Provided by: libpdf-builder-perl_3.026-1_all 
NAME
PDF::Builder::Basic::PDF::File - Holds the trailers and cross-reference tables for a PDF file
SYNOPSIS
$p = PDF::Builder::Basic::PDF::File->open("filename.pdf", 1);
$p->new_obj($obj_ref);
$p->free_obj($obj_ref);
$p->append_file();
$p->close_file();
$p->release(); # IMPORTANT!
DESCRIPTION
This class keeps track of the directory aspects of a PDF file. There are two parts to the directory: the
main directory object, which is the parent to all other objects, and a chain of cross-reference tables
and corresponding trailer dictionaries, starting with the main directory object.
INSTANCE VARIABLES
Within this class hierarchy, rather than making everything visible via methods, which would be a lot of
work, there are various instance variables which are accessible via associative array referencing. To
distinguish instance variables from content variables (which may come from the PDF content itself), each
such variable name will start with a space.
Variable names which do not start with a space directly reflect elements in a PDF dictionary. In the case
of a "PDF::Builder::Basic::PDF::File", the elements reflect those in the trailer dictionary.
Since some variables are not designed for class users to access, variables are marked in the
documentation with (R) to indicate that such an entry should only be used as read-only information. (P)
indicates that the information is private, and not designed for user use at all, but is included in the
documentation for completeness and to ensure that nobody else tries to use it.
newroot
This variable allows the user to create a new root entry to occur in the trailer dictionary which is
output when the file is written or appended. If you wish to override the root element in the
dictionary you have, use this entry to indicate that without losing the current Root entry. Notice
that newroot should point to a PDF level object and not just to a dictionary, which does not have
object status.
INFILE (R)
Contains the filehandle used to read this information into this PDF directory. It is an IO object.
fname (R)
This is the filename which is reflected by INFILE, or the original IO object passed in.
update (R)
This indicates that the read file has been opened for update and that at some point,
"$p->appendfile()" can be called to update the file with the changes that have been made to the
memory representation.
maxobj (R)
Contains the first usable object number above any that have already appeared in the file so far.
outlist (P)
This is a list of Objind which are to be output when the next "appendfile()" or "outfile()" occurs.
firstfree (P)
Contains the first free object in the free object list. Free objects are removed from the front of
the list and added to the end.
lastfree (P)
Contains the last free object in the free list. It may be the same as the "firstfree" if there is
only one free object.
objcache (P)
All objects are held in the cache to ensure that a system only has one occurrence of each object. In
effect, the objind class acts as a container type class to hold the PDF object structure, and it
would be unfortunate if there were two identical place-holders floating around a system.
epos (P)
The end location of the read-file.
Each trailer dictionary contains a number of private instance variables which hold the chain together.
loc (P)
Contains the location of the start of the cross-reference table preceding the trailer.
xref (P)
Contains an anonymous array of each cross-reference table entry.
prev (P)
A reference to the previous table. Note this differs from the Prev entry which is in PDF, which
contains the location of the previous cross-reference table.
METHODS
new
PDF::Builder::Basic::PDF::File->new()
Creates a new, empty file object which can act as the host to other PDF objects. Since there is no
file associated with this object, it is assumed that the object is created in readiness for creating
a new PDF file.
open
$p = PDF::Builder::Basic::PDF::File->open($filename, $update, %options)
Opens the file and reads all the trailers and cross reference tables to build a complete directory of
objects.
$filename may be a string or an IO object.
$update specifies whether this file is being opened for updating and editing (TRUE value), or simply
to be read (FALSE or undefined value).
%options may include
diags => 1
If "diags" is set to 1, various warning messages will be given if a suspicious PDF structure is
found, and some fixup may be attempted. There is no guarantee that any fixup will change the PDF
to legitimate, or that there won't be other problems found further down the line. If this flag is
not given, and a structural problem is found, it is fairly likely that errors (and even a program
crash) may happen further along. If you experience crashes when reading in a PDF file, try
running with "diags" and see what is reported.
There are many PDF files out "in the wild" which, while failing to conform to Adobe's standards,
appear to be tolerated by PDF Readers. Thus, Builder will no longer fail on them, but merely
comment on their existence.
version
$new_version = $p->version($version, %opts) # Set
$ver = $p->version() # Get
Gets/sets the PDF version (e.g., 1.5). Setting sets both the header and trailer versions. Getting
returns the higher of header and trailer versions.
For compatibility with earlier releases, if no decimal point is given, assume "1." precedes the
number given.
A warning message is given if you attempt to decrease the PDF version, as you might have already read
in a higher level file, or used a higher level feature. This message is suppressed if the 'silent'
option is given with any value.
header_version
$new_version = $p->header_version($version, %opts) # Set
$version = $p->header_version() # Get
Gets/sets the PDF version stored in the file header.
For compatibility with earlier releases, if no decimal point is given, assume "1." precedes the
number given.
A warning message is given if you attempt to decrease the PDF version, as you might have already read
in a higher level file, or used a higher level feature. This message is suppressed if the 'silent'
option is given with any value.
trailer_version
$new_version = $p->trailer_version($version, %opts) # Set
$version = $p->trailer_version() # Get
Gets/sets the PDF version stored in the document catalog.
Note that the minimum PDF level for a trailer version is 1.4. It is not permitted to set a PDF level
of 1.3 or lower. An existing PDF (read in) of 1.3 or below returns undefined.
For compatibility with earlier releases, if no decimal point is given, assume "1." precedes the
number given.
A warning message is given if you attempt to decrease the PDF version, as you might have already read
in a higher level file, or used a higher level feature. This message is suppressed if the 'silent'
option is given with any value.
require_version
$prev_version = $p->require_version($version)
Ensures that the PDF version is at least $version. Silently sets the version to the higher level.
release
$p->release()
Releases ALL of the memory used by the PDF document and all of its component objects. After calling
this method, do NOT expect to have anything left in the "PDF::Builder::Basic::PDF::File" object (so
if you need to save, be sure to do it before calling this method).
NOTE, that it is important that you call this method on any "PDF::Builder::Basic::PDF::File" object
when you wish to destroy it and free up its memory. Internally, PDF files have an enormous number of
cross-references, and this causes circular references within the internal data structures. Calling
"release()" causes a brute-force cleanup of the data structures, freeing up all of the memory. Once
you've called this method, though, don't expect to be able to do anything else with the
"PDF::Builder::Basic::PDF::File" object; it'll have no internal state whatsoever.
append_file
$p->append_file()
Appends the objects for output to the read file and then appends the appropriate table.
out_file
$p->out_file($fname)
Writes a PDF file to a file of the given filename, based on the current list of objects to be output.
It creates the trailer dictionary based on information in $self.
$fname may be a string or an IO object.
create_file
$p->create_file($fname)
Creates a new output file (no check is made of an existing open file) of the given filename or IO
object. Note: make sure that "$p->{' version'}" is set correctly before calling this function.
close_file
$p->close_file()
Closes up the open file for output, by outputting the trailer, etc.
readval
($value, $str) = $p->readval($str, %opts)
Reads a PDF value from the current position in the file. If $str is too short, read some more from
the current location in the file until the whole object is read. This is a recursive call which may
slurp in a whole big stream (unprocessed).
Returns the recursive data structure read and also the current $str that has been read from the file.
read_obj
$ref = $p->read_obj($objind, %opts)
Given an indirect object reference, locate it and read the object returning the read-in object.
read_objnum
$ref = $p->read_objnum($num, $gen, %opts)
Returns a fully read object of given number and generation in this file
new_obj
$objind = $p->new_obj($obj)
Creates a new, free object reference based on free space in the cross reference chain. If nothing is
free, then think up a new number. If $obj, then turns that object into this new object rather than
returning a new object.
out_obj
$p->out_obj($obj)
Indicates that the given object reference should appear in the output xref table whether with data or
freed.
free_obj
$p->free_obj($obj)
Marks an object reference for output as being freed.
remove_obj
$p->remove_obj($objind)
Removes the object from all places where we might remember it.
ship_out
$p->ship_out(@objects)
$p->ship_out()
Ships the given objects (or all objects for output if @objects is empty) to the currently open output
file (assuming there is one). Freed objects are not shipped, and once an object is shipped it is
switched such that this file becomes its source and it will not be shipped again unless out_obj is
called again. Notice that a shipped out object can be re-output or even freed, but that it will not
cause the data already output to be changed.
copy
$p->copy($outpdf, \&filter)
Iterates over every object in the file reading the object, calling "filter" with the object, and
outputting the result. If "filter" is not defined, just copies input to output.
PRIVATE METHODS & FUNCTIONS
The following methods and functions are considered private to this class. This does not mean you cannot
use them if you have a need, just that they aren't really designed for users of this class.
locate_obj
$offset = $p->locate_obj($num, $gen)
Returns a file offset to the object asked for by following the chain of cross reference tables until
it finds the one you want.
update
update($fh, $str, $instream)
Keeps reading $fh for more data to ensure that $str has at least a line full for "readval" to work
on. At this point we also take the opportunity to ignore comments.
test_obj
$objind = $p->test_obj($num, $gen)
Tests the cache to see whether an object reference (which may or may not have been getobj()ed) has
been cached. Returns it if it has.
add_obj
$p->add_obj($objind)
Adds the given object to the internal object cache.
readxrtr
$tdict = $p->readxrtr($xpos, %options)
Recursive function which reads each of the cross-reference and trailer tables in turn until there are
no more.
Returns a dictionary corresponding to the trailer chain. Each trailer also includes the corresponding
cross-reference table.
The structure of the xref private element in a trailer dictionary is of an anonymous hash of cross
reference elements by object number. Each element consists of an array of 3 elements corresponding to
the three elements read in [location, generation number, free or used]. See the PDF specification for
details.
See "open" for options allowed.
out_trailer
$p->out_trailer($tdict, $update)
$p->out_trailer($tdict)
Outputs the body and trailer for a PDF file by outputting all the objects in the ' outlist' and then
outputting a xref table for those objects and any freed ones. It then outputs the trailing dictionary
and the trailer code.
_new
PDF::Builder::Basic::PDF::File->_new()
Creates a very empty PDF file object (used by new() and open())
AUTHOR
Martin Hosken Martin_Hosken@sil.org
Copyright Martin Hosken 1999
No warranty or expression of effectiveness, least of all regarding anyone's safety, is implied in this
software or documentation.
perl v5.36.0 2023-12-15 PDF::Builder::Basic::PDF::File(3pm)