How to add a link with python in one pdf to another pdf?

Question

I am trying to find a function that adds a link in a pdf page to another pdf page.

I have already tried to use:

addLink(pagenum, pagedest, rect, border=None, fit='/Fit', *args)

from pyPDF2, but it allows only an internal link (in the same pdf).

Does anybody have an idea? Maybe PyMuPDF?

This is the code for add_link in PyPdf2:

def add_link(
    self,
    pagenum: int,
    pagedest: int,
    rect: RectangleObject,
    border: Optional[ArrayObject] = None,
    fit: FitType = "/Fit",
    *args: ZoomArgType,
) -> None:
    """
    Add an internal link from a rectangular area to the specified page.

    :param int pagenum: index of the page on which to place the link.
    :param int pagedest: index of the page to which the link should go.
    :param rect: :class:`RectangleObject<PyPDF2.generic.RectangleObject>` or array of four
        integers specifying the clickable rectangular area
        ``[xLL, yLL, xUR, yUR]``, or string in the form ``"[ xLL yLL xUR yUR ]"``.
    :param border: if provided, an array describing border-drawing
        properties. See the PDF spec for details. No border will be
        drawn if this argument is omitted.
    :param str fit: Page fit or 'zoom' option (see below). Additional arguments may need
        to be supplied. Passing ``None`` will be read as a null value for that coordinate.

    .. list-table:: Valid ``zoom`` arguments (see Table 8.2 of the PDF 1.7 reference for details)
       :widths: 50 200

       * - /Fit
         - No additional arguments
       * - /XYZ
         - [left] [top] [zoomFactor]
       * - /FitH
         - [top]
       * - /FitV
         - [left]
       * - /FitR
         - [left] [bottom] [right] [top]
       * - /FitB
         - No additional arguments
       * - /FitBH
         - [top]
       * - /FitBV
         - [left]
    """
    pages_obj = cast(Dict[str, Any], self.get_object(self._pages))
    page_link = pages_obj[PA.KIDS][pagenum]
    page_dest = pages_obj[PA.KIDS][pagedest]  # TODO: switch for external link
    page_ref = cast(Dict[str, Any], self.get_object(page_link))

    border_arr: BorderArrayType
    if border is not None:
        border_arr = [NameObject(n) for n in border[:3]]
        if len(border) == 4:
            dash_pattern = ArrayObject([NameObject(n) for n in border[3]])
            border_arr.append(dash_pattern)
    else:
        border_arr = [NumberObject(0)] * 3

    if isinstance(rect, str):
        rect = NameObject(rect)
    elif isinstance(rect, RectangleObject):
        pass
    else:
        rect = RectangleObject(rect)

    zoom_args: ZoomArgsType = [
        NullObject() if a is None else NumberObject(a) for a in args
    ]
    dest = Destination(
        NameObject("/LinkName"), page_dest, NameObject(fit), *zoom_args
    )  # TODO: create a better name for the link

    lnk = DictionaryObject(
        {
            NameObject("/Type"): NameObject(PG.ANNOTS),
            NameObject("/Subtype"): NameObject("/Link"),
            NameObject("/P"): page_link,
            NameObject("/Rect"): rect,
            NameObject("/Border"): ArrayObject(border_arr),
            NameObject("/Dest"): dest.dest_array,
        }
    )
    lnk_ref = self._add_object(lnk)

    if PG.ANNOTS in page_ref:
        page_ref[PG.ANNOTS].append(lnk_ref)
    else:
        page_ref[NameObject(PG.ANNOTS)] = ArrayObject([lnk_ref])

Please provide enough code so others can better understand or reproduce the problem. — Community, Jul 22 '22 at 01:22
How do you think that would work? You can add a link to a URL, but what good is a filesystem link when you send the PDF to someone else? — Tim Roberts, Jul 30 '22 at 03:24
It's not for sending the pdf to someone. It's for linking many pdf files both each other and making an interactive file. — Sekar Ari-vinoth, Jul 31 '22 at 17:46

score 0 · Accepted Answer · answered Aug 03 '22 at 10:09

0

With PyMuPDF you can add links to PDF pages by page.insert_link(link). The argument is a dictionary containing the necessary information (like rectangle for the "hot area" and target information - like page number, other file, or executable).

You can also extract existing links - which returns the respective dictionary. Then use that return result to insert it somewhere else, after the necessary modifications.

answered Aug 03 '22 at 10:09

Jorj McKie

2,062
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1

I understand. The required link dictionary would then look something like this `{"kind": fitz.LINK_GOTOR, "from": (x0, y0, x1, y1), "to": (x, y), "page": n, "file": "filename"}`. The "from" rectangle is the hot area in the source file, "to" is either a point (x, y) on the target page, or a name (indirect reference) in wihich case "page" must be -1. If URL needs to be specified, "uri" instead of "file" must be chosen, and `fitz.LINK_URI` instead of `LINK_GOTOR`. – Jorj McKie Aug 04 '22 at 12:14

How to add a link with python in one pdf to another pdf?

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