app.pdf - PDF Operations API

PDF file info retrieval, text extraction, merging, splitting, and image export.

Basic Info

app.pdf.info(path)

Get PDF file information.

Parameters:

• path (string) - PDF file path

Returns: table, error - {pageCount, title?, author?, subject?, creator?, keywords?}

local info, err = app.pdf.info("/path/to/document.pdf")
if info then
    app.log.info("Page count: " .. info.pageCount)
    app.log.info("Title: " .. (info.title or "None"))
end

app.pdf.getText(path, page?)

Extract text content from a PDF.

Parameters:

• path (string) - PDF file path
• page (number, optional) - page number (starting from 1). Omit to extract all pages

Returns: string, error

-- Extract all text
local text, err = app.pdf.getText("/path/to/document.pdf")

-- Extract page 3
local text, err = app.pdf.getText("/path/to/document.pdf", 3)

Merge and Split

app.pdf.merge(paths, outputPath)

Merge multiple PDF files.

Parameters:

• paths (array) - array of PDF file paths (at least 2)
• outputPath (string) - output file path

Returns: boolean, error

local ok, err = app.pdf.merge({
    "/path/to/doc1.pdf",
    "/path/to/doc2.pdf",
    "/path/to/doc3.pdf"
}, "/path/to/merged.pdf")

app.pdf.split(path, outputDir, range?)

Split a PDF file.

Parameters:

• path (string) - PDF file path
• outputDir (string) - output directory
• range (string, optional) - page range (e.g., "1-3,5,7-9", starting from 1). Omit to create one file per page

Returns: boolean, error

-- One file per page
app.pdf.split("/path/to/doc.pdf", "/path/to/output/")
-- Produces: doc_page1.pdf, doc_page2.pdf, ...

-- Split by specified range
app.pdf.split("/path/to/doc.pdf", "/path/to/output/", "1-3,5,7-9")
-- Produces: doc_1-3.pdf, doc_5.pdf, doc_7-9.pdf

app.pdf.extractPages(path, outputPath, pages)

Extract specified pages to a new PDF.

Parameters:

• path (string) - source PDF file path
• outputPath (string) - output file path
• pages (string) - page range (e.g., "1-3,5,7-9", starting from 1)

Returns: boolean, error

app.pdf.extractPages("/path/to/doc.pdf", "/path/to/extract.pdf", "1-5,10")

Image Export

app.pdf.toImages(path, outputDir, options?)

Export PDF pages as images.

Parameters:

• path (string) - PDF file path
• outputDir (string) - output directory
• options (table, optional):
  • format (string) - image format: "png" (default), "jpg", "tiff", "gif", "bmp"
  • dpi (number) - resolution (default 150)
  • pages (string) - page range (e.g., "1-3"). Omit to export all pages

Returns: boolean, error

-- Export all pages as PNG
app.pdf.toImages("/path/to/doc.pdf", "/path/to/images/")

-- High-resolution JPEG, specific pages
app.pdf.toImages("/path/to/doc.pdf", "/path/to/images/", {
    format = "jpg",
    dpi = 300,
    pages = "1-5"
})

Examples

PDF Merge Tool

function MyPlugin:handleMergePDF(context)
    local pdfFiles = {}
    for _, file in ipairs(context.selectedFiles) do
        if app.path.extension(file) == "pdf" then
            table.insert(pdfFiles, file)
        end
    end

    if #pdfFiles < 2 then
        app.dialog.alert("Note", "Please select at least 2 PDF files")
        return
    end

    local outputPath = app.path.join(context.currentDirectory, "merged.pdf")
    local ok, err = app.pdf.merge(pdfFiles, outputPath)
    if ok then
        app.notification.show("Done", "Merged " .. #pdfFiles .. " PDFs")
        app.finder.reveal(outputPath)
    else
        app.dialog.alert("Error", err or "Merge failed")
    end
end