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https://github.com/mikehaertl/php-pdftk

A PDF conversion and form utility based on pdftk
https://github.com/mikehaertl/php-pdftk

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A PDF conversion and form utility based on pdftk

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README 

        
php-pdftk

=========



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A PDF conversion and form utility based on pdftk.



## Features



*php-pdftk* brings the full power of `pdftk` to PHP - and more.



 * Fill forms, either from a XFDF/FDF file or from a data array (UTF-8 safe for unflattened forms, requires pdftk 2.x !)

 * Create XFDF or FDF files from PHP arrays (UTF-8 safe!)

 * Create FDF files from filled PDF forms

 * Combine pages from several PDF files into a new PDF file

 * Split a PDF into one file per page

 * Add background or overlay PDFs

 * Read out meta data about PDF and form fields

 * Set passwords and permissions

 * Remove passwords



## Requirements



 * The `pdftk` command must be installed and working on your system

 * This library is written for pdftk 2.x versions. You should be able to use it with pdftk 1.x but not all methods will work there.

   For details consult the man page of pdftk on your system.

 * There is a [known issue](https://github.com/mikehaertl/php-pdftk/issues/150)

   on Ubuntu if you installed the `pdftk` package from snap. This version has

   no permission to write to the `/tmp` directory. You can either set another

   temporay directory as described below or use another package.  For Ubuntu

   18.10 there's also a `pdftk-java` package available via apt which should work

   fine. You can also install this package on Ubuntu 18.04 if you download it

   manually. Also check [this answer](https://askubuntu.com/a/1028983/175814)

   on askubuntu.



> **Note:** The pdftk version from the alternative PPA `ppa:malteworld/ppa` is

> no longer available. The author instead now points to his answer on askubuntu

> linked above.



## Installation



You should use [composer](https://getcomposer.org/) to install this library.



```

composer require mikehaertl/php-pdftk

```



## Examples



### Create instance for PDF files



There are several ways to tell the `Pdf` instance which file(s) it should use.

Some files may also require a password or need an alias to be used as a handle

in some operations (e.g. cat or shuffle).



> **Note:** In version 2.x of pdftk a handle can be one or more upper case letters.



```php

// Create an instance for a single file

$pdf = new Pdf('/path/to/form.pdf');



// Alternatively add files later. Handles are autogenerated in this case.

$pdf = new Pdf();

$pdf->addFile('/path/to/file1.pdf');

$pdf->addFile('/path/to/file2.pdf');



// Add files with own handle

$pdf = new Pdf();

$pdf->addFile('/path/to/file1.pdf', 'A');

$pdf->addFile('/path/to/file2.pdf', 'B');

// Add file with handle and password

$pdf->addFile('/path/to/file3.pdf', 'C', 'secret*password');



// Shortcut to pass all files to the constructor

$pdf = new Pdf([

  'A' => ['/path/to/file1.pdf', 'secret*password1'],

  'B' => ['/path/to/file2.pdf', 'secret*password2'],

]);

```



### Operations



Please consult the `pdftk` man page for each operation to find out how each operation works

in detail and which options are available.



For all operations you can either save the PDF locally through `saveAs($name)` or send it to the

browser with `send()`. If you pass a filename to `send($name)` the client browser will open a download

dialogue whereas without a filename it will usually display the PDF inline.



**IMPORTANT: You can always only perform *one* of the following operations on a single PDF instance.

Below you can find a workaround if you need multiple operations.**



#### Fill Form



Fill a PDF form with data from a PHP array or an XFDF/FDF file.



```php

use mikehaertl\pdftk\Pdf;



// Fill form with data array

$pdf = new Pdf('/full/path/to/form.pdf');

$result = $pdf->fillForm([

        'name'=>'ÄÜÖ äüö мирано čárka',

        'nested.name' => 'valX',

    ])

    ->needAppearances()

    ->saveAs('filled.pdf');



// Always check for errors

if ($result === false) {

    $error = $pdf->getError();

}



// Fill form from FDF

$pdf = new Pdf('form.pdf');

$result = $pdf->fillForm('data.xfdf')

    ->saveAs('filled.pdf');

if ($result === false) {

    $error = $pdf->getError();

}

```



**Note:** When filling in UTF-8 data, you should always add the `needAppearances()` option.

This will make sure, that the PDF reader takes care of using the right fonts for rendering,

something that pdftk can't do for you. Also note that `flatten()` doesn't really work well

if you have special characters in your data.



If you use `pdftk-java` >= 3.3.0 and the embedded font does not support UTF-8

characters you can also replace it with a local font:



```php

use mikehaertl\pdftk\Pdf;



// Fill form with data array

$pdf = new Pdf('/full/path/to/form.pdf');

$result = $pdf->fillForm($data)

    ->replacementFont('/usr/share/fonts/dejavu/DejaVuSans.ttf')

    ->saveAs('filled.pdf');

```



#### Create a XFDF/FDF file from a PHP array



This is a bonus feature that is not available from `pdftk`.



```php

use mikehaertl\pdftk\XfdfFile;

use mikehaertl\pdftk\FdfFile;



$xfdf = new XfdfFile(['name' => 'Jürgen мирано']);

$xfdf->saveAs('/path/to/data.xfdf');



$fdf = new FdfFile(['name' => 'Jürgen мирано']);

$fdf->saveAs('/path/to/data.fdf');

```



#### Cat



Assemble a PDF from pages from one or more PDF files.



```php

use mikehaertl\pdftk\Pdf;



// Extract pages 1-5 and 7,4,9 into a new file

$pdf = new Pdf('/path/to/my.pdf');

$result = $pdf->cat(1, 5)

    ->cat([7, 4, 9])

    ->saveAs('/path/to/new.pdf');

if ($result === false) {

    $error = $pdf->getError();

}



// Combine pages from several files

$pdf = new Pdf([

    'A' => '/path/file1.pdf',                 // A is alias for file1.pdf

    'B' => ['/path/file2.pdf','pass**word'],  // B is alias for file2.pdf

    'C' => ['/path/file3.pdf','secret**pw'],  // C is alias for file3.pdf

]);

$result = $pdf->cat(1, 5, 'A')                // pages 1-5 from A

    ->cat(3, null, 'B')             // page 3 from B

    ->cat(7, 'end', 'B', null, 'east') // pages 7-end from B, rotated East

    ->cat('end',3,'A','even')       // even pages 3-end in reverse order from A

    ->cat([2,3,7], 'C')             // pages 2,3 and 7 from C

    ->saveAs('/path/new.pdf');

if ($result === false) {

    $error = $pdf->getError();

}

```



#### Shuffle



Like `cat()` but create "*streams*" and fill the new PDF with one page from each

stream at a time.



```php

use mikehaertl\pdftk\Pdf;



$pdf = new Pdf([

    'A' => '/path/file1.pdf',     // A is alias for file1.pdf

    'B' => '/path/file2.pdf',     // B is alias for file2.pdf

]);



// new.pdf will have pages A1, B3, A2, B4, A3, B5, ...

$result = $pdf->shuffle(1, 5, 'A')    // pages 1-5 from A

    ->shuffle(3, 8, 'B')    // pages 3-8 from B

    ->saveAs('/path/new.pdf');

if ($result === false) {

    $error = $pdf->getError();

}

```



#### Burst



Split a PDF file into one file per page.



```php

use mikehaertl\pdftk\Pdf;



$pdf = new Pdf('/path/my.pdf');

$result = $pdf->burst('/path/page_%d.pdf');     // Supply a printf() pattern

if ($result === false) {

    $error = $pdf->getError();

}

```



#### Add background PDF



Add another PDF file as background.



```php

use mikehaertl\pdftk\Pdf;



// Set background from another PDF (first page repeated)

$pdf = new Pdf('/path/my.pdf');

$result = $pdf->background('/path/back.pdf')

    ->saveAs('/path/watermarked.pdf');

if ($result === false) {

    $error = $pdf->getError();

}



// Set background from another PDF (one page each)

$pdf = new Pdf('/path/my.pdf');

$result = $pdf->multiBackground('/path/back_pages.pdf')

    ->saveAs('/path/watermarked.pdf');

if ($result === false) {

    $error = $pdf->getError();

}

```



#### Add overlay PDF



Add another PDF file as overlay.



```php

use mikehaertl\pdftk\Pdf;



// Stamp with another PDF (first page repeated)

$pdf = new Pdf('/path/my.pdf');

$result = $pdf->stamp('/path/overlay.pdf')

    ->saveAs('/path/stamped.pdf');

if ($result === false) {

    $error = $pdf->getError();

}



// Stamp with another PDF (one page each)

$pdf = new Pdf('/path/my.pdf');

$result = $pdf->multiStamp('/path/overlay_pages.pdf')

    ->saveAs('/path/stamped.pdf');

if ($result === false) {

    $error = $pdf->getError();

}

```



#### Attach Files



Add file attachments to the document or to a specific page.



```php

use mikehaertl\pdftk\Pdf;



$files = [

    '/path/to/file1',

    '/path/to/file2',

]



// Add files at the document level

$pdf = new Pdf('/path/my.pdf');

$result = $pdf->attachFiles($files)

    ->saveAs('/path/withfiles.pdf');

if ($result === false) {

    $error = $pdf->getError();

}



// Add files to a specific page

$pdf = new Pdf('/path/my.pdf');

$page = 7;

$result = $pdf->attachFiles($files, $page)

    ->saveAs('/path/withfiles.pdf');

if ($result === false) {

    $error = $pdf->getError();

}

```

#### Unpack Files



Copy file attachments from a PDF to the given directory.



```php

use mikehaertl\pdftk\Pdf;



$pdf = new Pdf('/path/my.pdf');

$result = $pdf->unpackFiles('/path/to/dir');

if ($result === false) {

    $error = $pdf->getError();

}

```



#### Generate FDF



Create a FDF file from a given filled PDF form.



```php

use mikehaertl\pdftk\Pdf;



// Create FDF from PDF

$pdf = new Pdf('/path/form.pdf');

$result = $pdf->generateFdfFile('/path/data.fdf');

if ($result === false) {

    $error = $pdf->getError();

}

```



#### Get PDF data



Read out metadata or form field information from a PDF file.



```php

use mikehaertl\pdftk\Pdf;



// Get data

$pdf = new Pdf('/path/my.pdf');

$data = $pdf->getData();

if ($data === false) {

    $error = $pdf->getError();

}



// Get form data fields

$pdf = new Pdf('/path/my.pdf');

$data = $pdf->getDataFields();

if ($data === false) {

    $error = $pdf->getError();

}



// Get data as string

echo $data;

$txt = (string) $data;

$txt = $data->__toString();



// Get data as array

$arr = (array) $data;

$arr = $data->__toArray();

$field1 = $data[0]['Field1'];

```



#### How to perform more than one operation on a PDF



As stated above, you can only perform one of the preceeding operations on a single PDF instance.

If you need more than one operation you can feed one `Pdf` instance into another:



```php

use mikehaertl\pdftk\Pdf;



// Extract pages 1-5 and 7,4,9 into a new file

$pdf = new Pdf('/path/my.pdf');

$pdf->cat(1, 5)

    ->cat([7, 4, 9]);



// We now use the above PDF as source file for a new PDF

$pdf2 = new Pdf($pdf);

$result = $pdf2->fillForm(['name' => 'ÄÜÖ äüö мирано čárka'])

    ->needAppearances()

    ->saveAs('/path/filled.pdf');

if ($result === false) {

    $error = $pdf->getError();

}

```



### Options



You can combine the above operations with one or more of the following options.



```php

use mikehaertl\pdftk\Pdf;



$pdf = new Pdf('/path/my.pdf');



$result = $pdf->allow('AllFeatures')      // Change permissions

    ->flatten()                 // Merge form data into document (doesn't work well with UTF-8!)

    ->compress($value)          // Compress/Uncompress

    ->keepId('first')           // Keep first/last Id of combined files

    ->dropXfa()                 // Drop newer XFA form from PDF

    ->dropXmp()                 // Drop newer XMP data from PDF

    ->needAppearances()         // Make clients create appearance for form fields

    ->setPassword($pw)          // Set owner password

    ->setUserPassword($pw)      // Set user password

    ->passwordEncryption(128)   // Set password encryption strength

    ->saveAs('new.pdf');

if ($result === false) {

    $error = $pdf->getError();

}



// Example: Fill PDF form and merge form data into PDF

// Fill form with data array

$result = $pdf = new Pdf('/path/form.pdf');

$pdf->fillForm(['name' => 'My Name'])

    ->flatten()

    ->saveAs('/path/filled.pdf');

if ($result === false) {

    $error = $pdf->getError();

}



// Example: Remove password from a PDF

$pdf = new Pdf;

$result = $pdf->addFile('/path/my.pdf', null, 'some**password')

    ->saveAs('/path/new.pdf');

if ($result === false) {

    $error = $pdf->getError();

}

```



### Shell Command



The class uses [php-shellcommand](https://github.com/mikehaertl/php-shellcommand) to execute

`pdftk`. You can pass `$options` for its `Command` class as second argument to the constructor:



```php

use mikehaertl\pdftk\Pdf;



$pdf = new Pdf('/path/my.pdf', [

    'command' => '/some/other/path/to/pdftk',

    // or on most Windows systems:

    // 'command' => 'C:\Program Files (x86)\PDFtk\bin\pdftk.exe',

    'useExec' => true,  // May help on Windows systems if execution fails

]);

```



#### Solve issues with UTF-8 characters in filenames or infofile content



If you have files with UTF-8 encoded characters in their filename or if you

pass an infofile with such characters to `updateInfo()` you should supply the

correct locale when excuting `pdftk`. You can therefore add these options:



```php

$pdf = new Pdf($file, [

    'locale' => 'en_US.utf8',

    'procEnv' => [

        'LANG' => 'en_US.utf-8',

    ],

]);

```



> **Note:** You need to ensure that the locale you set here is available on

> your system. On Linux you can check with `locale -a` which locales are

> installed. [This article](https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/locale) explains

> the concept in more detail.



### Temporary File



Internally a temporary file is created via [php-tmpfile](https://github.com/mikehaertl/php-tmpfile).

You can also access that file directly, e.g. if you neither want to send or save the

file but only need the binary PDF content:



```php

use mikehaertl\pdftk\Pdf;



$pdf = new Pdf('/path/my.pdf');

$result = $pdf->fillForm(['name' => 'My Name'])

    ->execute();

if ($result === false) {

    $error = $pdf->getError();

}

$content = file_get_contents( (string) $pdf->getTmpFile() );

```



If you have permission issues you may have to set a directory where your

`pdftk` command can write to:



```php

use mikehaertl\pdftk\Pdf;



$pdf = new Pdf('/path/my.pdf');

$pdf->tempDir = '/home/john/temp';

```



## API



Please consult the source files for a full documentation of each method.