyPDFPassword -in my.pdf -out myOut.html` ### **Example 5. Convert specific pages in PDF.** Notes: * The '-pages' parameter is used to specify which page(s) to convert. * You can specify a single page, e.g. '-pages 1' or a range of pages, e.g. '-pages 1-2'. `pdf2html -pages 1-2 -in my.pdf -out my.html` ### **Example 6. Batch convert PDF files.** Notes: * The '-in' (or '-i') parameter supports multiple input file names. Separate each input file name with a space. * Output files will be generated in the same folder as the input, e.g. 'a.html', 'b.html' and 'c.html'. * The number of input file names must match the number of output file names. * For Windows (not available for Linux and Mac), you can also use wildcards with the '-in' parameter and omitting the '-out' parameter to tell the application to auto-generate the output file names based on the input file names, e.g. '`pdf2html -in *.pdf`'. `pdf2html -in a.pdf b.pdf c.pdf -out a.html b.html c.html` ## Exit Codes To provide additional feedback, PDF2HTML returns exit codes after completing processing. The exit codes can be used to provide user feedback, for logging, etc. This is particularly important for applications running in an unattended environment. The following table lists possible exit codes and their descriptions: {% tabs %} {% tab title="Shell" %} {% code lineNumbers="true" %} ```sh Exit Code Description --------------- --------------------------------------------------------------- 0 All files converted successfully. 1 Invalid parameter. One or more parameters were invalid. 2 License problem. Invalid license; license or evaluation expired; the feature you are trying to use is not enabled with the license you have. 3 Cannot open input. Input file name is invalid; file does not exist; network is unavailable; drive was ejected; not enough permissions to access the input file. 4 Cannot create output. Output file name is invalid; network is unavailable; drive was ejected or full; another application has opened the same file; not enough permission to create the output file. 5 Invalid input. Input file exists, but it is invalid. Usually indicates an invalid or corrupt PDF, or any other input file parsing problem, other than password problems. 6 Invalid output. Output file was created, but it is invalid. There were some problems, such as fonts could not be embedded, some issues that make the output corrupt. 7 Encrypted input. Input file is encrypted, and there is no password, or the password is invalid, or the password does not give permission to complete the requested operation. 8 Timeout. The whole or part of the operation has timed out. You may get better luck by increasing the timeout, because some operations take a lot of time to complete. 9 Cancelled. The operation has been cancelled. This is very unlikely in an SDK, which has no user interaction. 10 Access denied. Temporary file could not be created; registry could not be accessed; any other system-level denial of access. Exception: If the input or output file cannot be accessed, the error codes 3 and 4 are used instead. 17 Invalid setup. The product is not set up correctly. Files or registry got corrupted. Please reinstall. 18 Out of memory. There was not enough memory to complete the operation. Note: It is not guaranteed that you get this error when you run out of memory. You could also get 19 - Internal error. 19 Internal error. Invalid operation; unknown error; crash; access violation. 20 Page too large. PDF page is too large for HTML. ``` {% endcode %} {% endtab %} {% endtabs %} All codes other then '0' indicate that there was an error during the conversion process. The following illustrates a sample Windows batch script that processes exit codes: {% tabs %} {% tab title="Shell" %} {% code lineNumbers="true" %} ```sh @echo off rem convert my.pdf to my.html in the current working folder pdf2html -in my.pdf -out my.html if errorlevel 19 goto othererror if errorlevel 3 goto inputerr if errorlevel 0 goto exit :inputerr echo No input files specified. goto exit :othererror echo An error encountered during processing. goto exit :exit ``` {% endcode %} {% endtab %} {% endtabs %} --- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com. ## Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter, and the optional `goal` query parameter: ``` GET https://docs.apryse.com/cli/pdf2html/usage.md?ask=&goal= ``` `ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. `goal` is optional and describes the broader end goal you are ultimately trying to accomplish on behalf of the user. GitBook uses it to tailor the answer towards what is most useful for that goal. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.