Given a URL to a PDF convert it to text

pdftotext.sh

#!/bin/bash
# This script requires curl and gs.

# Set ghostscript & curl options.
GSOPTIONS="-dNOPAUSE -dBATCH -sDEVICE=txtwrite -sOutputFile=%stdout -q"
CURLOPTIONS="-s"

# Check we have the appropriate number of parameters.
if [ "$#" -ne 1 ]; then
  echo "Invalid number of parameters."
  exit 1
fi

# Create temp directory and cleanup on exit.
TMPDIR=$(mktemp -d) || exit 1
trap "cd / ; rm -rf '$TMPDIR'" EXIT
WORKFILE=pdftotext.pdf

# Get the requested file
curl $CURLOPTIONS "$1" > "$TMPDIR/$WORKFILE" || exit 1

# Convert to text
gs $GSOPTIONS "$TMPDIR/$WORKFILE" || exit 1