The PdfFileWriter Class

class PyPDF2.PdfFileWriter

This class supports writing PDF files out, given pages produced by another class (typically PdfFileReader).

addAttachment(fname, fdata)

Embed a file inside the PDF.

Parameters:
  • fname (str) – The filename to display.
  • fdata (str) – The data in the file.

Reference: https://www.adobe.com/content/dam/Adobe/en/devnet/acrobat/pdfs/PDF32000_2008.pdf Section 7.11.3

addBlankPage(width=None, height=None)

Appends a blank page to this PDF file and returns it. If no page size is specified, use the size of the last page.

Parameters:
  • width (float) – The width of the new page expressed in default user space units.
  • height (float) – The height of the new page expressed in default user space units.
Returns:

the newly appended page
Return type:

PageObject
Raises PageSizeNotDefinedError:
 

if width and height are not defined and previous page does not exist.
addBookmark(title, pagenum, parent=None, color=None, bold=False, italic=False, fit='/Fit', *args)

Add a bookmark to this PDF file.

Parameters:
  • title (str) – Title to use for this bookmark.
  • pagenum (int) – Page number this bookmark will point to.
  • parent – A reference to a parent bookmark to create nested bookmarks.
  • color (tuple) – Color of the bookmark as a red, green, blue tuple from 0.0 to 1.0
  • bold (bool) – Bookmark is bold
  • italic (bool) – Bookmark is italic
  • fit (str) – The fit of the destination page. See addLink() for details.
addJS(javascript)

Add Javascript which will launch upon opening this PDF.

Parameters:javascript (str) – Your Javascript. 
>>> output.addJS("this.print({bUI:true,bSilent:false,bShrinkToFit:true});")
# Example: This will launch the print window when the PDF is opened.

Add an internal link from a rectangular area to the specified page.

Parameters:
  • pagenum (int) – index of the page on which to place the link.
  • pagedest (int) – index of the page to which the link should go.
  • rect – RectangleObject or array of four integers specifying the clickable rectangular area [xLL, yLL, xUR, yUR], or string in the form "[ xLL yLL xUR yUR ]".
  • border – if provided, an array describing border-drawing properties. See the PDF spec for details. No border will be drawn if this argument is omitted.
  • fit (str) – Page fit or ‘zoom’ option (see below). Additional arguments may need to be supplied. Passing None will be read as a null value for that coordinate.
Valid zoom arguments (see Table 8.2 of the PDF 1.7 reference for details):
/Fit No additional arguments
/XYZ [left] [top] [zoomFactor]
/FitH [top]
/FitV [left]
/FitR [left] [bottom] [right] [top]
/FitB No additional arguments
/FitBH [top]
/FitBV [left]
addMetadata(infos)

Add custom metadata to the output.

Parameters:infos (dict) – a Python dictionary where each key is a field and each value is your new metadata.
addPage(page)

Adds a page to this PDF file. The page is usually acquired from a PdfFileReader instance.

Parameters:page (PageObject) – The page to add to the document. Should be an instance of PageObject
appendPagesFromReader(reader, after_page_append=None)

Copy pages from reader to writer. Includes an optional callback parameter which is invoked after pages are appended to the writer.

Parameters:reader – a PdfFileReader object from which to copy page annotations to this writer object. The writer’s annots

will then be updated :callback after_page_append (function): Callback function that is invoked after

each page is appended to the writer. Callback signature:

param writer_pageref (PDF page reference):
 Reference to the page appended to the writer.
cloneDocumentFromReader(reader, after_page_append=None)

Create a copy (clone) of a document from a PDF file reader

Parameters:

reader – PDF file reader instance from which the clone should be created.
Callback after_page_append (function):
 

Callback function that is invoked after each page is appended to the writer. Signature includes a reference to the appended page (delegates to appendPagesFromReader). Callback signature:

param writer_pageref (PDF page reference):
 Reference to the page just appended to the document.
cloneReaderDocumentRoot(reader)

Copy the reader document root to the writer.

Parameters:reader – PdfFileReader from the document root should be copied.

:callback after_page_append

encrypt(user_pwd, owner_pwd=None, use_128bit=True)

Encrypt this PDF file with the PDF Standard encryption handler.

Parameters:
  • user_pwd (str) – The “user password”, which allows for opening and reading the PDF file with the restrictions provided.
  • owner_pwd (str) – The “owner password”, which allows for opening the PDF files without any restrictions. By default, the owner password is the same as the user password.
  • use_128bit (bool) – flag as to whether to use 128bit encryption. When false, 40bit encryption will be used. By default, this flag is on.
getNumPages()
Returns:the number of pages.
Return type:int
getPage(pageNumber)

Retrieves a page by number from this PDF file.

Parameters:pageNumber (int) – The page number to retrieve (pages begin at zero)
Returns:the page at the index given by pageNumber
Return type:PageObject
getPageLayout()

Get the page layout. See setPageLayout() for a description of valid layouts.

Returns:Page layout currently being used.
Return type:str, None if not specified
getPageMode()

Get the page mode. See setPageMode() for a description of valid modes.

Returns:Page mode currently being used.
Return type:str, None if not specified
insertBlankPage(width=None, height=None, index=0)

Inserts a blank page to this PDF file and returns it. If no page size is specified, use the size of the last page.

Parameters:
  • width (float) – The width of the new page expressed in default user space units.
  • height (float) – The height of the new page expressed in default user space units.
  • index (int) – Position to add the page.
Returns:

the newly appended page
Return type:

PageObject
Raises PageSizeNotDefinedError:
 

if width and height are not defined and previous page does not exist.
insertPage(page, index=0)

Insert a page in this PDF file. The page is usually acquired from a PdfFileReader instance.

Parameters:
  • page (PageObject) – The page to add to the document. This argument should be an instance of PageObject.
  • index (int) – Position at which the page will be inserted.
pageLayout

Read and write property accessing the getPageLayout() and setPageLayout() methods.

pageMode

Read and write property accessing the getPageMode() and setPageMode() methods.

removeImages(ignoreByteStringObject=False)

Removes images from this output.

Parameters:ignoreByteStringObject (bool) – optional parameter to ignore ByteString Objects.

Removes links and annotations from this output.

removeText(ignoreByteStringObject=False)

Removes images from this output.

Parameters:ignoreByteStringObject (bool) – optional parameter to ignore ByteString Objects.
setPageLayout(layout)

Set the page layout

Parameters:layout (str) – The page layout to be used
Valid layouts are:
/NoLayout Layout explicitly not specified
/SinglePage Show one page at a time
/OneColumn Show one column at a time
/TwoColumnLeft Show pages in two columns, odd-numbered pages on the left
/TwoColumnRight
 Show pages in two columns, odd-numbered pages on the right
/TwoPageLeft Show two pages at a time, odd-numbered pages on the left
/TwoPageRight Show two pages at a time, odd-numbered pages on the right
setPageMode(mode)

Set the page mode.

Parameters:mode (str) – The page mode to use.
Valid modes are:
/UseNone Do not show outlines or thumbnails panels
/UseOutlines Show outlines (aka bookmarks) panel
/UseThumbs Show page thumbnails panel
/FullScreen Fullscreen view
/UseOC Show Optional Content Group (OCG) panel
/UseAttachments
 Show attachments panel
updatePageFormFieldValues(page, fields)

Update the form field values for a given page from a fields dictionary. Copy field texts and values from fields to page.

Parameters:
  • page – Page reference from PDF writer where the annotations and field data will be updated.
  • fields – a Python dictionary of field names (/T) and text values (/V)
write(stream)

Writes the collection of pages added to this object out as a PDF file.

Parameters:stream – An object to write the file to. The object must support the write method and the tell method, similar to a file object.