Using fitz as a Module¶
(New in version 1.16.8)
PyMuPDF can also be used in the command line as a module to perform basic utility functions.
This is work in progress and subject to changes. This feature should obsolete writing some of the most basic scripts.
As a guideline we are using the feature set of MuPDF command line tools. Admittedly, there is some functional overlap. On the other hand, PDF embedded files are no longer supported by MuPDF, so PyMuPDF is offering something unique here.
Invocation¶
Invoke the module like this:
python -m fitz command parameters
General remarks:
Request help via “-h”, resp. command-specific help via “command -h”.
Parameters may be abbreviated as long as the result is not ambiguous (Python 3.5 or later only).
Several commands support parameters -pages and -xrefs. They are intended for down-selection. Please note that:
page numbers for this utility must be given 1-based.
valid
xref
numbers start at 1.Specify any number of either single integers or integer ranges, separated by one comma each. A range is a pair of integers separated by one hyphen “-“. Integers must not exceed the maximum page number or resp.
xref
number. To specify that maximum, the symbolic variable “N” may be used instead of an integer. Integers or ranges may occur several times, in any sequence and may overlap. If in a range the first number is greater than the second one, the respective items will be processed in reversed order.
You can also use the fitz module inside your script:
>>> from fitz.__main__ import main as fitz_command >>> cmd = "clean input.pdf output.pdf -pages 1,N".split() # prepare command >>> saved_parms = sys.argv[1:] # save original parameters >>> sys.argv[1:] = cmd # store command >>> fitz_command() # execute command >>> sys.argv[1:] = saved_parms # restore original parameters
You can use the following 2-liner and compile it with Nuitka in either normal or standalone mode, if you want to distribute it. This will give you a command line utility with all the functions explained below:
from fitz.__main__ import main main()
Cleaning and Copying¶
This command will optimize the PDF and store the result in a new file. You can use it also for encryption, decryption and creating sub documents. It is mostly similar to the MuPDF command line utility “mutool clean”:
python -m fitz clean -h
usage: fitz clean [-h] [-password PASSWORD]
[-encryption {keep,none,rc4-40,rc4-128,aes-128,aes-256}]
[-owner OWNER] [-user USER] [-garbage {0,1,2,3,4}]
[-compress] [-ascii] [-linear] [-permission PERMISSION]
[-sanitize] [-pretty] [-pages PAGES]
input output
-------------- optimize PDF or create sub-PDF if pages given --------------
positional arguments:
input PDF filename
output output PDF filename
optional arguments:
-h, --help show this help message and exit
-password PASSWORD password
-encryption {keep,none,rc4-40,rc4-128,aes-128,aes-256}
encryption method
-owner OWNER owner password
-user USER user password
-garbage {0,1,2,3,4} garbage collection level
-compress compress (deflate) output
-ascii ASCII encode binary data
-linear format for fast web display
-permission PERMISSION
integer with permission levels
-sanitize sanitize / clean contents
-pretty prettify PDF structure
-pages PAGES output selected pages, format: 1,5-7,50-N
If you specify “-pages”, be aware that only page-related objects are copied, no document-level items like e.g. embedded files.
Please consult Document.save()
for the parameter meanings.
Extracting Fonts and Images¶
Extract fonts or images from selected PDF pages to a desired directory:
python -m fitz extract -h
usage: fitz extract [-h] [-images] [-fonts] [-output OUTPUT] [-password PASSWORD]
[-pages PAGES]
input
--------------------- extract images and fonts to disk --------------------
positional arguments:
input PDF filename
optional arguments:
-h, --help show this help message and exit
-images extract images
-fonts extract fonts
-output OUTPUT output directory, defaults to current
-password PASSWORD password
-pages PAGES only consider these pages, format: 1,5-7,50-N
Image filenames are built according to the naming scheme: “img-xref.ext”, where “ext” is the extension associated with the image and “xref” the xref
of the image PDF object.
Font filenames consist of the fontname and the associated extension. Any spaces in the fontname are replaced with hyphens “-“.
The output directory must already exist.
Note
Except for output directory creation, this feature is functionally equivalent to and obsoletes this script.
Joining PDF Documents¶
To join several PDF files specify:
python -m fitz join -h
usage: fitz join [-h] -output OUTPUT [input [input ...]]
---------------------------- join PDF documents ---------------------------
positional arguments:
input input filenames
optional arguments:
-h, --help show this help message and exit
-output OUTPUT output filename
specify each input as 'filename[,password[,pages]]'
Note
Each input must be entered as “filename,password,pages”. Password and pages are optional.
The password entry is required if the “pages” entry is used. If the PDF needs no password, specify two commas.
The “pages” format is the same as explained at the top of this section.
Each input file is immediately closed after use. Therefore you can use one of them as output filename, and thus overwrite it.
Example: To join the following files
file1.pdf: all pages, back to front, no password
file2.pdf: last page, first page, password: “secret”
file3.pdf: pages 5 to last, no password
and store the result as output.pdf enter this command:
python -m fitz join -o output.pdf file1.pdf,,N-1 file2.pdf,secret,N,1 file3.pdf,,5-N
Low Level Information¶
Display PDF internal information. Again, there are similarities to “mutool show”:
python -m fitz show -h
usage: fitz show [-h] [-password PASSWORD] [-catalog] [-trailer] [-metadata]
[-xrefs XREFS] [-pages PAGES]
input
------------------------- display PDF information -------------------------
positional arguments:
input PDF filename
optional arguments:
-h, --help show this help message and exit
-password PASSWORD password
-catalog show PDF catalog
-trailer show PDF trailer
-metadata show PDF metadata
-xrefs XREFS show selected objects, format: 1,5-7,N
-pages PAGES show selected pages, format: 1,5-7,50-N
Examples:
python -m fitz show x.pdf
PDF is password protected
python -m fitz show x.pdf -pass hugo
authentication unsuccessful
python -m fitz show x.pdf -pass jorjmckie
authenticated as owner
file 'x.pdf', pages: 1, objects: 19, 58 MB, PDF 1.4, encryption: Standard V5 R6 256-bit AES
Document contains 15 embedded files.
python -m fitz show FDA-1572_508_R6_FINAL.pdf -tr -m
'FDA-1572_508_R6_FINAL.pdf', pages: 2, objects: 1645, 1.4 MB, PDF 1.6, encryption: Standard V4 R4 128-bit AES
document contains 740 root form fields and is signed
------------------------------- PDF metadata ------------------------------
format: PDF 1.6
title: FORM FDA 1572
author: PSC Publishing Services
subject: Statement of Investigator
keywords: None
creator: PScript5.dll Version 5.2.2
producer: Acrobat Distiller 9.0.0 (Windows)
creationDate: D:20130522104413-04'00'
modDate: D:20190718154905-07'00'
encryption: Standard V4 R4 128-bit AES
------------------------------- PDF trailer -------------------------------
<<
/DecodeParms <<
/Columns 5
/Predictor 12
>>
/Encrypt 1389 0 R
/Filter /FlateDecode
/ID [ <9252E9E39183F2A0B0C51BE557B8A8FC> <85227BE9B84B724E8F678E1529BA8351> ]
/Index [ 1388 258 ]
/Info 1387 0 R
/Length 253
/Prev 1510559
/Root 1390 0 R
/Size 1646
/Type /XRef
/W [ 1 3 1 ]
>>
Embedded Files Commands¶
The following commands deal with embedded files – which is a feature completely removed from MuPDF after v1.14, and hence from all its command line tools.
Information¶
Show the embedded file names (long or short format):
python -m fitz embed-info -h
usage: fitz embed-info [-h] [-name NAME] [-detail] [-password PASSWORD] input
--------------------------- list embedded files ---------------------------
positional arguments:
input PDF filename
optional arguments:
-h, --help show this help message and exit
-name NAME if given, report only this one
-detail show detail information
-password PASSWORD password
Example:
python -m fitz embed-info some.pdf
'some.pdf' contains the following 15 embedded files.
20110813_180956_0002.jpg
20110813_181009_0003.jpg
20110813_181012_0004.jpg
20110813_181131_0005.jpg
20110813_181144_0006.jpg
20110813_181306_0007.jpg
20110813_181307_0008.jpg
20110813_181314_0009.jpg
20110813_181315_0010.jpg
20110813_181324_0011.jpg
20110813_181339_0012.jpg
20110813_181913_0013.jpg
insta-20110813_180944_0001.jpg
markiert-20110813_180944_0001.jpg
neue.datei
Detailed output would look like this per entry:
name: neue.datei
filename: text-tester.pdf
ufilename: text-tester.pdf
desc: nur zum Testen!
size: 4639
length: 1566
Extraction¶
Extract an embedded file like this:
python -m fitz embed-extract -h
usage: fitz embed-extract [-h] -name NAME [-password PASSWORD] [-output OUTPUT]
input
---------------------- extract embedded file to disk ----------------------
positional arguments:
input PDF filename
optional arguments:
-h, --help show this help message and exit
-name NAME name of entry
-password PASSWORD password
-output OUTPUT output filename, default is stored name
For details consult Document.embfile_get()
. Example (refer to previous section):
python -m fitz embed-extract some.pdf -name neue.datei
Saved entry 'neue.datei' as 'text-tester.pdf'
Deletion¶
Delete an embedded file like this:
python -m fitz embed-del -h
usage: fitz embed-del [-h] [-password PASSWORD] [-output OUTPUT] -name NAME input
--------------------------- delete embedded file --------------------------
positional arguments:
input PDF filename
optional arguments:
-h, --help show this help message and exit
-password PASSWORD password
-output OUTPUT output PDF filename, incremental save if none
-name NAME name of entry to delete
For details consult Document.embfile_del()
.
Insertion¶
Add a new embedded file using this command:
python -m fitz embed-add -h
usage: fitz embed-add [-h] [-password PASSWORD] [-output OUTPUT] -name NAME -path
PATH [-desc DESC]
input
---------------------------- add embedded file ----------------------------
positional arguments:
input PDF filename
optional arguments:
-h, --help show this help message and exit
-password PASSWORD password
-output OUTPUT output PDF filename, incremental save if none
-name NAME name of new entry
-path PATH path to data for new entry
-desc DESC description of new entry
“NAME” must not already exist in the PDF. For details consult Document.embfile_add()
.
Updates¶
Update an existing embedded file using this command:
python -m fitz embed-upd -h
usage: fitz embed-upd [-h] -name NAME [-password PASSWORD] [-output OUTPUT]
[-path PATH] [-filename FILENAME] [-ufilename UFILENAME]
[-desc DESC]
input
--------------------------- update embedded file --------------------------
positional arguments:
input PDF filename
optional arguments:
-h, --help show this help message and exit
-name NAME name of entry
-password PASSWORD password
-output OUTPUT Output PDF filename, incremental save if none
-path PATH path to new data for entry
-filename FILENAME new filename to store in entry
-ufilename UFILENAME new unicode filename to store in entry
-desc DESC new description to store in entry
except '-name' all parameters are optional
Use this method to change meta-information of the file – just omit the “PATH”. For details consult Document.embfile_upd()
.
Copying¶
Copy embedded files between PDFs:
python -m fitz embed-copy -h
usage: fitz embed-copy [-h] [-password PASSWORD] [-output OUTPUT] -source
SOURCE [-pwdsource PWDSOURCE]
[-name [NAME [NAME ...]]]
input
--------------------- copy embedded files between PDFs --------------------
positional arguments:
input PDF to receive embedded files
optional arguments:
-h, --help show this help message and exit
-password PASSWORD password of input
-output OUTPUT output PDF, incremental save to 'input' if omitted
-source SOURCE copy embedded files from here
-pwdsource PWDSOURCE password of 'source' PDF
-name [NAME [NAME ...]]
restrict copy to these entries