How to Detect and Export Color Pages in PDF and PS Using VeryPDF SPLParser CLI

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How to Detect and Export Color Pages in PDF and PS Using VeryPDF SPLParser CLI

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Struggling to find and export colour pages in large PDF or PS files? Here's how I used VeryPDF SPLParser CLI to simplify the process.

How to Detect and Export Color Pages in PDF and PS Using VeryPDF SPLParser CLI

It started with a nightmare print job.

A 600-page report.

The client only wanted the colour pages printed in high-quality the rest in black and white.

Simple request, right?

But as anyone in print management knows, finding which pages actually contain colour in a giant PDF or PostScript file is like playing "Where's Waldo" with a printer queue.

I tried Acrobat Pro. I tried scripting solutions. Nothing gave me page-by-page colour info, and most tools just guessed based on file size.

Eventually, I found a tool that did the job like a pro: VeryPDF SPLParser CLI.

Let me break it down.

Meet VeryPDF SPLParser CLI Your No-BS Colour Page Detector

I'll be blunt.

Most tools that say they can analyse PDFs or PS files are either bloated, GUI-only, overpriced, or give you surface-level info.

VeryPDF SPLParser Command Line is lean, fast, no-nonsense.

It does exactly what it promises: parses PDF, PS, PCL, and SPL files from the command line.

That's it. No fluff.

It's perfect for devs, system integrators, or IT pros who work with:

  • Print workflows

  • Archiving systems

  • Document imaging

  • Print job audits

Or anyone who's ever had to actually deal with colour/mono separation on a real deadline.

And yeah it's royalty-free for developers. You can bundle it, automate it, build with it.

Here's what I needed:

"Tell me which pages have colour, and give me an image of them."

Let me show you how I pulled that off.

Step-by-Step: How I Used SPLParser to Detect Colour Pages

1. I grabbed the CLI tool.

No installation wizard. Just a small EXE I could run from the terminal.

2. Ran the info command to check print job metadata

splparser.exe -info D:\bigfile.pdf

It spat out the full document metadata job name, copies, duplex, resolution, etc.

Fast. Clean. Done.

3. Got page-by-page colour detection

Now this is where the tool gets serious.

splparser.exe -info D:\bigfile.pdf

Each page gets analysed. Output looked like:

Processing page 112 of 527...

[PaperSize] page=112 width=1190.55 height=841.89

[ImageSize] page=112 width=600 height=424

[ColorInfo] Page 112 is [Color]

That's the gold right there.

Now I knew exactly which pages to target.

4. Exported first pages to PNG for preview

This was helpful for spot-checking pages before printing:

splparser.exe -firstpage 1 -lastpage 1 D:\bigfile.pdf D:\preview.png

I did the same with PS and PCL files. Same syntax. Same results.

5. Needed to update spool file? No problem.

We had a PS file with wrong print properties. SPLParser let me update them instantly:

splparser.exe -update -jobname "ReprintBatch" -duplex 1 -copies 2 -resolution 600 D:\in.ps D:\fixed.ps

Yeah, I even adjusted resolution and job name from the CLI.

Key Features That Saved Me Hours (Literally)

Colour Detection

Page-by-page. Reliable. Works on huge documents. Doesn't lie based on file size or compression ratios.

First Page Conversion

Export the first page only for fast previews helps before batch printing or scanning.

Spool File Updates

Tweak job name, resolution, copy count, duplex/single-side without touching the original driver.

Document Metadata Extraction

For logging, auditing, or debugging everything is readable from the command line.

Support for Multiple Formats

PDF, PostScript, PCL5, PCL XL and even raw SPL files.

You're not stuck with one vendor's format.

Who's This For?

If you're a print manager, software integrator, or a developer working in:

  • Medical Imaging (Think: DICOM to print workflows)

  • Legal Archives (e.g., managing case files and colour exhibits)

  • Government Agencies (who still use PCL printers and PS archives)

  • Large-format printing shops

  • MFP integrators or printer fleet managers

then this tool is your Swiss Army knife.

Seriously, if you've ever touched a Windows print spool file and thought, "I wish I could get info out of this" SPLParser is for you.

Better Than the Competition?

Let's talk about the alternatives.

  • Acrobat Pro? No command-line access, can't batch detect colour.

  • Ghostscript? Great for rendering, but weak for metadata or colour detection.

  • Free web tools? Forget it. They choke on large files, no CLI, no real print property control.

  • Custom Python scripts? Been there. Built that. Takes too long. Too fragile.

SPLParser is faster, lighter, and doesn't get in your way.

My Verdict?

This tool makes your print jobs smarter.

I saved at least 6 hours on a single job.

The colour detection is a killer feature.

Being able to update print settings in-place? Bonus.

No GUI? Perfect. I can automate it.

Highly recommend this if you work with:

  • High-volume PDFs

  • Archival or batch print jobs

  • Printer spool file forensics

Try it now and experience the same time-saving power:
https://www.verypdf.com/

VeryPDF Custom Development Services

Need something more tailored?

VeryPDF doesn't just build tools they build solutions.

If you need something like:

  • Custom Windows Virtual Printer Drivers

  • System-wide print job capture (PDF, EMF, TIFF, PCL, Postscript)

  • OCR, Barcode, or Layout analysis in scanned documents

  • Command-line document converters (for Linux, Windows, Mac)

  • Cloud-based APIs for conversion, viewing, or e-signature

  • DRM and PDF security for compliance-heavy industries

You can get it done. I've worked with teams who used their API and SDK to build massive batch processing systems.

Reach out to them here:
https://support.verypdf.com/

FAQs

Q1: Can SPLParser detect colour pages in scanned PDFs?

No it works best on digital PDFs or spool files (not rasterised images). For scanned content, you'd need OCR + colour analysis.

Q2: Does SPLParser modify the original file?

Only if you run it with the -update flag and specify an output path. Otherwise, it's read-only.

Q3: Can I integrate this into my own software?

Yes. The SPLParser SDK is developer-friendly and royalty-free. Great for building custom tools.

Q4: What file types are supported?

PDF, PostScript (.ps), PCL (PCL5, PCL XL), SPL (Windows print spool files).

Q5: Can I extract just the coloured pages as images?

Yes use colour detection with -info, then loop through and export them with -firstpage/-lastpage.

Tags or Keywords

detect colour pages in PDF

PDF colour page extractor

PostScript colour analysis

VeryPDF SPLParser CLI

print job spool analyser

batch PDF tools

PDF print colour checker

PCL file modification

command line PDF tools

VeryPDF SDK

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