Evals / pdf / Organize pages

Split a 142-page document into chunks

Split pub17.pdf into separate PDFs of at most 50 pages each, in a folder called parts.

normalsinglelong-docdeft pdf split

The task

The reference answer shows the job can be done with deft. It is not an agent run.

deft pdf split pub17.pdf --every 50 -o parts/

Input

pub17.pdf 2.9 MB · 142 pages
Page 1Page 2Page 3

Reference output

parts/pub17-001.pdf 680.7 KB · 50 pages
Page 1Page 2Page 3
parts/pub17-002.pdf 645.5 KB · 50 pages
Page 1Page 2Page 3
parts/pub17-003.pdf 858.2 KB · 42 pages
Page 1Page 2Page 3
How a result is judged (1 check)
  • count_files: glob = "parts/*.pdf", count = 3

Runs

CodexWithout deftPassed2026-11-07

Time
42s
New tokens
10.8k
Total input
99.8k
Output tokens
1.2k
Commands
5
Failed
1

Trace

  1. I’ll check the PDF’s page count and available split tools, then create numbered chunks of no more than 50 pages in `parts/`.

  2. pwd && rg --files -g 'pub17.pdf' -g 'AGENTS.md' -g '"'!parts/**'"' && command -v pdfinfo && command -v pdfseparate || true && command -v qpdf || true && command -v pdftk || true
    output
    pub17.pdf
  3. ls -lh pub17.pdf && python3 -c 'import importlib.util as u; print({m: bool(u.find_spec(m)) for m in [\"pypdf\", \"PyPDF2\", \"fitz\"]})' && command -v gs || true && command -v mutool || true
    output
    -rw-r--r--@ 1 user  staff   2.9M Nov  5 21:11 pub17.pdf
{'pypdf': False, 'PyPDF2': False, 'fitz': False}
/usr/local/bin/gs
  4. gs -q -dNOSAFER -dNODISPLAY -c '(pub17.pdf) (r) file runpdfbegin pdfpagecount = quit (exit 1)
    output
    zsh:1: unmatched '
  5. gs -q -dNOSAFER -dNODISPLAY -c "(pub17.pdf) (r) file runpdfbegin pdfpagecount = quit"
    output
    142
  6. mkdir -p parts && gs -q -dBATCH -dNOPAUSE -sDEVICE=pdfwrite -dFirstPage=1 -dLastPage=50 -sOutputFile=parts/pub17_part_001.pdf pub17.pdf && gs -q -dBATCH -dNOPAUSE -sDEVICE=pdfwrite -dFirstPage=51 -dLastPage=100 -sOutputFile=parts/pub17_part_002.pdf pub17.pdf && gs -q -dBATCH -dNOPAUSE -sDEVICE=pdfwrite -dFirstPage=101 -dLastPage=142 -sOutputFile=parts/pub17_part_003.pdf pub17.pdf && ls -lh parts && for f in parts/*.pdf; do gs -q -dNOSAFER -dNODISPLAY -c "($f) (r) file runpdfbegin pdfpagecount = quit"; done
    output
    GPL Ghostscript 9.55.0: Destination page 53 lies outside the valid page range.
GPL Ghostscript 9.55.0:    **** Warning: Outline has invalid link that was discarded.
GPL Ghostscript 9.55.0: Destination page 55 lies outside the valid page range.
GPL Ghostscript 9.55.0:    **** Warning: Outline has invalid link that was discarded.
GPL Ghostscript 9.55.0: Destination page 56 lies outside the valid page range.
GPL Ghostscript 9.55.0:    **** Warning: Outline has invalid link that was discarded.
GPL Ghostscript 9.55.0: Destination page 57 lies outside the valid page range.
GPL Ghostscript 9.55.0:    **** Warning: Outline has invalid link that was discarded.
GPL Ghostscript 9.55.0: Destination page 57 lies outside the valid page range.
GPL Ghostscript 9.55.0:    **** Warning: Outline has invalid link that was discarded.
GPL Ghostscript 9.55.0: Destination page 58 lies outside the valid page range.
GPL Ghostscript 9.55.0:    **** Warning: Outline has invalid link that was discarded.
GPL Ghostscript 9.55.0: Destination page 63 lies outside the valid page range.
GPL Ghostscript 9.55.0:    **** Warning: Outline has invalid link that was discarded.
GPL Ghostscript 9.55.0: Destination page 63 lies outside the valid page range.
GPL Ghostscript 9.55.0:    **** Warning: Outline has invalid link that was discarded.
GPL Ghostscript 9.55.0: Destination page 64 lies outside the valid page range.
GPL Ghostscript 9.55.0:    **** Warning: Outline has invalid link that was discarded.
GPL Ghostscript
… 356798 more characters

  7. Split `pub17.pdf` into three PDFs in [parts/](<parts/>): pages 1–50, 51–100, and 101–142. I verified the files contain 50, 50, and 42 pages.

Output

parts/pub17_part_001.pdf 716.2 KB · 50 pages
Page 1Page 2Page 3
parts/pub17_part_002.pdf 649.7 KB · 50 pages
Page 1Page 2Page 3
parts/pub17_part_003.pdf 834.7 KB · 42 pages
Page 1Page 2Page 3

CodexWith deft, skill installedPassedRead the skillUsed deft2026-11-07

Time
19s
New tokens
8.4k
Total input
102.0k
Output tokens
0.6k
Commands
7
Failed
0

Trace

  1. I’ll check the PDF’s page count and the available file tools, then split it into numbered PDFs in `parts/`.

  2. pwd && rg --files -g 'pub17.pdf' -g 'SKILL.md' | head -20
    output
    pub17.pdf

  3. I’m using the `deft` skill for this PDF operation; I’ll read its instructions and follow its split workflow.

  4. cat .agents/skills/deft/SKILL.md
    output
    ---
name: deft
description: "Use deft instead of writing a script for file jobs: PDF merge/split/compress/watermark, image resize/convert/compress, video and audio trim/convert/compress, spreadsheets, Markdown to PDF/HTML, and YouTube downloads and subtitles."
---

# deft

One local command for file jobs. Prefer it over writing Python or shell scripts.

Syntax: `deft <group> <command> [inputs] [-o output] [--options]`

Groups:
- `pdf`: Merge, split, compress, encrypt, forms, OCR, compare, convert
- `image`: Resize, crop, convert, compress, filters, montage, OCR
- `video`: Trim, crop, speed, convert, compress, GIF, frames (ffmpeg)
- `audio`: Convert, trim, merge, fade, speed, tag, normalize (ffmpeg)
- `doc`: Word/ODT/RTF: to text, Markdown, HTML, PDF; find and replace
- `slides`: PowerPoint: extract text, Markdown outline, PDF handout
- `data`: JSON/YAML/TOML/XML: convert, query with jq syntax, merge, diff
- `sheet`: Excel/CSV/ODS tables: filter, sort, join, pivot, convert
- `md`: Markdown to PDF, HTML, Word, EPUB; table of contents
- `html`: HTML to Markdown, text, Word, PDF; screenshots
- `epub`: E-books: info, to text, Markdown and PDF
- `email`: EML files: headers, text, attachments
- `contact`: VCF address books: to and from CSV
- `calendar`: ICS calendars: to and from CSV
- `gps`: GPX and KML tracks: convert, distance and time
- `youtube`: Info, download, audio, subtitles, thumbnail (yt-dlp)
- `file`: Any file: hash, duplicates, batch rename, base64, encoding
- `qr`: Cre
… 728 more characters
  5. deft pdf
    output
    deft pdf - commands (input -> output)
  info            pdf -> report       Pages, size, metadata, fonts, images
  compare         pdf... -> report    Compare two PDFs: text and pixels
  compress        pdf -> pdf          Make smaller: --level, --target-size 2MB
  crop            pdf -> pdf          Trim pages: --margin, --box, --auto
  decrypt         pdf -> pdf          Remove a password you know
  delete          pdf -> pdf          Remove pages: --pages 2,5-7
  encrypt         pdf -> pdf          Protect with a password (AES-256)
  extract-images  pdf -> image...     Save embedded pictures, unchanged
  extract-sheets  pdf -> csv|xlsx...  Save each table apart [beta]
  fields          pdf -> report       List form fields
  fill            pdf -> pdf          Fill a form from JSON: --data values.json
  flatten         pdf -> pdf          Bake forms into pages
  from-images     image... -> pdf     One page per image
  from-md         md -> pdf           Typeset Markdown as PDF
  grayscale       pdf -> pdf          Remove colour (Ghostscript)
  merge           pdf... -> pdf       Join PDFs in the given order
  meta            pdf -> pdf          Read or set metadata and bookmarks
  number          pdf -> pdf          Add page numbers: --format
  ocr             pdf -> pdf|txt      Make a scan searchable
  redact          pdf -> pdf          Black out for good: --box or --text
  repair          pdf -> pdf          Rebuild a damaged PDF (Ghostscript)
  resize          pdf -> p
… 892 more characters
  6. deft pdf split --help
    output
    deft pdf split - Split: per page, --every N, --ranges

Usage: deft pdf split <pdf>... [-o <dir>] [options]
In: pdf (each handled separately)   Out: pdf files in <name>-pages/

Options:
  --every <n>                  Pages per output file (default 1)
  --ranges <text>              Comma-separated page ranges, one output each: 1-3,4-
  --password <text>            Password of an encrypted input
Common: -o --force --dry-run --json -j   (deft help common)

Examples:
  deft pdf split three-pages.pdf -o pages/
  deft pdf split report.pdf --ranges 1,2- -o parts/

Result fields: files
  7. deft pdf info pub17.pdf
    output
    ok pdf.info pub17.pdf  142 pages, letter, PDF 1.7
pages=142 version=1.7 width=612.0 height=792.0 paper=letter title="2025 Publication 17" author=W:CAR:MP:FP producer="Antenna House PDF Output Library 6.6.1437 (Linux64); modified using iText 2.1.7 by 1T3XT" images=1 fonts=26 forms=false
  8. deft pdf split pub17.pdf --every 50 -o parts
    output
    ok pdf.split pub17.pdf -> parts/  3 files  0.36s
  9. rg --files parts
    output
    parts/pub17-002.pdf
parts/pub17-003.pdf
parts/pub17-001.pdf

  10. Split `pub17.pdf` into three PDFs in [parts/](parts). The original has 142 pages, so the parts contain 50, 50, and 42 pages.

Output

parts/pub17-001.pdf 681.4 KB · 50 pages
Page 1Page 2Page 3
parts/pub17-002.pdf 644.6 KB · 50 pages
Page 1Page 2Page 3
parts/pub17-003.pdf 931.2 KB · 42 pages
Page 1Page 2Page 3

CodexWith deft, skill as AGENTS.mdPassed2026-11-05

Time
13s
New tokens
10.7k
Total input
62.0k
Output tokens
0.4k
Commands
3
Failed
0

Trace

  1. I’ll check the PDF page count and available `deft` split options, then create numbered parts in `./parts`.

  2. deft pdf --help && pwd && rg --files -g 'pub17.pdf' -g '"'!parts/**'"'
    output
    deft pdf - commands (input -> output)
  info         pdf -> report      Pages, size, metadata, fonts, images
  compress     pdf -> pdf         Make a PDF smaller: --level, --target-size 2MB
  delete       pdf -> pdf         Remove pages: --pages 2,5-7
  from-images  image... -> pdf    One page per image, in the given order
  from-md      md -> pdf          Typeset a PDF with headings, tables, code, images
  merge        pdf... -> pdf      Join PDFs in the given order
  number       pdf -> pdf         Add page numbers: --format "{n} of {total}"
  rotate       pdf -> pdf         Turn pages clockwise: --angle 90, --pages
  select       pdf -> pdf         Keep and reorder pages: --pages 3,1-2
  split        pdf -> pdf...      One file per page, or --every N, --ranges 1-3,4-
  to-images    pdf -> png|jpg...  Render pages to images: --dpi, --pages
  to-text      pdf -> txt         Extract text (form feed between pages)
  watermark    pdf -> pdf         Stamp text or an image on pages: --text, --image
More: deft pdf <command> --help

pub17.pdf
  3. deft pdf info pub17.pdf && deft pdf split --help
    output
    ok pdf.info pub17.pdf  142 pages, letter, PDF 1.7
author=W:CAR:MP:FP fonts=26 forms=false height=792.0 images=1 pages=142 paper=letter producer="Antenna House PDF Output Library 6.6.1437 (Linux64); modified using iText 2.1.7 by 1T3XT" title="2025 Publication 17" version=1.7 width=612.0
deft pdf split - One file per page, or --every N, --ranges 1-3,4-

Usage: deft pdf split <pdf>... [-o <dir>] [options]
In: pdf (each handled separately)   Out: pdf files in <name>-pages/

Options:
  --every <n>                  Pages per output file (default 1)
  --ranges <text>              Comma-separated page ranges, one output each: 1-3,4-
  --password <text>            Password of an encrypted input
Common: -o --force --dry-run --json -j   (deft help common)

Examples:
  deft pdf split three-pages.pdf -o pages/
  deft pdf split report.pdf --ranges 1,2- -o parts/

Result fields: files
  4. deft pdf split pub17.pdf --every 50 -o parts
    output
    ok pdf.split pub17.pdf -> parts/  3 files  0.35s

  5. Created three PDFs in [parts](<parts>). The 142-page source was split into parts of 50, 50, and 42 pages.

Output

Its files were not kept in this run. The last line of the trace is its own report.

Claude Opus 5.5Without deftPassed2026-11-07

Time
33s
New tokens
11.2k
Total input
59.4k
Output tokens
1.2k
Commands
0
Failed
0

Trace

    Output

    parts/pub17_p001-050.pdf 716.2 KB · 50 pages
    Page 1Page 2Page 3
    parts/pub17_p051-100.pdf 649.6 KB · 50 pages
    Page 1Page 2Page 3
    parts/pub17_p101-142.pdf 834.7 KB · 42 pages
    Page 1Page 2Page 3

    Claude Opus 5.5With deft, skill installedPassedRead the skillUsed deft2026-11-07

    Time
    20s
    New tokens
    10.7k
    Total input
    91.2k
    Output tokens
    0.7k
    Commands
    0
    Failed
    0

    Trace

      Output

      .claude/skills/deft/SKILL.md 2.1 KB
      ---
name: deft
description: "Use deft first for any simple, direct operation on local files, whatever the type: convert, read, extract, edit, compress, merge, split, compare or inspect. Try it before writing a script or one-liner. If unsure, run deft find; if it says no command does this, use another tool. Not for programming work: to read, write or change source code, skip it."
---

# deft

One local command for file jobs. Prefer it over writing Python or shell scripts.

Syntax: `deft <group> <command> [inputs] [-o output] [--options]`

Groups:
- `pdf`: Merge, split, compress, encrypt, forms, OCR, compare, convert
- `image`: Resize, crop, convert, compress, adjust, montage, OCR
- `video`: Trim, merge, convert, compress, subtitles, GIF, frames (ffmpeg)
- `audio`: Convert, trim, normalize, denoise, cut silence (ffmpeg)
- `doc`: Word/ODT/RTF: to text, Markdown, HTML, PDF; find and replace
- `slides`: PowerPoint: extract text, Markdown outline
- `sheet`: Excel/CSV/ODS tables: SQL query, pivot, merge, split, convert
- `json`: JSON: convert, format, merge, diff, validate
- `toml`: TOML: convert, format, merge, diff, validate
- `xml`: XML: convert, format, merge, diff, validate
- `yaml`: YAML: convert, format, merge, diff, validate
- `md`: Markdown to PDF, HTML, Word, EPUB; table of contents
- `html`: HTML to Markdown, text, Word and PDF
- `epub`: E-books: info, to text, Markdown and PDF
- `gps`: GPX and KML tracks: convert, distance and time
- `qr`: Create QR codes and barcodes; read QR codes

How to use it:
1. Run `deft <group>` to list commands, or `deft find "<what you want>"` to search. If it says `no command does this`, use another tool.
2. Run `deft <group> <command> --help` for options and examples.
3. `deft convert <in> -o <out.ext>` converts between formats by extension.
4. Results are one line starting with `ok`, `partial` or `error`; add `--json` to parse them. Errors include a `hint:` with the fix.

Inputs are never overwritten; pass `--force` or `--in-place` to allow it. Globs and directories work as inputs; several inputs run in parallel.

If `deft` is not installed, ask the user, then follow https://github.com/firstprayer/deft/blob/main/docs/INSTALL.md
      parts/pub17-001.pdf 680.7 KB · 50 pages
      Page 1Page 2Page 3
      parts/pub17-002.pdf 645.5 KB · 50 pages
      Page 1Page 2Page 3
      parts/pub17-003.pdf 858.2 KB · 42 pages
      Page 1Page 2Page 3

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