new
PDF::API2::Simple->new(
'file' => 'output.txt',
'width' => 612,
'height' => 792,
'line_height' => 10,
'margin_left' => 20,
'margin_top' => 20,
'margin_right' => 20,
'margin_bottom' => 50,
'width_right' => 0,
'height_bottom' => 0,
'effective_width' => 0,
'effective_height' => 0,
'header' => undef,
'footer' => undef,
);
Creates a new PDF::API2::Simple instance. A good strategy is to create a new object for each pdf file you
want to create. That is, of course, up to you.
• file - The PDF file you want to write to. No default, parameter required
• width - The width of the PDF file. Defaults to 612, the 8 1/2 x 11 US Letter width
• height - The height of the PDF file. Defaults to 792, the 8 1/2 x 11 US Letter height
• line_height - The standard height you want to define for lines. The default is 10
• margin_left - The amount of margin space you want on the left side. Of course, you can specify
whatever coordniates you want. Default is 20
• margin_top - The amount of margin space you want on the top of each page. Default is 20
• margin_right - The amount of margin space you want of the right side of each page. Default is 20
• margin_bottom - The amount of margin space you want on the bottom of each page. Default is 50
• width_right - A convenience property that contains the furthest x of the page, accounting for the
margins specified
• height_bottom - A convenience property that contains the largest "y" of the page, accounting for the
bottom margin
• effective_width - A convenience property that contains the width of the page, after the left and
right margin have been accounted for
• effective_height - A convenience property that contains the height of the page, after the top and
bottom margin have been accounted for
• header - This "CODE" reference will be called everytime a page is appended to the PDF, allowing you
to specifiy a header for your pages
• footer - This "CODE" reference will be called everytime a page is ended, allowing you to specifiy a
footer for your pages
open
PDF::API2::Simple->open(
'open_file' => 'my_pdf.pdf',
'open_page' => 1, # Default is 1.
# Any other options to new.
);
This method opens an existing PDF for editing. You can include any other arguments that are valid for
"new" and they will be set in the resulting object.
SpaceManagement
The following methods help you to manage the space on each page of your PDF.
next_line_would_extend_page
Returns a true value if the current "y" minus "line_height" would write past the bottom margin.
would_extend_page"theoretical_y"
Returns a true value if the "theoretical_y" would write past the bottom margin.
next_line
Reduces the current "y" by "line_height".
add_page
Closes the current page, resets the "x" and "y" values to thier default coordinates, and calls the header
callback, if specified. This method may be called for in, such as if your autoflow text wraps over a
page.
end_page
Closes the current page, and calls the footer callback, if specified. This method is usually called for
you.
GeneralManagement
These methods help you manage the PDF itself
add_font"font_name"
This method will add a font to be used throughout the PDF. You "MUST" call this at least once before
laying out your PDF. "font_name" is a font name, such as 'Arial', or 'Verdana'. Appending 'Bold' seems to
make the text bold, as in 'VerdanaBold'. Refer to PDF::API2 for more details.
You can optionally pass a font object and font size if you have loaded an external font.
my $font_obj = $pdf->pdf->ttfont('new_font.ttf');
$pdf->add_font('NewFont', $font_obj, '12');
Refer to PDF::API2 for the various font methods, like "ttfont", available.
set_font"font_name"[,"pt"]
Set the current font by name, and optionally a font size.
as_string
An alias for the stringify method
stringify
Ends the current page, and returns the pdf as a string
save["file"]
End the current page, and save the document to the file argument, or the file specified when instaniating
the object. If not suitable file can be found to save in, a "Carp::croak" is emitted. Aliases for this
method are "saveas" and "save_as".
Layout
These methods modify the actual layout of the PDF. Note that most of these methods set some internal
state. Most often, the last "x" and "y" are set after the rendered object.
Most times, underscores may be stripped and the arguments will still work, such as is the difference
between "fill_color", and "fillcolor".
popup"text"[,%opts]
Creates a 25x25 box at "opts{x}" (or the current "x"), "opts{y}" (or the current "y") to represent an
annotation at that point. The user may then click that icon for a full annotation.
url
This is an alias for the "link" method.
link"url","text"[,%opts]
Specifies a link to "url", having "text". %opts may contain:
• "x" - The x position of the link. Defaults to "x".
• "y" - The y position of the link. Defaults to "y".
• "limit" - The amount to "limit" the text. This will add an ellipis (...) a few characters from the
end if the text length is greater than this numerical value. Defaults to 0, which is to mean "do not
limit".
• "align" - Which alignment you want for your text. The choices are 'left', 'center', and 'right'.
Defaults to 'left'.
• "font" - Specifies via font name, the font to use. This sets the current font.
• "font_size" - Specifies the font size. This sets the current font size.
• "fill_color" - Specifies the fill color. This sets the current fill color.
• "stroke_color" - Specifies the stroke color. This sets the current stroke color.
This method returns the width of the text.
text"text"[,%opts]
Renders text onto the PDF.
• "x" - The x position of the link. Defaults to "x".
• "y" - The y position of the link. Defaults to "y".
• "limit" - The amount to "limit" the text. This will add an ellipis (...) a few characters from the
end if the text length is greater than this numerical value. Defaults to 0, which is to mean "do not
limit".
• "align" - Which alignment you want for your text. The choices are 'left', 'center', and 'right'.
Defaults to 'left'.
• "autoflow" - Any value but 'off' will notify this method to use "autoflowing" heuristics to
gracefully wrap your text over lines and pages. Useful for variable length text. Note that due to
laziness, this option is mutually exclusive with "limit".
• "font" - Specifies via font name, the font to use. This sets the current font.
• "font_size" - Specifies the font size. This sets the current font size.
• "fill_color" - Specifies the fill color. This sets the current fill color.
• "stroke_color" - Specifies the stroke color. This sets the current stroke color.
If "autoflow" was not specified, this method returns the width of the text in scalar context, the
bounding box of the text in list context. In autoflow mode, this method returns nothing.
image"src"[,%opts]
Renders an image onto the PDF. The following image types are supported: JPG, TIFF, PNM, PNG, GIF, and
PDF. Note that the module determines the image type by file extension.
• "x" - The x position of the link. Defaults to "x".
• "y" - The y position of the link. Defaults to "y".
• "width" - The width of the image. Defaults to 100.
• "height" - The height of the image. Defaults to 100.
• "scale" - Amount to scale the image. Defaults to 1. (only available for PDF types)
line[,%opts]
Renders a line onto the PDF.
• "x" - The x position of the line. Defaults to "x".
• "y" - The y position of the line. Defaults to "y".
• "to_x" - The x position where to draw the line to.
• "to_y" - The y position where to draw the line to.
• "fill_color" - Specifies the fill color. This sets the current fill color. Defaults to
"current_fill_color".
• "stroke_color" - Specifies the stroke color. This sets the current stroke color. Defaults to
"current_stroke_color".
• "width" - Specifies the width of the line. Defaults to 0.5.
rect[,%opts]
Renders a rectangle onto the PDF. Rectangles are usually drawn specifying two coordinates diagonal from
each other. (5, 5) to (30, 30) for example, would produce a 25 x 25 square.
• "x" - The x position of the rect. Defaults to "x".
• "y" - The y position of the rect. Defaults to "y".
• "to_x" - The x position where to draw the rect to.
• "to_y" - The y position where to draw the rect to.
• "stroke" - A value of 'on', 'true', or 'yes' will enable the stroke. Defaults to 'on'.
• "fill" - A value of 'on', 'true', or 'yes' will enable the fill. Defaults to 'off'.
• "fill_color" - Specifies the fill color. This sets the current fill color. Defaults to
"current_fill_color".
• "stroke_color" - Specifies the stroke color. This sets the current stroke color. Defaults to
"current_stroke_color".
• "width" - Specifies the width of the line. Defaults to 0.5.
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