Running the Pdftools Conversion Service on MacBook with M1 Chip

What is the Pdftools Conversion Service?

The Pdftools Conversion Service is a scalable, on-premise or cloud-deployable solution (EC2, Azure) for automated document conversion and processing. It supports multiple integration options, including file system, email, and REST API. Some of the key features include converting various document formats (DOCX, XLSX, PDF, images, HTML) into archive-ready PDF/A, support for Linux (with Docker) and Windows, and scalability with platforms like OpenShift and Kubernetes.

For more information visit the Pdftools Conversion Service Product Summary or have a look at the Getting Start Guides. Feel free to contact us for more information.

Important Note: The code samples provided here are for demonstration purposes and learning. While we strive to maintain these examples, they are not officially supported. For production use, please refer to our official documentation.

Introduction

Ever wanted to run the Pdftools Conversion Service on your MacBook? This tutorial will guide you through the process of setting up and running the Conversion Service on your M1 chip MacBook.

Prerequisites

A MacBook with an M1 chip running macOS.
Docker Desktop installed and set up on your MacBook.
A valid license key for the Conversion Service. Contact us to get one.

Step 1: Install Docker Desktop

Docker Desktop is required to run containers on your MacBook. Follow these steps to install Docker:

Visit the Docker Desktop for Mac download page.
Download the version for macOS with Apple silicon.
Install Docker by following the on-screen instructions.
Once installed, start Docker Desktop and ensure it is running.

Step 2: Create a `docker-compose.yml` File

The docker-compose.yml file defines the services needed to run the Conversion Service and the Connector Service.

Open the Terminal app on your MacBook.

Create a new directory to store the configuration files:

mkdir conversion-service-setup
cd conversion-service-setup

Use a text editor like nano or vim to create the docker-compose.yml file:
```
nano docker-compose.yml
```

Copy and paste the following content into the file:

volumes:
    vol-conversion-srv-app-data: {}
services:
    conversion-service:
        # Conversion Service image - Converts files to PDF format.
        image: pdftoolsag/conversion-service
        platform: linux/amd64
        environment:
            # To activate the license, pass the value of the license key.
            LICENSEKEY: <INSERT LICENSE KEY HERE>
        ports:
            # Exposes port 13033 for external communication.
            - "13033:13033"
        volumes:
            - vol-conversion-srv-app-data:/etc/convsrv
    connector-service:
        # Connector Service image:
        # Enables REST Input connectors, the REST input plain HTTP, and REST input JSON.
        image: pdftoolsag/connector-service
        platform: linux/amd64
        ports:
            # Expose port 13034 for external communication.
            - "13034:13034"

Save and close the file (in nano, press CTRL+O to save and CTRL+X to exit).

Step 3: Start the Services

In the Terminal, ensure you are in the directory containing the docker-compose.yml file.
Start the services using the following command:
```
docker-compose up
```
Docker will pull the required images and start the Conversion Service and Connector Service.

Step 4: Verify the Services

Open a web browser and navigate to the following URLs to ensure the services are running:
- Conversion Service: http://localhost:13033
- Connector Service: http://localhost:13034
If the services are running correctly, you should see confirmation responses from each service.

Step 5: Stopping the Services

To stop the running services:

In the Terminal, press CTRL+C to stop the containers.
Run the following command to remove the containers:
```
docker-compose down
```

Additional Notes

Ensure you replace <INSERT LICENSE KEY HERE> in the docker-compose.yml file with your actual license key.
If you encounter issues running these containers on an M1 chip, Docker’s platform: linux/amd64 ensures compatibility by emulating the required architecture.

You’re all set to use the Conversion Service and Connector Service on your MacBook with an M1 chip!