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Version: Version 1.7

Get started with Python

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

tip

Try the Pdftools SDK without a license key.

info

The Python interface wraps the Pdftools SDK 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 code example. The Pdf2ImgSimple example converts a PDF file to an image. Use similar steps to run any other code example from the sdk-examples-python repository.

Clone and run the sample​

  1. Clone the sdk-examples-python repository:

    git clone https://github.com/pdf-tools/sdk-examples-python.git

  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. Navigate to the Pdf2ImgSimple code example:

    cd sdk-examples-python/Pdf2ImgSimple

  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 example takes:

  • The input and output files 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 next 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. Clone the sdk-examples-python repository and navigate to any sample directory.

  3. Review the README.md file with usage details. Every code example 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. In the sdk-examples-python repository, navigate to a sample directory. For example: sdk-examples-python/Decrypt.
  2. Open the decrypt.py file, and then copy its imports to the header of your Python code.

Initialize the SDK​

tip

Try the Pdftools SDK without a license key.

Without a license key, output files carry a watermark. To remove the watermark, initialize the Pdftools SDK with your license key with the following steps:

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

  2. Uncomment the following method, and then replace the YOUR_LICENSE_KEY with the value of your license key:

    # Sdk.initialize("YOUR_LICENSE_KEY")

    Use the license key in the same format you copied it. Include the less-than (<) and greater-than (>) signs.

Try it without license key

Without a license key, output files carry a watermark. For more information, review Pdftools SDK license management. Without a valid license key, the output files carry a watermark. Contact the Pdftools sales team through the Contact page to get a full license.

tip

Find other code examples that show you how to implement specific use cases with the Pdftools SDK using Python. See our Code samples page. The samples include: