https://pypi.org/project/fillpdf/
This is a simple package to make filling pdfs much easier. I have delt with a lot projects that involve manipulating pdfs in python. I found no easy solution for writting, or flattening pdfs, so I decided to make a library to make this task much easier. As a young software engineer I kept this library really simple but practicle and am open to any input for the future!
This project primarily builds upon a forked version of pdfrw called pdfrw2.
- Fills pdfs
- Lists fields in pdf
- Flattens pdfs (Turns to a non-editable pdf)\
- Inserts Images and Text
- Rotate PDFs
- Place Images
import fillpdf
from fillpdf import fillpdfs
get_form_fields(input_pdf_path, sort=False, page_number=None)
- input_pdf_path- path to your pdf you want to alter (including the pdf name could just leave as 'blank.pdf' if the pdf is in your current directory)
- sort- sorts the dictionary alphabetically if True, retains the normal pdf order if false
- page_number- (int) pass the page number you want the values from if you are just needing a single pages values or if you want to find which page a key belongs to
fillpdfs.get_form_fields('blank.pdf')
print_form_fields(input_pdf_path, sort=False, page_number=None)
- input_pdf_path- path to your pdf you want to alter (including the pdf name could just leave as 'blank.pdf' if the pdf is in your current directory)
- sort (default = False) - sorts the dictionary alphabetically if True, retains the normal pdf order if false
- page_number- (int) pass the page number you want the values from if you are just needing a single pages values or if you want to find which page a key belongs to. The number passed must be within the page range.
fillpdfs.print_form_fields('blank.pdf')
write_fillable_pdf(input_pdf_path, output_pdf_path, data_dict, flatten=False)
- input_pdf_path- path to your pdf you want to alter (including the pdf name could just leave as 'blank.pdf' if the pdf is in your current directory)
- output_pdf_path- path of where you want your pdf to write to (including the pdf name could just leave as 'new.pdf' to write to current directory)
- data_dict- dictionary that contains the fields to write to as your key and what to write to it as your value (get this from the get_form_fields function)
- flatten (default=False)- If True, then the fields will become uneditable when you write to the pdf.
data_dict = {'Address # Useful Websites
-
give option to place text by coordinate
-
alter or view pdf versions 1 Text Box': '500 West Main Street', 'Driving License Check Box': 'Yes', 'Language 1 Check Box': 'Off',}
fillpdfs.write_fillable_pdf('blank.pdf', 'new.pdf', data_dict)
- For radio boxes ('Off' = not filled, 'Yes' = filled)
- For check boxes ('Off' or '' = not filled, 'Yes' = filled)
- For drop downs (Enter the name of the desired drop down option)
- For radio groups ('0' = The first option, '1' = The second option, '2' = the third option, etc.)
flatten_pdf(input_pdf_path, output_pdf_path, as_images=False)
- input_pdf_path- path to your pdf you want to alter (including the pdf name could just leave as 'blank.pdf' if the pdf is in your current directory)
- output_pdf_path- path of where you want your pdf to write to (including the pdf name could just leave as 'new.pdf' to write to current directory)
- as_images=False- Default is False meaning it will update each individual annotation and set it to False. True means it will convert to images and then reinsert into the pdf. Try this if the first is not working. (this image technique requires poppler.)
fillpdfs.flatten_pdf('new.pdf', 'newflat.pdf')
rotate_page(deg, input_pdf_path, output_map_path, page_number)
- deg- float The x coordinate of the top left corner of the text.
- input_pdf_path- Path to the pdf you want the fields from.
- output_map_path- Path of the new pdf that is generated.
- page_number- Number of the page to get the map of.
fillpdfs.rotate_page(90, 'new.pdf', 'template-3.pdf', 1)
place_radiobutton(field_name, x, y, input_pdf_path, output_map_path, page_number, width=10, height=10, font_size=12, font_name=None, fill_color=(0.8,0.8,0.8), font_color=(0,0,0)
- field_name- The name you want attatched to the field
- x- The x coordinate of the top left corner of the text.
- y- The y coordinate of the top right corner of the text.
- input_pdf_path- Path to the pdf you want the fields from.
- output_map_path- Path of the new pdf that is generated.
- page_number- Number of the page to get the map of.
- width- The width of the image
- height- The height of the image
- font_size- Size of the text being inserted.
- font_name- The name of the font type you are using. List of available fonts below
- fill_color- The color to use (0,0,0) = white, (1,1,1) = black
- font_color- The color to use (0,0,0) = white, (1,1,1) = black
fillpdfs.place_radiobutton(field_name, x, y, input_pdf_path, output_map_path, page_number, width=10, height=10, font_size=12, font_name=None, fill_color=(0.8,0.8,0.8), font_color=(0,0,0))
place_dropdown(field_name, values, x, y, input_pdf_path, output_map_path, page_number, width=10, height=10, font_size=12, font_name=None, fill_color=(0.8,0.8,0.8), font_color=(0,0,0))
- field_name- The name you want attatched to the field
- values- The values for the dropdown menu. The first value becomes the default.
- x- The x coordinate of the top left corner of the text.
- y- The y coordinate of the top right corner of the text.
- input_pdf_path- Path to the pdf you want the fields from.
- output_map_path- Path of the new pdf that is generated.
- page_number- Number of the page to get the map of.
- width- The width of the image
- height- The height of the image
- font_size- Size of the text being inserted.
- font_name- The name of the font type you are using. https://github.com/t-houssian/fillpdf/blob/main/README.md#fonts
- fill_color- The color to use (0,0,0) = white, (1,1,1) = black
- font_color- The color to use (0,0,0) = white, (1,1,1) = black
fillpdfs.place_dropdown('dropField-1', ("Frankfurt", "Hamburg", "Stuttgart", "Hannover", "Berlin", "München", "Köln", "Potsdam",), 0, 0, 'sample_pdf.pdf', 'template-3.pdf', 1, width=100, height=20, font_size=16)
place_text_box(field_name, prefilled_text, x, y, input_pdf_path, output_map_path, page_number, width=10, height=10, font_size=12, font_name=None, fill_color=(0.8,0.8,0.8), font_color=(0,0,0)):
- field_name- The name you want attatched to the field
- prefilled_text- The text you want prefilled in this widget
- x- The x coordinate of the top left corner of the text.
- y- The y coordinate of the top right corner of the text.
- input_pdf_path- Path to the pdf you want the fields from.
- output_map_path- Path of the new pdf that is generated.
- page_number- Number of the page to get the map of.
- width- The width of the image
- height- The height of the image
- font_size- Size of the text being inserted.
- font_name- The name of the font type you are using. https://github.com/t-houssian/fillpdf/blob/main/README.md#fonts
- fill_color- The color to use (0,0,0) = white, (1,1,1) = black
- font_color- The color to use (0,0,0) = white, (1,1,1) = black
fillpdfs.place_text_box('form text', 'textfield-1', 0, 0, 'sample_pdf.pdf', 'template-3.pdf', 1, width=100, height=20, font_size=16)
place_image(file_name, x, y, input_pdf_path, output_map_path, page_number, width=10, height=10)
- file_name- The path of the file to be placed in the image
- x- The x coordinate of the top left corner of the text.
- y- The y coordinate of the top right corner of the text.
- input_pdf_path- Path to the pdf you want the fields from.
- output_map_path- Path of the new pdf that is generated.
- page_number- Number of the page to get the map of.
- width- The width of the image
- height- The height of the image
fillpdfs.place_image('mush.png', 50, 50, 'template-2.pdf', 'template-3.pdf', 1, width=200, height=200)
place_text(text, x, y, input_pdf_path, output_map_path, page_number, font_size=12, font_name="helv", color=None)
- text- The string you want to be place in the document
- x- The x coordinate of the top left corner of the text.
- y- The y coordinate of the top right corner of the text.
- input_pdf_path- Path to the pdf you want the fields from.
- output_map_path- Path of the new pdf that is generated.
- page_number- Number of the page to get the map of.
- width- The width of the image
- height- The height of the image
fillpdfs.place_text('Yo', 50, 50, 'template-2.pdf', 'template-3.pdf', 1)
get_coordinate_map(input_pdf_path, output_map_path, page_number=1):
- input_pdf_path- Path to the pdf you want the fields from.
- output_map_path- Path of the new pdf that is generated.
- page_number- Number of the page to get the map of.
fillpdfs.get_coordinate_map('template.pdf', 'template-2.pdf')
{'courier': 'Courier',
'courier-oblique': 'Courier-Oblique',
'courier-bold': 'Courier-Bold',
'courier-boldoblique': 'Courier-BoldOblique',
'helvetica': 'Helvetica',
'helvetica-oblique': 'Helvetica-Oblique',
'helvetica-bold': 'Helvetica-Bold',
'helvetica-boldoblique': 'Helvetica-BoldOblique',
'times-roman': 'Times-Roman',
'times-italic': 'Times-Italic',
'times-bold': 'Times-Bold',
'times-bolditalic': 'Times-BoldItalic',
'symbol': 'Symbol',
'zapfdingbats': 'ZapfDingbats',
'helv': 'Helvetica',
'heit': 'Helvetica-Oblique',
'hebo': 'Helvetica-Bold',
'hebi': 'Helvetica-BoldOblique',
'cour': 'Courier',
'coit': 'Courier-Oblique',
'cobo': 'Courier-Bold',
'cobi': 'Courier-BoldOblique',
'tiro': 'Times-Roman',
'tibo': 'Times-Bold',
'tiit': 'Times-Italic',
'tibi': 'Times-BoldItalic',
'symb': 'Symbol',
'zadb': 'ZapfDingbats'}
A command line wrapper is available for this tool. Here are the two commands:
extractfillpdf input_pdf_path
or
extractfillpdf input_pdf_path -o output_json_path
- input_pdf_path- path to your pdf you want to alter (including the pdf name could just leave as 'blank.pdf' if the pdf is in your current directory)
- output_json_path- path of where you want your json file containing the fields and contents of the pdf to write to (If not included then the default will be the same name/path as the input_pdf_path but .json instead of .pdf)
extractfillpdf blank.pdf
or
extractfillpdf blank.pdf -o data.json
insertfillpdf -j input_json_path -o output_pdf_path input_pdf_path
- input_pdf_path- path to your pdf you want to alter (including the pdf name could just leave as 'blank.pdf' if the pdf is in your current directory)
- input_json_path- path to the json file that you generated and modified with the extractfillpdf command.
- output_pdf_path- path of where you want your pdf to write to (including the pdf name could just leave as 'new.pdf' to write to current directory)
insertfillpdf -j blank.json -o new.pdf blank.pdf
extractfillpdf --help or extractfillpdf -h
Will bring up this menu
positional arguments:
test.pdf Input pdf file
optional arguments:
-h, --help show this help message and exit
-o test.json, --output test.json
Output file to write result, if none given, it will be the input file
with the JSON extension
--version show program's version number and exit
-v, --verbose set loglevel to INFO
-vv, --very-verbose set loglevel to DEBUG
insertfillpdf --help or insertfillpdf -h
Will bring up this menu
positional arguments:
test.pdf Input PDF file
optional arguments:
-h, --help show this help message and exit
-j test.json, --JSON test.json
Input JSON file, if none given, it will be the input file with the JSON
extension
-o test_out.pdf, --output test_out.pdf
Output file to write result, if none given, it will be the input file
with '_out.pdf' extension'
--version show program's version number and exit
-v, --verbose set loglevel to INFO
-vv, --very-verbose set loglevel to DEBUG
pip install fillpdf
conda install -c conda-forge poppler
poppler is only needed if you are using the as_images=True mode of the flattenpdf function
- 'pdfrw'
- 'pdf2image'
- 'Pillow'
- 'poppler'
- 'pymupdf'
- Update placing functions to be able to fill as well
- alter or view pdf versions
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Fork the project
-
Add your changes
-
Open a pull request
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Once pull request is approved I'll merge in the code and push new version to pypi
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If you want to be a maintainer contact me