The iOS/iPadOS version is free to download, then subscription based for all the Pro features. $49.99 per year.
Is PDF Expert scriptable for OCR with Applescript like PDFPen Pro is?
It would seem not because attempting to add the app to the Script Editor library produces the alert Unable to add this item because it is not scriptable.
Stephen
one of my primary uses for pdfpen pro is using an applescript in hazel rule to ocr. PDF Expert being unable to do this would remove it from any consideration of being installed on my mac.
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Yeah, Iām in the same boat. Need a replacement that I can script just for OCR. Leaning toward doing an initial OCR with ocrmypdf for Hazel rules to run. Most of my Hazel rules end up adding the documents into DTP3. So, I could always have DTP3 OCR the files again with their engine to improve it. Not sure if thatās overkill or not.
Smile Software has become an unfathomable joke.
Despite not being a huge fan of the app, I thought I would maybe upgrade my PDFPen Pro 12 license to v13 before the app is sold.
- DLāed the latest version, thought it would grand me upgrade pricing.
- My license is not accepted nor recognized, despite being faithfully archived. OK, maybe I made a mistake, so asked for my past licenses to be sent over email.
- That email never arrived.
- OK, then I will download PDFPen pro 12 and then upgrade from there.
- The activation process ācannot be completedā despite pasting from the order confirmation email I had dug out in the meantime.
Itās not a streak of bad luck at this stage, something is going very wrong at this company when nothing you ever try to do works.
It is a bit perplexing.
The reasons for the sale are not publicly known (and perhaps not our business either 
). But they not only made the sale for $6 million cash, but are also hiring. Given theyāre one app suite down with PDF Pen gone, I canāt imagine theyād need increased staff just for TextExpander.
Perhaps, they had some COVID-employment / financial losses, needed the influx of capital and to replace lost workers.
But again, itās all speculation and we at DEVONtech wish them well.
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I used to be an affiliate for TextExpander. I used to love the product, and recommend it heartily to my readers, run contests on my newsletter and so on.
But I couldnāt help but see that a) development was barely active despite the promises and b) the software was running worse and worse. Using my affiliate privileged channels, I have pointed Smile to growing dissatisfaction and concern about TE.
Nothing happened despite continuous promises.
Difficulties can be understandable, especially in such a time, but for such a long time now, this points to a vision / leadership problem. If I compare, DEVONtech managed the recent difficulties with the ghost files ten times better, with clear communication, constant development and stellar support. This problem was much more serious but, as far as Iām concerned, I ultimately still trust you guys and the app because you kept your user base in the loop, owned up to everything, helped everyone and fixed this.
On the other hand, I donāt trust Smile anymore for anything.
(And I know you canāt react to what I just said ā nor should you 
)
(On an entirely unrelated matter, itās a joy to have you here, Jim)
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Thanks for the kind words of welcome and feedback about DEVONtech and how we run our business. Itās all very appreciated. 
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@anon85228692 Iāve always appreciated your expert advice and kind help. You have my utmost respect and appreciation. Because of that, Iām intrigued by your response to the recently reported DT syncing/lost files issue. Perhaps Iām being too hasty in moving away from DT? DT has served as an import hub for my files; these are critical files that I absolutely cannot lose.
Your thoughts?
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Thank you very much, sir, much appreciated! I admire your many accomplishments, as well as your calm and kindness online, which is something I do learn a lot from.
Now, thatās a really tough question to answer as I think it boils down to a very personal level of confidence with the app. Personally, I have seen exactly two ghosts which were very quickly picked up by DTTG. DEVONtech support has always been helpful when I had problems. There are no reports of any more missing data on their official forums and I believe, due to the nature of the Internet, that if there was a widespread situation, it would literally have been burned to the ground by now. And I suspect at least some cases of that famed data loss might be in fact attributable to user error.
In a nutshell, after having some fears, I realized my personal experience does not substantiate any loss of confidence in the app compared to what people are saying and there might be a shred of collective scare. I believe DTās devs care a huge lot about user data, even more now after this serious fright. And I have a good backup regimen.
Nothing in all this is scientific or provable in any way, which is why itās a tough question to answer. In the end, I have seen nothing in my use to warrant mistrust and I have decided the benefits of DT (searchability, E2EE, capture, deep links) were very real and the fears were not proven, at least in my personal case.
I canāt make an informed general recommendation, these are just my personal thoughts. And of course, I might very well live to regret those words. 
Thanks @anon85228692, this is thoughtful and helpful. Iām going to ruminate on this a bit but I think Iām inclined to trust DT. Your response, combined with @DEVONtech_Jimās contributions to this discussion, are helpful in calming my nerves. 
Thanks again, and for the kind remarks.
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wow, they may have discontinued registrations in the past couple of days. I successfully upgraded to 13 four days ago. That sucks if they are now hanging users out to dry by shutting down the registration server functionality.
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I successfully purchased an upgrade a few hours ago.
I installed the new version over the old one and was prompted with a pop up to check for a free upgrade. Since I wasnāt eligible, I was offered the option of purchasing the upgrade or using the app in free trial mode.
This was for PDFPen Pro.
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An additional precision: it seems the issue has lurked for years in old databases (especially synced to iOS) and was only brought to light with DTTG 3. So, if youāre a reasonably newer user of the app and/or have not used DTTG 2 and prior much or at all (my case on both fronts), then the issue has an even lower chance of appearing.
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I had been using DTTG 2 before upgrading to v3 and had on a few occasions run into syncing problems with v2. Because I primarily index folders and files, I donāt suspect that Iāve lost anything. At least, I have not yet identified any lost files. This may be one of the advantages of indexing versus importing or adding directly to DT. I always have the actual file in Finder, which is backed up in multiple ways each week.
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Received this email today:
"Dear PDFpen customers,
This week we announced the acquisition of PDFpen by Nitro Software, a global leader in document productivity applications.
17 years ago, we created PDFpen to enable Mac users to more effectively manage PDF documents, accelerate their transition to digital, and enhance their productivity. From its origins as a tool to help users sign faxed documents, PDFpen has come a long way. We introduced PDFpenPro and PDFpen for iPad/iPhone. We upgraded our OCR capabilities, developed cross-device sync, and added a plethora of new features. We even shipped PDFpen as a physical retail product, which appeared on the shelves of the Apple Store.
You have been with us, some for the whole time - and we thank you.
Nitro has an exciting vision for document productivity that aligns closely with our vision for PDFpen. We see a tremendous opportunity to combine PDFpenās technology with Nitroās resources and vision, delivering a huge benefit to you and your business.
PDFpen has been a part of Smileās DNA since nearly the beginning - so we wouldnāt pass it along to just anyone. As weāve done our due diligence, weāve found Nitro to be an exceptional match. Together we share similar visions for making document productivity easy, powerful, and available to all. More importantly, we share common values, including an intense passion for the customer and building exceptional products.
Weāre confident that moving forward, our customers will be in good hands with Nitro.
The primary team that manages PDFpen will be joining Nitro. Over the coming weeks, weāll be working through the logistics of the transition. If you need anything please continue to reach out to us via our support portal. Weāre available to answer your questions.
On behalf of the team and us, it has been a phenomenal experience building and supporting PDFpen over the years. Weāre excited to witness the next chapter for PDFpen, and look forward to seeing the great things ahead.
logoPhilip and Greg
Co-Founders, Smile"
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Drat. Iāve been using PDFPen Pro for a long time because itās form-making abilities are (were?) so much easier than Adobe Acrobatās.
Given how unstable TextExpander is on my Mac, Iām now wondering if Smile Software isnāt long for this world. It certainly isnāt long for my world if the remaining developers canāt fix TE to work reliably.
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Just a heads up, Take Control of PDFPen was updated for version 13 so you may want to grab it as they may lose licensing for the book if that is how their deal worksā¦ who knows if that company that bought PDFPen will even continue the app in its current form.