Here is a Python script that takes one or more PDF files on its command-line and writes each document's reversed pages into a new document with "_reversed" appended to the filename (e.g. foo.pdf => foo_reversed.pdf). This requires the System Python because it is using the Apple PDFKit framework. This is adaptable to an Automator Run Shell Script with passed PDF file arguments.
Highly recommend this is copy/pasted into a programmer's editor that understands Python indents. Some editors (e.g. BBEdit, Sublime Text) facilitate this on their Edit menu with the ability to paste and indent to preserve program structure.
#!/usr/bin/python
# coding: utf-8
# write a PDF with its pages reversed into name_reversed.pdf
# tested with Python 2.7.10 on macOS High Sierra 10.13.6
# VikingOSX, 2019-01-19, Apple Support Communities, No warranties.
from Foundation import NSURL
from Quartz import PDFDocument, PDFPage
import os
import sys
def usage():
print("Usage: {} file1.pdf … filen.pdf".format(__file__))
def main():
if len(sys.argv) < 2:
usage()
sys.exit(1)
for apdf in sys.argv[1:]:
pdf_file = os.path.expanduser(apdf)
if not pdf_file.endswith('.pdf'):
raise Exception('PDF file type required')
# build output PDF filename
bpath, ext = os.path.splitext(pdf_file)
pdfrev = os.path.basename(bpath + '_reversed' + ext)
url = NSURL.fileURLWithPath_(pdf_file)
pdf = PDFDocument.alloc().initWithURL_(url)
pdf_out = PDFDocument.alloc().init()
page_cnt = pdf.pageCount()
pdf_page = PDFPage
# n is sequential page increase, r is the reversed page number
for n, r in enumerate(reversed(range(0, page_cnt))):
pdf_page = pdf.pageAtIndex_(r)
pdf_out.insertPage_atIndex_(pdf_page, n)
pdf_out.writeToFile_(pdfrev)
if __name__ == '__main__':
sys.exit(main())
