Get started with Python

This guide walks you through the steps to use the Pdftools SDK in a sample project with Python.

tip

Try the Pdftools SDK without a license key for free.

info

The Python interface is implemented as a wrapper around the Pdftools SDK's C API.

Prerequisites

The Pdftools SDK for Python requires Python 3.6 or higher.

Getting started with a sample project

Learn how to use the Pdftools SDK using a Python sample project and convert a PDF file to an image.

Download and run the sample

1. Download a sample project, and then unzip the file.

2. Install the Pdftools SDK package by running the following command:

   pip install https://pdftools-public-downloads-production.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/productkits/PDFSDK/latest/pdftools_sdk-latest.tar.gz

3. In the command line, navigate to the root directory of the unzipped sample project, where you can find the pdf2_img_simple.py file.

4. To render the sample PDF file PdfPrimerWhitePaper.pdf to a multi-page TIFF image format, run:

   python ./pdf2_img_simple.py PdfPrimerWhitePaper.pdf PdfPrimerWhitePaper.tiff

note

Run python3 instead on systems where only Python 3 is installed and python is not aliased.

The code sample takes:

• The input and output files are represented as a file name or a file path with the file name.
• Both file paths (input and output) can be relative or absolute.

Review the following snippet with a placeholder and compare it to the last step of the previous procedure:

python ./pdf2_img_simple.py INPUT_PDF IMAGE_OUTPUT_PATH

Integrate the SDK into your application

Integrate and initialize the Pdftools SDK into your application by following the instructions in the following sections.

Add the SDK to your project

1. Install the Python package:

   pip install https://pdftools-public-downloads-production.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/productkits/PDFSDK/latest/pdftools_sdk-latest.tar.gz

2. From the Pdftools SDK code samples page, download any Python code sample.

3. Unzip a code sample and review the README.md file with usage details. Every code sample includes a README.md with different usage instructions.

4. Import the following packages in the header of your Python code:

   from ctypes import *
   from pdftools_sdk.pdf import Document
   from pdftools_sdk.pdf2_image import Converter
   from pdftools_sdk.pdf2_image.profiles import Archive

Imports depend on the sample you use

The imports depend on the Python sample you use. Imports displayed in the last step of the previous procedure are valid for the Convert PDF to image sample. Every sample includes a single Python file from which you can copy the imports. In case you want to use another functionality, copy the correct imports into your project with the following steps:

1. Open the Pdftools SDK code samples.
2. Download a sample. For example: Decrypt an encrypted PDF
3. Unzip the downloaded sample.
4. Open the decrypt.py file, and then copy its imports to the header of your Python code.

Optional: Initialize the SDK

Learn how to remove watermarked output of the Pdftools SDK using a valid license key.

tip

You can try the Pdftools SDK without a license key for free. This section is optional if you want to evaluate this SDK. Initialization only lets you remove watermarks added to output files.

Getting a license key

Contact the Pdftools sales team through the Contact page to get a full license. For additional information, review Pdftools SDK license management.

To remove watermarks, follow these steps:

1. Locate your license key. For more information, review Find the license key.

2. Before you call any function of the Pdftools SDK, first call the Sdk.initialize method.

   Sdk.initialize("insert-license-key-here")

   Replace the insert-license-key-here with the value of your license key. Include the less-than (<) and greater-than (>) signs.

To get a code sample with the PdfTools_Sdk_Initialize function that you can use as a reference for your code, follow these steps:

1. On the Code samples page, download and unzip a Python code sample. For example: Download Convert PDF to image sample.
2. Unzip the file, and then find the Sdk.initialize method in a Python file included with the sample. For example: Convert PDF to image sample includes SDK.initialize method in the pdf2_img_simple.py file.
3. Uncomment the method and replace insert-license-key-here with your license key.

Implement your use case

• Find more use cases and sample projects on the Code samples page.