Discover how to manipulate PDFs using Python. Gain hands-on experience with real-life scenarios and broaden your knowledge in handling and processing PDF files efficiently.

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mypdftoolbox.tar.gz

pdf_compare

pdf_did_metadata

pdf_xmp_metadata

pdf_compute_checksum

pdf_merger

pdf_pages_splitter

pdf_pages_rotator

pdf_pages_remover

pdf_pages_shuffler

pdf_pages_watermarker

pdf_convert2img

pdf_extract_tables

pdf_extract_images

pdf_extract_links

pdf_annotator

pdf_redactor

pdf_parser

pdf_convert2docx

pdf_convert2pptx

pdf_compress

pdf_secure

pdf_crack

pdf_create

pdf_sign

pdf_scan

pdf_comment

pdf_compare_files

pdf_attach

pdf_extract_attachments

pdf_embed_js

pdf_change_rights

This course will provide you with hands-on experience in PDF manipulation using the Python programming language. It integrates the most common real-life scenarios into its proceedings and supplies you with a framework of "how to do it". 

This course is addressed to Python programmers who seek to broaden their knowledge in the Python programming language. Moreover, it targets those who are eager to gain in-depth experience in handling and processing PDF files which constitute a large part of our day-to-day lives.

PDF Management in Python


# Introduction ##

We often come across valuable PDF documents while surfing the web, but are you ever surprised by the fact that you cannot copy, edit, or even print it? 
As a general rule, when we work with sensitive information, it is important to protect it. Therefore, we’ll learn to easily apply permissions to prevent copying, changing, or printing our PDF files.


# Scope ##

This lesson will illustrate the necessary steps to restrict PDF document permissions while using a lightweight, command-line-based utility developed in the Python programming language.

# Prerequisites ##

Below is an external Python library that will play a vital role in our program:

## PyPDF4 ### 

|Library|Version |
|:-| - |:-| - |
|PyPDF4|1.27.0|

# Let's explore the code ##

Before we delve into the techniques, let’s review some concepts about PDF encryption:

By default, the PDF standard security handler allows access permissions and up to two passwords to be specified: 
1. An owner password 
2. A user password

When a PDF document is encrypted, the following scenarios occur:
- An encrypted PDF document is opened with the owner’s password (supposing the latter is not the same as the user password) and allows the owner full access to the document.
- An encrypted PDF document is opened with the user’s password and, if specified, applies the access permissions authorized to the user.

We’ll lay out the main functions of this utility:


## The `changeAccessRights` function ###

The **`changeAccessRights`** function will extend the `encrypt` function of the `PyPDF4` library by allowing us to specify the access rights to be applied on the PDF document. Let’s check this function:

- **Lines 18 and 19**: We initialize the owner password to the user password if not specified. 
- **Lines 23 to 30**: We set the length of the encryption key and specify the encryption algorithm. 
- **Line 33**: We specify the user permissions. 
- **Lines 36 to 38**: We compute the encryption key. 
- **Line 48**: We define an encryption dictionary for hosting the attributes relative to this process. 
- **Lines 52 to 66**: We fill the encryption dictionary with the relevant parameters. 
- **Lines 69-70**: We add the encryption dictionary to the PDF writer object `pdfWriter` supplied as a parameter. 

Learn how to apply permissions to a PDF file.

Applying Permissions to a PDF File

Introduction

PDF Management Core Functions

Pages Processing

Content Processing

Document Processing

Conclusion

Appendices

Applying Permissions to a PDF File

Introduction

Scope

Prerequisites

PyPDF4