Script to Add Blank Page

[bcooney]

I'm dizzy after reading java forum posts. I just need a new ScriptMaster script that adds a blank pdf page to an existing pdf. If anyone has such a ScriptMaster script, I would be very grateful if you'd share.

[Valentin]

I could probably give an estimate for such a module, if you're interested.

[Tim Anderson]

How about have a blank, 1 page pdf stored somewhere and add that to your pdf? Matt Petrowsky describes how Here - using ScriptMaster

[bcooney]

@Tim - Yes, that's my fallback position.

@Valentin - Can you provide an estimate for two things:

1. A running footer with text from field and Page X of Y.

2. The function to add a blank page.

You can PT me with the estimate. Thanks, Barbara

[andries]

why don't you give the iText library a shot?

There are functions to add blank pages, footers, headers, ...

Thanks to this post I started to look for PDF manipulation, and found this nice library. I think it is worth a try. However I didn't find the exact solution yet, but I know there exists a function addPage(), so this should do the trick no.

[bcooney]

No, it won't do the trick if you can't write java scripts!

Yes, it's all possible with iText and Scriptmaster. I'm hoping someone out there has built these ScriptMaster modules.

[andries]

this does the trick... (however very primitive as I am also a Java noob) but I hope it helps !

This function takes three arguments:

OrginalPDF: Path to Original pdf

newPDF: Path where to save the new PDF with the blank page (I did not find a way to overwrite the current file...)

PageNumber: where you want the blank page to be inserted

RegisterGroovy( "AddBlankPageExistingPDF( OriginalPDF ; newPDF ; PNumber )" ; "import java.io.FileOutputStream;¶

import java.io.IOException;¶

import com.itextpdf.text.Rectangle;¶

¶

¶

import com.itextpdf.text.pdf.PdfReader;¶

import com.itextpdf.text.pdf.PdfStamper;  ¶

¶

//Create reader and stamper¶

PdfReader reader = new PdfReader(OriginalPDF);¶

PdfStamper stamper = new PdfStamper(reader,new FileOutputStream(newPDF));¶

¶

//Grab the page size of the first page of the original document¶

reader.getPageSize(1);¶

¶

//Convert the location to integer¶

int PageNumber = Integer.parseInt(PNumber);¶

¶

//Create new page¶

Rectangle newPage = reader.getPageSize(1);¶

¶

//Insert new page¶

stamper.insertPage(PageNumber,newPage);¶

¶

//Close document¶

stamper.close();" )

Good luck !

Edited December 19, 2009 by Guest
changed code

[bcooney]

Thanks for this. However, I can't get this to work. If I try to create a custom function with it, FM won't allow a parameter named PageNumber.

Do you have a sample demo file?

[andries]

You are right, I changed the parameter name to pNumber.

This is a demo for Mac. It creates two PDFs on your dekstop:

pdfFM.pdf -> the pdf created by FileMaker

pdfSM.pdf -> the pdf with a blank page between page one and three.

I think you have to work on the Unix paths in the PrintPDF script to make it work on a Windows machine. The function only accepts Unix paths.

AddBlankPage_SM.fp7.zip

Edited December 17, 2009 by Guest

[bcooney]

Andries, thank you. Unix paths? Are they at all similar to OS paths?

[andries]

well I can explain this for a mac -).

"file:/Macintosh HD/Users/User/test.pdf" is a valid FileMaker path. The equivalent Unix path is: "/../Users/User/test.pdf" (I do this just before I execute the AddBlankPage function).

On a PC I think it is sufficient to replace all the "" with "/" and remove the "file:", which is typically FileMaker. But I am not sure (at all).

Does the example file work on your mac?

[bcooney]

No, the example file doesn't work on my iMac.

I use Petrowsky's CF to convert FM paths to OS paths, since his catPDF function also requires OS paths (all iText functions do, afaik).

I see that you have converted FM paths to OS paths in your scripts. I even tried modifying the scripts to use Matt's CFs, but I still get an error at the AddBlank step.

You know, I have this love/hate relationship with iText at this point. When it works, it's a thing of beauty, but not knowing Java is so frustrating. The code is very approachable, but given our immediate need to "get this done" it is so frustrating!

I appreciate you help very much.

[andries]

ok you are right... this is not working 100%, actually only on on my machine...

I will do some testing next week and come back to you...

But actually everything works, it are just those two paths that are blocking the whole thing... if you find a solution please let me know ( and if it also works on Windows machines that would be even better ).

I found out that if I send /../Users/User/Desktop/test.pdf it works... but of course that is because my user account is called "User".

[andries]

now I create the following path ( I am really struggling with those paths... I would like someone to explain me all the different filepaths that exist... -) )

I was trying to substitute "Macintosh HD", which I thought was the same for every Mac, which is obviously not... but I found out by adding "/Volumes/" it actually works without any modification to the path... this is of course only on a Mac.

/Volumes/SystemDrive/Rest of path

here is another example file...

AddBlankPage_SM.fp7.zip

[bcooney]

OK. Got it working. I've used Matt's CF to convert the FM paths to OS paths.

This is terrific, thank you!

See attachment.

AddBlankPage_SM2.fp7.zip

[andries]

thanks for the custom function! Nice to have -)

Glad I could help you.

[bcooney]

Have you ventured into adding bookmarks or footers? (She says, getting greedy).

[andries]

I am a weekend at the seaside, so it will be for next week.

[john renfrew]

That is because you can not save the file over the one that is still open in the reader...

See iText documentation for further details

[john renfrew]

Updated the example to add a blank page at the end of the PDF.

RegisterGroovy( "AddBlankPageEndExistingPDF( OriginalPDF ; newPDF )" ; "import java.io.FileOutputStream;¶

import java.io.IOException;¶

import com.itextpdf.text.Rectangle;¶

¶

¶

import com.itextpdf.text.pdf.PdfReader;¶

import com.itextpdf.text.pdf.PdfStamper;  ¶

¶

//Create reader and stamper¶

PdfReader reader = new PdfReader(OriginalPDF);¶

PdfStamper stamper = new PdfStamper(reader,new FileOutputStream(newPDF));¶

¶

//Grab the page size of the first page of the original document¶

reader.getPageSize(1);¶

¶

//Finds total page numbers, then adds 1¶

int PageNumber = reader.getNumberOfPages() + 1;¶

¶

//Create new page¶

Rectangle newPage = reader.getPageSize(1);¶

¶

//Insert new page¶

stamper.insertPage(PageNumber,newPage);¶

¶

//Close document¶

stamper.close();" )