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PDF-raku

Overview

This is a low-level Raku module for accessing and manipulating data from PDF documents.

It presents a seamless view of the data in PDF or FDF documents; behind the scenes handling indexing, compression, encryption, fetching of indirect objects and unpacking of object streams. It is capable of reading, editing and creation or incremental update of PDF files.

This module understands physical data structures rather than the logical document structure. It is primarily intended as base for higher level modules; or to explore or patch data in PDF or FDF files.

It is possible to construct basic documents and perform simple edits by direct manipulation of PDF data. This requires some knowledge of how PDF documents are structured. Please see 'The Basics' and 'Recommended Reading' sections below.

Classes/roles in this module include:

Example Usage

To create a one page PDF that displays 'Hello, World!'.

#!/usr/bin/env raku
# creates examples/helloworld.pdf
use PDF;
use PDF::COS::Name;
use PDF::COS::Dict;
use PDF::COS::Stream;
use PDF::COS::Type::Info;

sub prefix:</>($s) { PDF::COS::Name.COERCE($s) };

# construct a simple PDF document from scratch
my PDF $pdf .= new;
my PDF::COS::Dict $catalog = $pdf.Root = { :Type(/'Catalog') };

my @MediaBox  = 0, 0, 250, 100;

# define font /F1 as core-font Helvetica
my %Resources = :Procset[ /'PDF', /'Text'],
                :Font{
                    :F1{
                        :Type(/'Font'),
                        :Subtype(/'Type1'),
                        :BaseFont(/'Helvetica'),
                        :Encoding(/'MacRomanEncoding'),
                    },
                };

my PDF::COS::Dict $page-index = $catalog<Pages> = { :Type(/'Pages'), :@MediaBox, :%Resources, :Kids[], :Count(0) };
# add some standard metadata
my PDF::COS::Type::Info $info = $pdf.Info //= {};
$info.CreationDate = DateTime.now;
$info.Producer = "Raku PDF";

# define some basic content
my PDF::COS::Stream() $Contents = { :decoded("BT /F1 24 Tf  15 25 Td (Hello, world!) Tj ET" ) };

# create a new page. add it to the page tree
$page-index<Kids>.push: { :Type(/'Page'), :Parent($page-index), :$Contents };
$page-index<Count>++;

# save the PDF to a file
$pdf.save-as: 'examples/helloworld.pdf';

example.pdf

Then to update the PDF, adding another page:

#!/usr/bin/env raku
use PDF;
use PDF::COS::Stream;
use PDF::COS::Type::Info;

my PDF $pdf .= open: 'examples/helloworld.pdf';

# locate the document root and page tree
my $catalog = $pdf<Root>;
my $Parent = $catalog<Pages>;

# create additional content, use existing font /F1
my PDF::COS::Stream() $Contents = { :decoded("BT /F1 16 Tf  15 25 Td (Goodbye for now!) Tj ET" ) };

# create a new page. add it to the page-tree
$Parent<Kids>.push: { :Type( :name<Page> ), :$Parent, :$Contents };
$Parent<Count>++;

# update or create document metadata. set modification date
my PDF::COS::Type::Info $info = $pdf.Info //= {};
$info.ModDate = DateTime.now;

# incrementally update the existing PDF
$pdf.update;

example.pdf

Description

A PDF file consists of data structures, including dictionaries (hashes) arrays, numbers and strings, plus streams for holding graphical data such as images, fonts and general content.

PDF files are also indexed for random access and may also have internal compression and/or encryption.

They have a reasonably well specified structure. The document starts from the Root entry in the trailer dictionary, which is the main entry point into a PDF.

This module is based on the PDF 32000-1:2008 1.7 specification. It implements syntax, basic data-types, serialization and encryption rules as described in the first four chapters of the specification. Read and write access to data structures is via direct manipulation of tied arrays and hashes.

The Basics

The examples/helloworld.pdf file that we created above contains:

%PDF-1.3
%...(control characters)
1 0 obj <<
  /CreationDate (D:20151225000000Z00'00')
  /Producer (Raku PDF)
>>
endobj

2 0 obj <<
  /Type /Catalog
  /Pages 3 0 R
>>
endobj

3 0 obj <<
  /Type /Pages
  /Count 1
  /Kids [ 4 0 R ]
  /MediaBox [ 0 0 250 100 ]
  /Resources <<
    /Font <<
      /F1 6 0 R
    >>
    /Procset [ /PDF /Text ]
  >>
>>
endobj

4 0 obj <<
  /Type /Page
  /Contents 5 0 R
  /Parent 3 0 R
>>
endobj

5 0 obj <<
  /Length 44
>> stream
BT /F1 24 Tf  15 25 Td (Hello, world!) Tj ET
endstream
endobj

6 0 obj <<
  /Type /Font
  /Subtype /Type1
  /BaseFont /Helvetica
  /Encoding /MacRomanEncoding
>>
endobj

xref
0 7
0000000000 65535 f 
0000000014 00000 n 
0000000101 00000 n 
0000000155 00000 n 
0000000334 00000 n 
0000000404 00000 n 
0000000501 00000 n 
trailer
<<
  /ID [ <d743a886fcdcf87b69c36548219ea941> <d743a886fcdcf87b69c36548219ea941> ]
  /Info 1 0 R
  /Root 2 0 R
  /Size 7
>>
startxref
610
%%EOF

The PDF is composed of a series indirect objects, for example, the first object is:

1 0 obj <<
  /CreationDate (D:20151225000000Z00'00')
  /Producer (Raku PDF)
>> endobj

It's an indirect object with object number 1 and generation number 0, with a << ... >> delimited dictionary containing the author and the date that the document was created. This PDF dictionary is roughly equivalent to the Raku hash:

{ :CreationDate("D:20151225000000Z00'00'"), :Producer("Raku PDF"), }

The bottom of the PDF contains:

trailer
<<
  /ID [ <d743a886fcdcf87b69c36548219ea941> <d743a886fcdcf87b69c36548219ea941> ]
  /Info 1 0 R
  /Root 2 0 R
  /Size 7
>>
startxref
610
%%EOF

The << ... >> delimited section is the trailer dictionary and the main entry point into the document. The entry /Info 1 0 R is an indirect reference to the first object (object number 1, generation 0) described above. The entry /Root 2 0 R points the root of the actual PDF document, commonly known as the Document Catalog.

Immediately above the trailer is the cross reference table:

xref
0 7
0000000000 65535 f 
0000000014 00000 n 
0000000101 00000 n 
0000000155 00000 n 
0000000334 00000 n 
0000000404 00000 n 
0000000501 00000 n 

This indexes the indirect objects in the PDF by byte offset (generation number) for random access.

We can quickly put PDF to work using the Raku REPL, to better explore the document:

snoopy: ~/git/PDF-raku $ raku -M PDF
> my $pdf = PDF.open: "examples/helloworld.pdf"
ID => [CÜ{ÃHADCN:C CÜ{ÃHADCN:C], Info => ind-ref => [1 0], Root => ind-ref => [2 0]
> $pdf.keys
(Root Info ID)

This is the root of the PDF, loaded from the trailer dictionary

> $pdf<Info>
{CreationDate => D:20151225000000Z00'00', ModDate => D:20151225000000Z00'00', Producer => Raku PDF}

That's the document information entry, commonly used to store basic meta-data about the document.

(PDF::IO has conveniently fetched indirect object 1 from the PDF, when we dereferenced this entry).

> $pdf<Root>
{Pages => ind-ref => [3 0], Type => Catalog}

The trailer Root entry references the document catalog, which contains the actual PDF content. Exploring further; the catalog potentially contains a number of pages, each with content.

> $pdf<Root><Pages>
{Count => 1, Kids => [ind-ref => [4 0]], MediaBox => [0 0 420 595], Resources => Font => F1 => ind-ref => [6 0], Type => Pages}
> $pdf<Root><Pages><Kids>[0]
{Contents => ind-ref => [5 0], Parent => ind-ref => [3 0], Type => Page}
> $pdf<Root><Pages><Kids>[0]<Contents>
{Length => 44}
"BT /F1 24 Tf  15 25 Td (Hello, world!) Tj ET"

The page /Contents entry is a PDF stream which contains graphical instructions. In the above example, to output the text Hello, world! at coordinates 100, 250.

Reading and Writing of PDF files:

PDF is a base class for opening or creating PDF documents.

Note that the :compress and :rebuild options are a trade-off. The document may take longer to save, however file-sizes and the time needed to reopen the document may improve.

Reading PDF Files

The .open method loads a PDF index (cross reference table and/or stream). The document can then be access randomly via the .ind.obj(...) method.

The document can be traversed by dereferencing Array and Hash objects. The reader will load indirect objects via the index, as needed.

use PDF::IO::Reader;
use PDF::COS::Name;

my PDF::IO::Reader $reader .= new;
$reader.open: 'examples/helloworld.pdf';

# objects can be directly fetched by object-number and generation-number:
my $page1 = $reader.ind-obj(4, 0).object;

# Hashes and arrays are tied. This is usually more convenient for navigating
my $pdf = $reader.trailer<Root>;
$page1 = $pdf<Pages><Kids>[0];

# Tied objects can also be updated directly.
$reader.trailer<Info><Creator> = PDF::COS::Name.COERCE: 't/helloworld.t';

Utility Scripts

Decode Filters

Filters are used to compress or decompress stream data in objects of type PDF::COS::Stream. These are implemented as follows:

Filter NameShort NameFilter Class
ASCIIHexDecodeAHxPDF::IO::Filter::ASCIIHex
ASCII85DecodeA85PDF::IO::Filter::ASCII85
CCITTFaxDecodeCCFNYI
CryptNYI
DCTDecodeDCTNYI
FlateDecodeFlPDF::IO::Filter::Flate
LZWDecodeLZWPDF::IO::Filter::LZW (decode only)
JBIG2DecodeNYI
JPXDecodeNYI
RunLengthDecodeRLPDF::IO::Filter::RunLength

Input to all filters is byte strings, with characters in the range \x0 ... \0xFF. latin-1 encoding is recommended to enforce this.

Each filter has encode and decode methods, which accept and return latin-1 encoded strings, or binary blobs.

my Blob $encoded = PDF::IO::Filter.encode( :dict{ :Filter<RunLengthDecode> },
                                      "This    is waaay toooooo loooong!");
say $encoded.bytes;

Encryption

PDF::IO::Crypt supports RC4 and AES encryption (revisions /R 2 - 4 and versions /V 1 - 4 of PDF Encryption).

To open an encrypted PDF document, specify either the user or owner password: PDF.open( "enc.pdf", :password<ssh!>)

A document can be encrypted using the encrypt method: $pdf.encrypt( :owner-pass<ssh1>, :user-pass<abc>, :aes )

Note that it's quite common to leave the user-password blank. This indicates that the document is readable by anyone, but may have restrictions on update, printing or copying of the PDF.

An encrypted PDF can be saved as JSON. It will remain encrypted and passwords may be required, to reopen it.

Built-in objects

PDF::COS also provides a few essential derived classes, that are needed read and write PDF files, including encryption, object streams and cross reference streams.

ClassBase ClassDescription
PDFPDF::COS::Dictdocument entry point - the trailer dictionary
PDF::COS::Type::EncryptPDF::COS::DictPDF Encryption/Permissions dictionary
PDF::COS::Type::InfoPDF::COS::DictDocument Information Dictionary
PDF::COS::Type::ObjStmPDF::COS::StreamPDF 1.5+ Object stream (packed indirect objects)
PDF::COS::Type::XRefPDF::COS::StreamPDF 1.5+ Cross Reference stream
PDF::COS::TextStringPDF::COS::ByteStringImplements the 'text-string' data-type

Further Reading

See also