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Elixir wrapper for the qpdf command-line tool with automatic binary management.

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# Qpdf Elixir Wrapper
[![CI](https://github.com/preciz/qpdf/actions/workflows/ci.yml/badge.svg)](https://github.com/preciz/qpdf/actions/workflows/ci.yml)
An Elixir wrapper for the [`qpdf`](https://github.com/qpdf/qpdf) command-line tool. It allows Elixir applications to interact with PDF files in-memory (as binaries) or directly from disk (`{:file, path}`) for operations such as page extraction, range selection, splitting, validation, and metadata inspection.
## Features
- **Flexible I/O & Zero-RAM Pipelines**: Accept in-memory `binary` or `{:file, path}` inputs. Run file-to-file operations (`{:file, path}` with `into: path`) directly on disk with zero BEAM heap overhead, or return the staged output as an in-memory binary.
- **Page Manipulation**: Merge, split, rotate, extract, and reorder pages or page ranges using native ranges, lists, or qpdf spec strings.
- **Watermarks & Layers**: Apply foreground stamps/overlays and background letterheads/stationery with page-targeting and repetition.
- **Optimization & Security**: Compress streams and object streams, linearize for Fast Web View, and manage encryption, passwords, and permissions.
- **Embedded Files & Geometry**: Embed, extract, list, and remove attachments (Factur-X / ZUGFeRD e-invoices, XML, CSV), and inspect page geometry, bounding boxes, and dimensions.
- **Zero-Setup Distribution**: Automatically downloads and extracts pre-built official `qpdf` binaries on Linux x86_64, or uses the system executable.
## Requirements
- Elixir `~> 1.19`
- Linux x86_64 (official AppImage automatically downloaded and extracted), or a system-installed `qpdf` binary (`brew install qpdf`, `apt install qpdf`, etc.) on other platforms.
## Installation
Add `:qpdf` to your list of dependencies in `mix.exs`:
```elixir
def deps do
[
{:qpdf, "~> 0.2.0"}
]
end
```
Then run `mix deps.get`.
### Automatic Binary Setup
No manual installation is required! On Linux x86_64, `qpdf` will automatically download and extract the official `qpdf` AppImage on first use (stored in `_build/qpdf-<version>/` under Mix, or `priv/native` in releases).
On Linux x86_64, the cached or automatically downloaded version takes precedence over a system-installed `qpdf` by default. Set `prefer_system_executable: true` to use the system executable first. An explicit `executable_path` or `QPDF_PATH` takes precedence over both.
Downloads are checked against a pinned SHA-256 **before execution**. Version `12.3.1` is pinned to the [official release checksum](https://github.com/qpdf/qpdf/releases/download/v12.3.1/qpdf-12.3.1.sha256). Other versions require an independently trusted digest supplied through `--sha256`, `Qpdf.Installer.install(sha256: digest)`, or `:appimage_sha256` configuration. Missing or mismatched checksums fail installation. Custom download URLs use the same verification. Already installed binaries are trusted; use `--force` to replace an older installation with a verified download.
If running on macOS or ARM Linux, `qpdf` will automatically detect and use your system-installed `qpdf` executable if present.
You can also pre-install or pre-cache the binary explicitly (for example, in your Dockerfile or CI build):
```bash
mix qpdf.install
```
Optional flags:
- `mix qpdf.install --if-missing` — Installs only if the executable is not already installed.
- `mix qpdf.install --version 12.3.1` — Installs the pinned default version.
- `mix qpdf.install --version VERSION --sha256 DIGEST` — Installs another version using a trusted SHA-256 digest.
- `mix qpdf.install --force` — Overwrites an existing installation.
### Configuration
You can configure the binary lookup behavior via environment variables or in your `config/config.exs`:
```bash
# Set custom binary location via environment variable (useful in Docker / CI)
export QPDF_PATH="/usr/bin/qpdf"
```
```elixir
# Or explicitly point to a system or custom binary in config
config :qpdf, executable_path: "/usr/bin/qpdf"
# Prefer a system-installed qpdf if available, falling back to auto-downloading the AppImage
config :qpdf, prefer_system_executable: true
# Specify a specific qpdf release version (default: "12.3.1")
config :qpdf, version: "12.3.1"
# Optional: custom cache base; installations use /var/cache/qpdf/qpdf-<version>
config :qpdf, storage_dir: "/var/cache/qpdf"
# For an unpinned version, provide its trusted 64-character SHA-256 hex digest
# config :qpdf, appimage_sha256: "..."
# Optional: custom base temporary directory for PDF processing and downloads (default: System.tmp_dir())
config :qpdf, tmp_dir: "/mnt/scratch"
```
## Errors and output handling
PDF operations return `{:error, reason}` for filesystem, executable startup, and automatic installation failures. Filesystem reasons are atoms such as `:eacces` or `:enotdir`; process startup failures use `{:command_failed, reason}`. Predicates retain their `boolean() | {:error, reason}` contract. `Qpdf.executable_path/0` and `Qpdf.Installer.ensure_executable!/0` explicitly raise on installation failure; use `Qpdf.Installer.ensure_executable/0` for a tuple result.
Generated PDFs are staged on disk. File destinations are staged beside the destination and atomically replaced after successful processing. Split outputs are installed one file at a time; an error can leave earlier completed pages in the destination directory. Attachment extraction requires a POSIX `sh` to capture binary stdout separately from diagnostics and returns `{:error, :shell_not_found}` if unavailable.
Page selections accept positive integers, nonempty lists and ranges, and qpdf strings such as `"1-z:even"`, `"r3-r1"`, and `"1-5,x3"`. Invalid selections return `{:error, :invalid_page_spec}`. A descending numeric range such as `5..1//-1` reverses those five pages; use `"z-1"` to reverse the entire document. Invalid encryption permissions return `{:error, :invalid_permission}`. Zero-page PDFs return `{:ok, 0}` from `page_count/1`, and unrecognized linearization output returns an error.
Page geometry rejects cyclic parent trees and inheritance chains of more than 256 objects. Paper-size matching allows a 0.5% deviation on each dimension.
## Usage
All operations accept either an in-memory `binary` (temporarily staged to disk for processing) or a file path `{:file, "path/to/doc.pdf"}`. Every generation and transformation function also accepts the `:into` option to write output directly into a target file without loading it into BEAM memory.
```elixir
# Inputs can be in-memory binaries:
pdf_binary = File.read!("document.pdf")
# ...or direct file references on disk (zero memory copying):
pdf_file = {:file, "document.pdf"}
# 1. Total page count (fast; reads page tree without extraction)
{:ok, count} = Qpdf.page_count(pdf_file)
IO.puts("Total pages: #{count}")
# 2. Extract specific pages or ranges
{:ok, page1} = Qpdf.pages(pdf_file, 1)
{:ok, chunk} = Qpdf.pages(pdf_file, 1..5)
{:ok, pages_1_3_5} = Qpdf.pages(pdf_file, [1, 3, 5])
{:ok, even_pages} = Qpdf.pages(pdf_file, "1-z:even")
# Extract directly to a file on disk (zero BEAM memory overhead)
{:ok, path} = Qpdf.pages(pdf_file, 1..3, into: "chapter1.pdf")
# 3. Merge multiple documents and selections
{:ok, merged} = Qpdf.merge([
pdf_file,
{{:file, "appendix.pdf"}, 1..3},
pdf_binary
])
# Merge disk-to-disk directly
{:ok, path} = Qpdf.merge([{:file, "part1.pdf"}, {:file, "part2.pdf"}], into: "final.pdf")
# 4. Watermarks and Letterheads (Overlay & Underlay)
# Apply a foreground watermark stamp across all pages
{:ok, stamped} = Qpdf.overlay(pdf_file, {:file, "stamp.pdf"}, repeat: true)
# Apply a digital letterhead background
{:ok, with_header} = Qpdf.underlay(pdf_file, {:file, "letterhead.pdf"}, repeat: true)
# 5. File size optimization and compression
{:ok, compressed} = Qpdf.optimize(pdf_file,
stream_data: :compress,
object_streams: :generate,
recompress_flate: true
)
# Optimize raster images with DCT (JPEG) recompression
{:ok, image_optimized} = Qpdf.optimize_images(pdf_file,
jpeg_quality: 80,
min_area: 10_000,
remove_unreferenced: true
)
# 6. Embedded Files and Attachments (Factur-X / ZUGFeRD)
# Embed an electronic invoice XML
{:ok, with_invoice} = Qpdf.add_attachment(pdf_file, xml_data,
key: "factur-x.xml",
filename: "factur-x.xml",
mimetype: "text/xml",
description: "Factur-X E-Invoice"
)
# List all embedded attachments
{:ok, attachments} = Qpdf.attachments(with_invoice)
# => [%{key: "factur-x.xml", filename: "factur-x.xml", mimetype: "text/xml", ...}]
# Extract an attachment directly to memory or a file
{:ok, xml_bytes} = Qpdf.extract_attachment(with_invoice, "factur-x.xml")
{:ok, path} = Qpdf.extract_attachment(with_invoice, "factur-x.xml", into: "invoice.xml")
# Remove an attachment
{:ok, cleaned} = Qpdf.remove_attachment(with_invoice, "factur-x.xml")
# 7. Page Geometry and Dimensions
# Inspect all pages
{:ok, dims} = Qpdf.dimensions(pdf_file)
# Inspect a single page
{:ok, page1_dim} = Qpdf.dimensions(pdf_file, 1)
IO.inspect(page1_dim.width) # => 595.28
IO.inspect(page1_dim.height) # => 841.89
IO.inspect(page1_dim.orientation) # => :portrait
IO.inspect(page1_dim.paper_size) # => "A4"
IO.inspect(page1_dim.box.media) # => [0.0, 0.0, 595.28, 841.89]
# 8. Rotate pages
{:ok, rotated_all} = Qpdf.rotate(pdf_file, 90)
{:ok, rotated_page2} = Qpdf.rotate(pdf_file, 180, 2)
# 9. Linearize for Fast Web View (HTTP streaming)
false = Qpdf.linearized?(pdf_file)
{:ok, web_pdf} = Qpdf.linearize(pdf_file)
true = Qpdf.linearized?(web_pdf)
# 10. Encrypt and decrypt
{:ok, secure_pdf} = Qpdf.encrypt(pdf_file,
user_password: "open",
owner_password: "admin",
print: :none,
extract: false
)
{:ok, plain_pdf} = Qpdf.decrypt(secure_pdf, password: "open")
# Validate passwords and check if password is required
true = Qpdf.requires_password?(secure_pdf)
true = Qpdf.password_valid?(secure_pdf, "open")
false = Qpdf.password_valid?(secure_pdf, "wrong")
# Inspect detailed encryption parameters (cipher, revision, permission flags)
{:ok, enc_info} = Qpdf.encryption_info(secure_pdf)
IO.inspect(enc_info.r) # => 6
IO.inspect(enc_info.stream_method) # => "AESv3"
IO.inspect(enc_info.permissions.print_high) # => false
# 11. Extract document metadata, outlines, and structural tree as JSON map
{:ok, metadata} = Qpdf.json(pdf_file)
IO.inspect(metadata["outlines"])
# 12. Split into pages or groups (to memory or disk directory)
{:ok, single_pages} = Qpdf.split_pages(pdf_binary)
{:ok, five_page_chunks} = Qpdf.split_pages(pdf_file, 5)
# Split directly into a destination directory without loading pages into memory
{:ok, page_paths} = Qpdf.split_pages(pdf_file, into: "/path/to/output_dir")
# 13. Check encryption and validity
false = Qpdf.encrypted?(pdf_file)
:ok = Qpdf.check(pdf_file)
# 14. Get vector of page sizes without loading page binaries into memory
{:ok, sizes} = Qpdf.page_size_vector(pdf_file)
IO.inspect(sizes) # e.g., [12345, 67890, ...]
# 15. Check installed qpdf binary version
{:ok, version} = Qpdf.bin_version()
IO.puts("Running qpdf #{version}")
```
## Running Tests
To run the test suite:
```bash
mix test
```
## License
This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the [LICENSE](LICENSE) file for details.