PDF Page Count blank

[BogStandard]

I have a Tools, Option, Indexes, Properties, set for Page Count for PDF documents but many PDFs do not show it.
Searching on the forum a relevant entry I can find is this from 2022:
viewtopic.php?p=48343&hilit=pagecount#p48343
which says that "Cross-reference streams are not supported yet. (PDF 1.5+)"

Is this still the case, and is it the reason not all PDFs show their Page Count (all are pdf version 1.5, 1.6 or 1.7 and 2k5 don't display but 4k6 do)?

Is there something I can invoke to force the Page Count property to update so that Everything can read and display it?

Regards...

[void]

Cross-reference streams requires PDF 1.5+
There's currently no way in Everything to determine if the PDF uses cross-reference streams.
(edit: consider the following search:

atof:version:>=1.5 !pagecount: asciicontent:startxref

)

Check the PDF version with the Version property.

add-column:version

If >= 1.5, then it's possible cross-reference streams are used.

I will not be adding native cross-reference streams support to Everything.
The PDF library is larger than Everything.
This will likely be done as a plugin in the future.

For now, there might be existing Windows Property System property handlers to do this.
Everything can then access the page count through the Windows Property System.

[BogStandard]

Thanks for the reply, Void.

Whilst I don't understand what "Cross-reference streams" are I fully accept your assertion that they are a limitation.

You say:

For now, there might be existing Windows Property System property handlers to do this.
Everything can then access the page count through the Windows Property System.

I use three file managers (in Windows 11): Explorer, Cubic Explorer and FreeCommander XE, which all retrieve PDF Page Count (and other PDF metadata if it was set eg Author, Title). And, specifically, they do show the page count for the PDF files that Everything (1.5.0.1406a) does not show it.

Does this mean that Everything could retrieve and index Page Count by the same method?

Regards...

Note: I believe the PDF metadata shows up because I have installed PDF-Xchange Editor with its F_ShellExt which provides:

F_ShellExt – the Windows Explorer and Windows shell extensions. This has multiple features including the viewing of thumbnails, properties, previews and the inclusion of the IFilter component.

[void]

Does this mean that Everything could retrieve and index Page Count by the same method?

Yes.
To find the correct page count property:

• In Everything, select a pdf file.
• Right click the result list column header and click Add Columns....
• Click the Windows Property System tab on the left.
• Right click the column header and check Preview.
• Look through all properties and find the one showing the correct column count.
• What property shows the correct page count?
• Select the property with the correct page count and click OK.

[BogStandard]

Thanks for the instructions, Void.

On the first run through there were no properties listed under "Windows Properties".

I looked in Tools, Options, Advanced, for "Proper" and found "property_system=0" so set it to the default "property_system=1". (Having used Everything since at least 2020 I don't recall changing this default setting from whenever it may have been added in 1.5).

Following your instructions again the "Windows Properties" listed the "Pages, Property System, System.Document.PageCount" property with a page count. The indexed column heading that was added is "Pages". So, SOLVED! Thank you (and another donation made).

Now checking into what I already had indexed and displayed in the "Page Count" column I see that I selected it from the property list "Everything Properties", "Document", "Page Count, Metadata, Page Count" which was available when the "Windows Properties" were not listed.

So, a final question for anyone: is there a way to update the "Page Count, Metadata, Page Count" (wherever that is stored) from the "Pages(System.Document.PageCount)" (wherever that is stored)?

Regards...

[void]

Thank you for your reply BogStandard

Thank you for checking the property system.



Enabling property system should fix the issue.

Everything will already pull the PDF page count from System.Document.PageCount.

You will have to update your page count index after enabling the property system.
easiest way to do this is search for:

*.pdf

, select all files and press Ctrl + F5.



Thank you for your donation and support.

So, a final question for anyone: is there a way to update the "Page Count, Metadata, Page Count" (wherever that is stored) from the "Pages(System.Document.PageCount)" (wherever that is stored)?

No need to changing the Page Count property index to System.Document.PageCount.
Page Count will already use System.Document.PageCount.
Just select all your pdf files and hit Ctrl + F5 to reindex the page count.



It is good to know PDF-Xchange Editor provides a property handler to do this.