python-pdf2txt/README.md

# python-pdf2txt

`python-pdf2txt` is a Dockerized Python application designed to convert PDF files into editable Word documents. The application utilizes Flask to expose a web service that handles PDF file uploads through HTTP requests and returns the converted DOCX files using OCR technology.

## Features

- **PDF to Word Conversion**: Transforms PDF documents into DOCX format using advanced OCR capabilities.
- **Dockerized Application**: Facilitates easy deployment and consistent performance across various environments.
- **REST API**: Simple API for straightforward integration, supporting PDF uploads and DOCX retrievals.

## Getting Started

### Step 1: Clone the Repository

Clone the repository to your local machine to get started:

```bash
git clone https://github.com/your-username/python-pdf2txt.git
cd python-pdf2txt
```

### Step 2: Build and Run the Docker Container

Use Docker Compose to build and run your container:

```bash
docker-compose up --build -d
```

This command constructs the Docker image if it hasn't been built previously and runs the container in detached mode. The service will be available at localhost on port 4000.

### Step 3: Convert a PDF to Word

Convert a PDF to a Word document by executing the following curl command:

```bash
curl -X POST -F "file=@path_to_your_pdf_file.pdf" http://localhost:4000/upload-pdf --output converted.docx
```

Make sure to replace `path_to_your_pdf_file.pdf` with the actual path to the PDF you intend to convert. The output will be saved as `converted.docx`.

### Step 4: View Application Logs

To track the application's processes in real-time, you can view the logs:

```bash
tail -f ./logs/*
```

This command tails the log files, offering a live view into the application’s operational logs.

## Additional Configuration

The application uses environment variables for additional configurations, such as the Tesseract data prefix, which can be adjusted in the `docker-compose.yml` file to suit your setup needs.