File size: 12,507 Bytes
55fbe5b | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 171 172 173 174 175 176 177 178 179 180 181 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 189 190 191 192 193 194 195 196 197 198 199 200 201 202 203 204 205 206 207 208 209 210 211 212 213 214 215 216 217 218 219 220 221 222 223 224 225 226 227 228 229 230 231 232 233 234 235 236 237 238 239 240 241 242 243 244 245 246 247 248 249 250 251 252 253 254 255 256 257 258 259 260 261 262 263 264 265 266 267 268 269 270 271 272 273 274 275 276 277 278 279 280 281 282 283 284 285 286 287 288 289 290 291 292 293 294 295 296 297 298 299 300 301 302 303 304 305 306 307 308 309 310 311 312 313 314 315 316 317 318 319 320 321 322 323 324 325 326 327 328 329 330 331 332 333 334 335 336 337 338 339 340 341 342 343 344 345 346 347 348 349 350 351 352 353 354 355 356 357 358 359 360 361 362 363 364 365 366 367 368 369 370 371 372 373 374 375 376 377 378 379 380 381 382 383 384 385 386 387 388 389 | ---
tags:
- pdf
- document-processing
- pdf-manipulation
- python
- cli
- automation
language:
- en
license: mit
library_name: pdf-manipulator
pipeline_tag: other
---
# PDF Manipulator
A comprehensive, single-file command-line toolkit for all PDF page manipulation operations. Merge, split, remove, rotate, crop, watermark, encrypt, number, reorder, and batch-process PDF files with a clean and intuitive CLI.
**Author:** algorembrant
---
## Features
| Feature | Command | Description |
|----------------------|------------------|-----------------------------------------------------|
| Merge PDFs | `merge` | Combine multiple PDFs into one, or interleave pages |
| Split PDF | `split` | Split into individual pages or page ranges |
| Remove Pages | `remove` | Remove one or more pages by number or range |
| Extract Pages | `extract` | Extract specific pages into a new PDF |
| Reorder Pages | `reorder` | Rearrange pages in any custom order |
| Rotate Pages | `rotate` | Rotate pages by 90, 180, or 270 degrees |
| Reverse Pages | `reverse` | Reverse the page order |
| Duplicate Pages | `duplicate` | Duplicate specific pages N times |
| Insert Blank Page | `insert-blank` | Insert blank page before or after a position |
| Insert PDF Pages | `insert` | Insert pages from another PDF at a position |
| Replace Pages | `replace` | Replace pages with pages from another PDF |
| Crop Pages | `crop` | Crop pages to a custom bounding box |
| Scale / Resize | `scale` | Scale pages by factor or resize to A4/letter |
| Watermark | `watermark` | Add text or PDF watermark to all pages |
| Stamp / Overlay | `stamp` | Overlay a stamp PDF on pages |
| Page Numbers | `number` | Add page numbers at any position |
| Encrypt | `encrypt` | Password-protect a PDF |
| Decrypt | `decrypt` | Remove password from a PDF |
| Metadata | `metadata` | View or edit PDF title, author, subject, keywords |
| Bookmarks | `bookmarks` | List or add bookmark/outline entries |
| Extract Text | `text` | Extract plain text from pages |
| Info / Inspect | `info` | Display page count, dimensions, and metadata |
| N-Up Layout | `nup` | Arrange multiple pages per sheet (2x1, 2x2, etc.) |
| Compress | `compress` | Losslessly compress PDF streams |
| Batch Remove | `batch-remove` | Remove pages from all PDFs in a directory |
| Batch Merge | `batch-merge` | Merge all PDFs in a directory into one |
| Batch Split | `batch-split` | Split all PDFs in a directory into pages |
---
## Requirements
- Python 3.9 or newer
- System dependency: **Poppler** (required for `nup` command only)
---
## Installation
### 1. Clone the Repository
```bash
git clone https://github.com/algorembrant/pdf-manipulator.git
cd pdf-manipulator
```
### 2. Install Python Dependencies
```bash
pip install -r requirements.txt
```
### 3. Install Poppler (Required for N-Up Layout)
The `nup` command uses `pdf2image`, which requires Poppler to be installed on your system.
| Platform | Install Command |
|--------------|-------------------------------------------------------|
| Ubuntu/Debian| `sudo apt-get install -y poppler-utils` |
| macOS | `brew install poppler` |
| Windows | Download from https://github.com/oschwartz10612/poppler-windows/releases and add `bin/` to your PATH |
If you do not need the `nup` command, Poppler is not required.
---
## Usage
### Page Range Syntax
| Syntax | Meaning |
|----------|-------------------------------------|
| `3` | Page 3 only |
| `1,3,5` | Pages 1, 3, and 5 |
| `2-5` | Pages 2 through 5 inclusive |
| `1,3-5,7`| Pages 1, 3, 4, 5, and 7 |
Pages are always 1-indexed (first page = 1).
---
### Step-by-Step Guide
#### Merge PDFs
```bash
# Merge two or more PDFs in order
python pdf_manipulator.py merge -i file1.pdf file2.pdf file3.pdf -o merged.pdf
# Interleave pages (page 1 from file1, page 1 from file2, page 2 from file1, ...)
python pdf_manipulator.py merge -i file1.pdf file2.pdf -o interleaved.pdf --interleave
```
#### Split PDF
```bash
# Split into individual pages (saved to a directory)
python pdf_manipulator.py split -i input.pdf -o ./split_pages
# Extract a range of pages into a single file
python pdf_manipulator.py split -i input.pdf -o ./split_pages --range 1-5
python pdf_manipulator.py split -i input.pdf -o ./split_pages --range 2,4,6
```
#### Remove Pages
```bash
# Remove page 3
python pdf_manipulator.py remove -i input.pdf -o output.pdf --pages 3
# Remove multiple pages
python pdf_manipulator.py remove -i input.pdf -o output.pdf --pages 1,3,5
# Remove a range of pages
python pdf_manipulator.py remove -i input.pdf -o output.pdf --pages 2-5
# Remove mixed selection
python pdf_manipulator.py remove -i input.pdf -o output.pdf --pages 1,3-5,7
```
#### Extract Pages
```bash
# Extract pages 1-3 into a new PDF
python pdf_manipulator.py extract -i input.pdf -o output.pdf --pages 1-3
# Extract specific pages
python pdf_manipulator.py extract -i input.pdf -o output.pdf --pages 2,4,6
```
#### Reorder Pages
```bash
# Place page 3 first, then page 1, then page 2, then page 4
python pdf_manipulator.py reorder -i input.pdf -o output.pdf --order 3,1,2,4
```
#### Rotate Pages
```bash
# Rotate all pages 90 degrees clockwise
python pdf_manipulator.py rotate -i input.pdf -o output.pdf --angle 90
# Rotate only pages 1 and 3 by 180 degrees
python pdf_manipulator.py rotate -i input.pdf -o output.pdf --angle 180 --pages 1,3
# Rotate pages 2-4 by 270 degrees
python pdf_manipulator.py rotate -i input.pdf -o output.pdf --angle 270 --pages 2-4
```
#### Reverse Page Order
```bash
python pdf_manipulator.py reverse -i input.pdf -o output.pdf
```
#### Duplicate Pages
```bash
# Duplicate page 2 so it appears 3 times in a row
python pdf_manipulator.py duplicate -i input.pdf -o output.pdf --pages 2 --times 3
```
#### Insert Blank Pages
```bash
# Insert a blank page after page 2
python pdf_manipulator.py insert-blank -i input.pdf -o output.pdf --after 2
# Insert a blank page before page 1
python pdf_manipulator.py insert-blank -i input.pdf -o output.pdf --before 1
```
#### Insert Pages from Another PDF
```bash
# Insert all pages from extra.pdf after page 3 of base.pdf
python pdf_manipulator.py insert -i base.pdf --insert-file extra.pdf -o output.pdf --after 3
# Insert before page 2
python pdf_manipulator.py insert -i base.pdf --insert-file extra.pdf -o output.pdf --before 2
```
#### Replace Pages
```bash
# Replace page 2 of base.pdf with page 1 of new.pdf
python pdf_manipulator.py replace -i base.pdf --replace-file new.pdf -o output.pdf --pages 2 --replace-pages 1
```
#### Crop Pages
```bash
# Crop all pages (coordinates in PDF points: left,bottom,right,top)
python pdf_manipulator.py crop -i input.pdf -o output.pdf --box "50,50,500,700"
# Crop only pages 1-3
python pdf_manipulator.py crop -i input.pdf -o output.pdf --box "50,50,500,700" --pages 1-3
```
#### Scale / Resize Pages
```bash
# Scale all pages to 50% of original size
python pdf_manipulator.py scale -i input.pdf -o output.pdf --factor 0.5
# Resize all pages to A4
python pdf_manipulator.py scale -i input.pdf -o output.pdf --to-size A4
# Resize to US Letter
python pdf_manipulator.py scale -i input.pdf -o output.pdf --to-size letter
```
#### Add Watermark
```bash
# Add a text watermark with defaults (red diagonal, 15% opacity)
python pdf_manipulator.py watermark -i input.pdf -o output.pdf --text "CONFIDENTIAL"
# Custom opacity and angle
python pdf_manipulator.py watermark -i input.pdf -o output.pdf --text "DRAFT" --opacity 0.3 --angle 45
# Use a PDF file as watermark
python pdf_manipulator.py watermark -i input.pdf -o output.pdf --watermark-pdf wm.pdf
```
#### Stamp / Overlay
```bash
# Overlay stamp.pdf on all pages
python pdf_manipulator.py stamp -i input.pdf -o output.pdf --stamp-pdf stamp.pdf
# Overlay on page 1 only
python pdf_manipulator.py stamp -i input.pdf -o output.pdf --stamp-pdf stamp.pdf --pages 1
```
#### Add Page Numbers
```bash
# Add page numbers at bottom center (default)
python pdf_manipulator.py number -i input.pdf -o output.pdf
# Custom position and starting number
python pdf_manipulator.py number -i input.pdf -o output.pdf --position bottom-right --start 1
# Custom format string
python pdf_manipulator.py number -i input.pdf -o output.pdf --position top-right --format "Page {n}"
```
Available positions: `bottom-center`, `bottom-left`, `bottom-right`, `top-center`, `top-left`, `top-right`
#### Encrypt / Decrypt
```bash
# Encrypt with a user password
python pdf_manipulator.py encrypt -i input.pdf -o output.pdf --user-pass mypassword
# Encrypt with both user and owner password
python pdf_manipulator.py encrypt -i input.pdf -o output.pdf --user-pass mypassword --owner-pass ownerpassword
# Decrypt / remove password
python pdf_manipulator.py decrypt -i encrypted.pdf -o decrypted.pdf --password mypassword
```
#### Metadata
```bash
# View metadata
python pdf_manipulator.py metadata -i input.pdf
# Set metadata fields
python pdf_manipulator.py metadata -i input.pdf -o output.pdf \
--set-title "Annual Report 2024" \
--set-author "algorembrant" \
--set-subject "Finance" \
--set-keywords "annual,report,finance"
```
#### Bookmarks / Outline
```bash
# List all bookmarks
python pdf_manipulator.py bookmarks -i input.pdf
# Add bookmarks
python pdf_manipulator.py bookmarks -i input.pdf -o output.pdf \
--add "Introduction:1,Chapter 1:3,Chapter 2:8"
```
#### Extract Text
```bash
# Print text from all pages
python pdf_manipulator.py text -i input.pdf
# Extract text from pages 1-3 and save to file
python pdf_manipulator.py text -i input.pdf --pages 1-3 -o extracted.txt
```
#### PDF Info
```bash
python pdf_manipulator.py info -i input.pdf
```
#### N-Up Layout (Requires Poppler)
```bash
# 2 pages side-by-side on one sheet
python pdf_manipulator.py nup -i input.pdf -o output.pdf --layout 2x1
# 4 pages in a 2x2 grid on one sheet
python pdf_manipulator.py nup -i input.pdf -o output.pdf --layout 2x2
```
#### Compress
```bash
python pdf_manipulator.py compress -i input.pdf -o output.pdf
```
#### Batch Operations
```bash
# Remove page 1 (e.g. cover page) from all PDFs in a directory
python pdf_manipulator.py batch-remove --dir ./pdfs --pages 1 --suffix _no_cover
# Merge all PDFs in a directory into one
python pdf_manipulator.py batch-merge --dir ./pdfs -o merged_all.pdf
# Split all PDFs in a directory into individual pages
python pdf_manipulator.py batch-split --dir ./pdfs --out-dir ./split_output
```
---
## Notes
- All page numbers are 1-indexed (first page is page 1).
- The `nup` command requires Poppler to be installed on your system.
- For encrypted PDFs, use the `--password` flag with any command that reads them (decrypt first, or add password support per command as needed).
- Output directories are created automatically if they do not exist.
---
## License
MIT License. See [LICENSE](LICENSE) for details.
---
## Author
**algorembrant**
|