1PDF::Create(3)        User Contributed Perl Documentation       PDF::Create(3)
2
3
4

NAME

6       PDF::Create - Create PDF files.
7

VERSION

9       Version 1.43
10

DESCRIPTION

12       "PDF::Create" allows you to create PDF document using a number of
13       primitives.The result is as a PDF file or stream. PDF stands for
14       Portable Document Format.
15
16       Documents can have several pages, a  table of content, an information
17       section and many other PDF elements.
18

SYNOPSIS

20       "PDF::Create" provides an easy module to create PDF output from your
21       perl script.  It is designed to be easy to use and simple to install
22       and maintain. It provides a couple of subroutines to handle text,
23       fonts, images and drawing primitives. Simple documents are easy to
24       create with the supplied routines.
25
26       In addition to be reasonable simple "PDF::Create" is written in pure
27       Perl and has no external  dependencies  (libraries,  other modules,
28       etc.). It should run on any platform where perl is available.
29
30       For complex  stuff  some understanding of the underlying Postscript/PDF
31       format is necessary. In this case it might be better go with the more
32       complete PDF::API2 modules to gain more features at the expense of a
33       steeper learning curve.
34
35       Example PDF creation with "PDF::Create" (see PDF::Create::Page for
36       details of methods available on a page):
37
38           use strict; use warnings;
39           use PDF::Create;
40
41           my $pdf = PDF::Create->new(
42               'filename'     => 'sample.pdf',
43               'Author'       => 'John Doe',
44               'Title'        => 'Sample PDF',
45               'CreationDate' => [ localtime ]
46           );
47
48           # Add a A4 sized page
49           my $root = $pdf->new_page('MediaBox' => $pdf->get_page_size('A4'));
50
51           # Add a page which inherits its attributes from $root
52           my $page1 = $root->new_page;
53
54           # Prepare a font
55           my $font = $pdf->font('BaseFont' => 'Helvetica');
56
57           # Prepare a Table of Content
58           my $toc = $pdf->new_outline('Title' => 'Title Page', 'Destination' => $page1);
59
60           # Write some text
61           $page1->stringc($font, 40, 306, 426, 'PDF::Create');
62           $page1->stringc($font, 20, 306, 396, "version $PDF::Create::VERSION");
63           $page1->stringc($font, 20, 306, 300, 'by John Doe <john.doe@example.com>');
64
65           # Add another page
66           my $page2 = $root->new_page;
67
68           # Draw some lines
69           $page2->line(0, 0,   592, 840);
70           $page2->line(0, 840, 592, 0);
71
72           $toc->new_outline('Title' => 'Second Page', 'Destination' => $page2);
73
74           # Close the file and write the PDF
75           $pdf->close;
76

CONSTRUCTOR

78       The method "new(%params)" create a new pdf structure for your PDF. It
79       returns an object handle which can be used to add more stuff to the
80       PDF. The  parameter keys to the constructor are detailed as below:
81
82           +--------------+------------------------------------------------------------+
83           | Key          | Description                                                |
84           +--------------+------------------------------------------------------------+
85           |              |                                                            |
86           | filename     | Destination file that will contain resulting PDF or '-' for|
87           |              | stdout. If neither filename or fh are specified, the       |
88           |              | content will be stored in memory and returned when calling |
89           |              | close().                                                   |
90           |              |                                                            |
91           | fh           | Already opened filehandle that will contain resulting PDF. |
92           |              | See comment above regarding close().                       |
93           |              |                                                            |
94           | Version      | PDF Version to claim, can be 1.0 to 1.3 (default: 1.       |
95           |              |                                                            |
96           | PageMode     | How the document should appear when opened.Possible values |
97           |              | UseNone (Default), UseOutlines, UseThumbs and FullScreen   |
98           |              |                                                            |
99           | Author       | The name of the person who created this document.          |
100           |              |                                                            |
101           | Creator      | If the document was converted into a PDF document from     |
102           |              | another form, this is the name of the application that     |
103           |              | created the document.                                      |
104           |              |                                                            |
105           | Title        | The title of the document.                                 |
106           |              |                                                            |
107           | Subject      | The subject of the document.                               |
108           |              |                                                            |
109           | Keywords     | Keywords associated with the document.                     |
110           |              |                                                            |
111           | CreationDate | The date the document was created.This is passed as an     |
112           |              | anonymous array in the same format as localtime returns.   |
113           |              |                                                            |
114           | Debug        | The debug level, defaults to 0. It can be any positive     |
115           |              | integers.                                                  |
116           |              |                                                            |
117           +--------------+------------------------------------------------------------+
118
119       Example:
120
121           my $pdf = PDF::Create->new(
122               'filename'     => 'sample.pdf',
123               'Version'      => 1.2,
124               'PageMode'     => 'UseOutlines',
125               'Author'       => 'John Doe',
126               'Title'        => 'My Title',
127               'CreationDate' => [ localtime ]
128           );
129
130       If you are writing a CGI you can send your PDF on the fly to stdout /
131       directly to the browser using '-' as filename.
132
133       CGI Example:
134
135         use CGI;
136         use PDF::Create;
137
138         print CGI::header(-type => 'application/x-pdf', -attachment => 'sample.pdf');
139         my $pdf = PDF::Create->new(
140             'filename'     => '-',
141             'Author'       => 'John Doe',
142             'Title'        => 'My title',
143             'CreationDate' => [ localtime ]
144         );
145

METHODS

147   new_page(%params)
148       Add a page to the document using the given parameters. "new_page" must
149       be called first to initialize a root page, used as model for further
150       pages.Returns a handle to the newly created page. Parameters can be:
151
152           +-----------+---------------------------------------------------------------+
153           | Key       | Description                                                   |
154           +-----------+---------------------------------------------------------------+
155           |           |                                                               |
156           | Parent    | The parent of this page in the pages tree.This is page object.|
157           |           |                                                               |
158           | Resources | Resources required by this page.                              |
159           |           |                                                               |
160           | MediaBox  | Rectangle specifying the natural size of the page,for example |
161           |           | the dimensions of an A4 sheet of paper. The coordinates are   |
162           |           | measured in default user space units It must be the reference |
163           |           | of 4 values array.You can use C<get_page_size> to get to get  |
164           |           | the size of standard paper sizes.C<get_page_size> knows about |
165           |           | A0-A6, A4L (landscape), Letter, Legal, Broadsheet, Ledger,    |
166           |           | Tabloid, Executive and 36x36.                                 |
167           | CropBox   | Rectangle specifying the default clipping region for the page |
168           |           | when displayed or printed. The default is the value of the    |
169           |           | MediaBox.                                                     |
170           |           |                                                               |
171           | ArtBox    | Rectangle specifying  an area  of the page to be used when    |
172           |           | placing PDF content into another application. The default is  |
173           |           | the value of the CropBox. [PDF 1.3]                           |
174           |           |                                                               |
175           | TrimBox   | Rectangle specifying the  intended finished size of the page  |
176           |           | (for example, the dimensions of an A4 sheet of paper).In some |
177           |           | cases,the MediaBox will be a larger rectangle, which includes |
178           |           | printing instructions, cut marks or other content.The default |
179           |           | is the value of the CropBox. [PDF 1.3].                       |
180           |           |                                                               |
181           | BleedBox  | Rectangle specifying the region to which all page content     |
182           |           | should be clipped if the page is being output in a production |
183           |           | environment. In such environments, a bleed area is desired,   |
184           |           | to accommodate physical limitations of cutting, folding, and  |
185           |           | trimming  equipment. The actual  printed page may  include    |
186           |           | printer's marks that fall outside the bleed box. The default  |
187           |           | is the value of the CropBox.[PDF 1.3]                         |
188           |           |                                                               |
189           | Rotate    | Specifies the number of degrees the page should be rotated    |
190           |           | clockwise when it is displayed or printed. This value must be |
191           |           | zero (the default) or a multiple of 90. The entire page,      |
192           |           | including contents is rotated.                                |
193           |           |                                                               |
194           +-----------+---------------------------------------------------------------+
195
196       Example:
197
198           my $a4 = $pdf->new_page( 'MediaBox' => $pdf->get_page_size('A4') );
199
200           my $page1 = $a4->new_page;
201           $page1->string($f1, 20, 306, 396, "some text on page 1");
202
203           my $page2 = $a4->new_page;
204           $page2->string($f1, 20, 306, 396, "some text on page 2");
205
206   font(%params)
207       Prepare a font using the given arguments. This font will be added to
208       the document only if it is used at least once before the close method
209       is called.Parameters are listed below:
210
211           +----------+----------------------------------------------------------------+
212           | Key      | Description                                                    |
213           +----------+----------------------------------------------------------------+
214           | Subtype  | Type of font. PDF defines some types of fonts. It must be one  |
215           |          | of the predefined type Type1, Type3, TrueType or Type0.In this |
216           |          | version, only Type1 is supported. This is the default value.   |
217           |          |                                                                |
218           | Encoding | Specifies the  encoding  from which the new encoding differs.  |
219           |          | It must be one of the predefined encodings MacRomanEncoding,   |
220           |          | MacExpertEncoding or WinAnsiEncoding. In this version, only    |
221           |          | WinAnsiEncoding is supported. This is the default value.       |
222           |          |                                                                |
223           | BaseFont | The PostScript name of the font. It can be one of the following|
224           |          | base fonts: Courier, Courier-Bold, Courier-BoldOblique,        |
225           |          | Courier-Oblique, Helvetica, Helvetica-Bold,                    |
226           |          | Helvetica-BoldOblique, Helvetica-Oblique, Times-Roman,         |
227           |          | Times-Bold, Times-Italic, Times-BoldItalic or Symbol.          |
228           +----------+----------------------------------------------------------------+
229
230       The ZapfDingbats font is not supported in this version.Default font is
231       Helvetica.
232
233           my $f1 = $pdf->font('BaseFont' => 'Helvetica');
234
235   new_outline(%params)
236       Adds  an  outline  to  the  document using the given parameters. Return
237       the newly created outline. Parameters can be:
238
239           +-------------+-------------------------------------------------------------+
240           | Key         | Description                                                 |
241           +-------------+-------------------------------------------------------------+
242           |             |                                                             |
243           | Title       | The title of the outline. Mandatory.                        |
244           |             |                                                             |
245           | Destination | The Destination of this outline item. In this version,it is |
246           |             | only possible to give a page as destination. The default    |
247           |             | destination is the current page.                            |
248           |             |                                                             |
249           | Parent      | The parent of this outline in the outlines tree. This is an |
250           |             | outline object. This way you represent the tree of your     |
251           |             | outlines.                                                   |
252           |             |                                                             |
253           +-------------+-------------------------------------------------------------+
254
255       Example:
256
257           my $outline = $pdf->new_outline('Title' => 'Item 1');
258           $pdf->new_outline('Title' => 'Item 1.1', 'Parent' => $outline);
259           $pdf->new_outline('Title' => 'Item 1.2', 'Parent' => $outline);
260           $pdf->new_outline('Title' => 'Item 2');
261
262   get_page_size($name)
263       Returns the  size of standard paper used for MediaBox-parameter  of
264       "new_page".  "get_page_size" has  one  optional parameter to specify
265       the paper name. Possible values are a0-a6,
266       a4l,letter,broadsheet,ledger,tabloid,legal,executive and 36x36.
267       Default is a4.
268
269           my $root = $pdf->new_page( 'MediaBox' => $pdf->get_page_size('A4') );
270
271   version($number)
272       Set and return version number. Valid version numbers are 1.0, 1.1, 1.2
273       and 1.3.
274
275   close(%params)
276       Close does the work of creating the PDF data from the objects collected
277       before.  You must call "close()" after you have added all the contents
278       as most of the real work building the  PDF is performed there. If omit
279       calling close you get no PDF output. Returns the raw content of the
280       PDF.  If "fh" was provided when creating object of "PDF::Create" then
281       it does not try to close the file handle. It is, therefore, advised you
282       call "flush()" rather than "close()".
283
284   flush()
285       Generate the PDF content and returns the raw content as it is.
286
287   reserve($name, $type)
288       Reserve the next object number for the given object type.
289
290   add_comment($message)
291       Add comment to the document.The string will show up in the PDF as
292       postscript-style comment:
293
294           % this is a postscript comment
295
296   annotation(%params)
297       Adds an annotation object, for the time being we only do the  'Link' -
298       'URI' kind This is a  sensitive area in the PDF document where text
299       annotations are shown or links launched. "PDF::Create" only supports
300       URI links at this time.
301
302       URI links  have two components,the text or graphics object and the area
303       where the mouseclick should occur.
304
305       For the object  to be clicked  on you'll use standard text of drawing
306       methods. To define the click-sensitive area and the destination URI.
307
308       Example:
309
310           # Draw a string and undeline it to show it is a link
311           $pdf->string($f1, 10, 450, 200, 'http://www.cpan.org');
312
313           my $line = $pdf->string_underline($f1, 10, 450, 200, 'http://www.cpan.org');
314
315           # Create the hot area with the link to open on click
316           $pdf->annotation(
317               Subtype => 'Link',
318               URI     => 'http://www.cpan.org',
319               x       => 450,
320               y       => 200,
321               w       => $l,
322               h       => 15,
323               Border  => [0,0,0]
324           );
325
326       The point (x, y) is  the  bottom  left corner of the rectangle
327       containing hotspot rectangle, (w, h) are  the  width and height of the
328       hotspot rectangle. The Border describes the thickness of the border
329       surrounding the rectangle hotspot.
330
331       The function "string_undeline" returns the width of the string, this
332       can be used directly for the width of the hotspot rectangle.
333
334   image($filename)
335       Prepare an XObject (image) using the given arguments. This image will
336       be added to the document if it is referenced at least once before the
337       close method is called.  In this version GIF,interlaced GIF and JPEG is
338       supported. Usage of interlaced GIFs are slower because they are
339       decompressed, modified and  compressed again. The gif support is
340       limited to images with a LZW minimum code size of 8. Small images with
341       few colors can have a smaller minimum code size and will not work. If
342       you get errors regarding JPEG compression, then the compression method
343       used in your JPEG file is not supported by "PDF::Image::JPEG". Try
344       resaving the JPEG file with different compression options (for example,
345       disable progressive compression).
346
347       Example:
348
349           my $img = $pdf->image('image.jpg');
350
351           $page->image(
352               image  => $img,
353               xscale => 0.25, # scale image for better quality
354               yscale => 0.25,
355               xpos   => 50,
356               ypos   => 60,
357               xalign => 0,
358               yalign => 2,
359           );
360
361   get_data()
362       If you did not ask the $pdf object to write its output to a file, you
363       can pick up the  pdf  code  by calling this method. It returns a big
364       string. You need to call "close" first.
365

LIMITATIONS

367       "PDF::Create" comes with a couple of limitations or known caveats:
368
369   PDF Size / Memory
370       Unless using a filehandle, "PDF::Create" assembles the entire PDF in
371       memory.  If you create very large documents on a machine with a small
372       amount of memory your program can fail because it runs out of memory.
373       If using a filehandle, data will be written immediately to the
374       filehandle after each method.
375
376   Small GIF images
377       Some gif images get created with a minimal lzw code size of less than
378       8. "PDF::Create" can not decode those and they must be converted.
379

SUPPORT

381       I support "PDF::Create" in my spare time between work and  family, so
382       the amount of work I put in is limited.
383
384       If you experience a problem make sure you are at the latest version
385       first many of things have already been fixed.
386
387       Please register  bug  at the CPAN bug tracking system at
388       <http://rt.cpan.org> or send email to "bug-PDF-Create [at] rt.cpan.org"
389
390       Be sure to include the following information:
391
392       - PDF::Create Version you are running
393       - Perl version (perl -v)
394       - Operating System vendor and version
395       - Details about your operating environment that might be related to the
396       issue being described
397       - Exact cut and pasted error or warning messages
398       - The shortest, clearest  code  you  can manage to write which
399       reproduces the bug described.
400
401       I  appreciate patches against the latest released version of
402       "PDF::Create" which fix the bug.
403
404       Feature request can be submitted like bugs. If you provide patch for a
405       feature which does not go against the "PDF::Create" philosophy (keep it
406       simple) then you have a good chance for it to be accepted.
407

SEE ALSO

409       Adobe PDF <http://www.adobe.com/devnet/pdf/pdf_reference.html>
410
411       PDF::Labels Routines to produce formatted pages of mailing labels in
412       PDF, uses PDF::Create internally.
413
414       PDF::Haru Perl interface to Haru Free PDF Library.
415
416       PDF::EasyPDF PDF creation from a one-file module, similar to
417       PDF::Create.
418
419       PDF::CreateSimple Yet another PDF creation module
420
421       PDF::Report A wrapper written for PDF::API2.
422

AUTHORS

424       Fabien Tassin
425
426       GIF and JPEG-support: Michael Gross (info@mdgrosse.net)
427
428       Maintenance since 2007: Markus Baertschi (markus@markus.org)
429
430       Currently maintained by Mohammad S Anwar (MANWAR) "<mohammad.anwar at
431       yahoo.com>"
432

REPOSITORY

434       <https://github.com/manwar/pdf-create>
435
437       Copyright 1999-2001,Fabien Tassin.All rights reserved.It may be used
438       and modified freely, but I do  request that this copyright notice
439       remain attached to the file.  You may modify this module as you
440       wish,but if you redistribute a modified version , please attach a note
441       listing the modifications you have made.
442
443       Copyright 2007 Markus Baertschi
444
445       Copyright 2010 Gary Lieberman
446

LICENSE

448       This is free software; you can redistribute it and / or modify it under
449       the same terms as Perl 5.6.0.
450
451
452
453perl v5.28.0                      2017-09-23                    PDF::Create(3)
Impressum