Error opening output from PDF::API2

buckaduck has asked for the wisdom of the Perl Monks concerning the following question:

The very simple code below runs without errors, but the output file cannot be opened by Adobe:

use PDF::API2;
my $pdf = PDF::API2->open("test.pdf") or die $@;
$pdf->saveas("test2.pdf");
[download]

Adobe Standard 2017 gives this error when I try to open test2.pdf: "There was an error opening this document. There was a problem reading this document (14)." I tried it using a variety of different input PDF files; it makes no difference. I'm using a very recent installation of StrawberryPerl 5.28.1 on Win10, and the PDF::API2 module version 2.033.

buckaduck

Comment on Error opening output from PDF::API2 Download Code

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Re: Error opening output from PDF::API2 by snoopy (Curate) on May 08, 2019 at 00:46 UTC
Thanks for the code sample. I am able to replicate this problem, but on PDF 1.5+ files with cross reference streams only. PDF::API2 is attempting to do an incremental-update; i.e. doing a byte-copy of the entire file, then writing just an update section. One issue I can see is in the trailer. PDF::API writes: `xref 0 1 0000000000 65535 f trailer << /Type /XRef /DecodeParms << /Columns 4 /Predictor 12 >> /Filter /Fl +ateDecode /ID [ <0804b5bbf3a55e75ca368be05a5dbdf1> <49e68ac26e773d479 +329dad137f869c3> ] /Index [ 214 37 ] /Info 213 0 R /Length 86 /Prev 1 +16 /Root 215 0 R /Size 250 /W [ 1 2 1 ] >> startxref 106778 %%EOF` [download] But the format should be more like: `xref 0 1 0000000000 65535 f trailer << /ID [ <0804b5bbf3a55e75ca368be05a5dbdf1> <49e68ac26e773d479329dad13 +7f869c3> ] /Info 213 0 R /Prev 116 /Root 215 0 R /Size 250 >> startxref 106780 %%EOF` [download] It's leaving some irrelevant 1.5 entries in the file trailer (/Type, /Columns, /Predictor, /Filter, /Index, /Length /W ...) when writing a 1.4 format trailer. Could be other issues. Needs a ticket. I'll raise one when I get some clicks. In the short term you can try converting the PDF files to 1.4 and see if that helps. Update: The Perl 6 PDF module also has similar issues (I'm the author). I've raised a ticket there first. Update2: - hopefully fixed in Perl 6 - There is already an open ticket (with a proposed solution) in PDF::API2 that I missed earlier.	[reply] [d/l] [select]
Re^2: Error opening output from PDF::API2 by buckaduck (Chaplain) on May 09, 2019 at 01:56 UTC
Thanks, snoopy! Yes, if I convert the source PDF to 1.4 then it works! It's a nice workaround for now. buckaduck	[reply]


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