pdfetch is a small web app that automagically fetches the PDF reprint of a PubMed article given its PMID. If pdfetch cannot find a local copy of the reprint, then it downloads the reprint from the publisher's website to the local repository (of course only if the reprint is free or if you have authorized access to it, e.g., via your university library).
pdfetch can also be used for the creation of a shared local repository of PDF reprints designed for small trusted groups, e.g. science labs, by having every member of the group point to the same local server running pdfetch.
If you use the "ferret" branch version of pdfetch, PDF reprints in the local repository can be easily searched using any web browser.
pdfetch is best used from PubMed using a bookmarklet (for any modern web browser) or a greasemonkey script (for Firefox only). Both assume that the pdfetch server is listening on localhost:3301 and that Javascript is enabled in your web browser.
To install the bookmarklet just drag the link in the list to your right onto your Links/Bookmarks toolbar/menu. To use the bookmarklet, just click it when using PubMed (of course the pdfetch server needs to be running too!).
To install the greasemonkey script just make sure you are using Firefox + Greasemonkey and click on this link. It adds a 'Fetch' link to the article display page in PubMed for easy access to pdfetch.
pdfetch requires Camping and Mechanize.
To install pdfetch follow these easy steps:
install Ruby + RubyGems install camping, mechanize, and mongrel by executing the following command gem install camping mechanize mongrel --include-dependencies save pdfetch.rb in the directory where you want the PDF reprints to reside. launch the pdfetch server by executing the following command camping pdfetch.rb or (for better security) camping -h 127.0.0.1 pdfetch.rb. You can change the port that the pdfetch server listens to (default is 3301) by executing the following command camping -p pdfetch.rb. If you have any problem, add -s mongrel to any of the above commands. you are ready to go!!! You can fetch the PDF reprint of a PubMed article with PMID '123456' by going to http://localhost:3301/fetch/123456 in your web browser, or by using the bookmarklet/greasemonkey script directly from PubMed.
