How to change page of already open pdf in python

Question

I have the standard pdf link made to open a file to a specific ppage, but if the file is already open, the page doesn't change, the script just opens the already open file, how can I navigate within an open file? or as a workaround, notice that the file is open, close it, and the reopen it?

path_to_pdf = os.path.abspath(openfile)

path_to_acrobat = os.path.abspath('C:\Program Files (x86)\Adobe\Acrobat 10.0\Acrobat\Acrobat.exe')

process = subprocess.Popen([path_to_acrobat, '/A', 'page=' + page, path_to_pdf], shell=False, stdout=subprocess.PIPE)
process.wait()

score 2 · Accepted Answer · answered Jan 01 '14 at 15:12

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Sometimes it's not polite to kill other processes -- especially if your program is not the one that spawned it. In such a case you may prefer to simply launch another acrobat process. To do that on Windows, use the /n option:

process = subprocess.Popen([path_to_acrobat, '/n', '/A', 'page=' + page, path_to_pdf], shell=False, stdout=subprocess.PIPE)

answered Jan 01 '14 at 15:12

unutbu

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indeed, it depends on how the process have been created. I believe your approach perfectly fits the OP requirements (+1!) but, dear future reader, please be aware to not abuse of it (e.g. opening hundreds of pages by spawning a process each time) or you will get out of resources very soon. – furins Jan 01 '14 at 16:17

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Jan 01 '14 at 14:35

0

A PDF is static printed content, so in short you can't. You'd have to regenerate the pdf or handle incoming requests on the receiving side.

Possibly print the pdf with a key in the link and redirect from a landing page based on that key.

answered Jan 01 '14 at 14:35

meteorainer

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Please note that the OP not trying to open the pdf from a server. The OP is opening a local file starting a Acrobat instance. – furins Jan 01 '14 at 14:39

score 0 · Answer 3 · edited May 23 '17 at 12:02

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You may close the Acrobat instance (you may find the process using these approaches) and re-open the file at specific page

import psutils

path_to_pdf = os.path.abspath(openfile)
path_to_acrobat = os.path.abspath('C:\Program Files (x86)\Adobe\Acrobat 10.0\Acrobat\Acrobat.exe')

procs = [p for p in psutil.get_process_list() if p.name == 'Acrobat']  # you may be more selective here (e.g. per-user filter)
for proc in procs:
    proc.terminate()
gone, alive = wait_procs(procs, 3)
for proc in alive:
    proc.kill()  # using brute force here

process = subprocess.Popen([path_to_acrobat, '/A', 'page=' + page, path_to_pdf], shell=False, stdout=subprocess.PIPE)
process.wait()

edited May 23 '17 at 12:02

Community

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answered Jan 01 '14 at 14:42

furins

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this would be great if I could kill only the one specific pdf – user3084455 Jan 01 '14 at 15:46
you can. according to https://code.google.com/p/psutil/wiki/Documentation#Classes you can test `proc.cmdline` (that includes also the arguments) if it contains the filename, e.g. `proc.cmdline.find(openfile)` – furins Jan 01 '14 at 16:11

score 0 · Answer 4 · edited May 23 '17 at 12:25

Proper integration would require to remotely control acrobat - which is documented here : http://livedocs.adobe.com/acrobat_sdk/10/Acrobat10_HTMLHelp/wwhelp/wwhimpl/js/html/wwhelp.htm?&accessible=true

OLE automation can be done in python, there is even already an answer about that on SO : How do I script an OLE component using Python?

But for sure it's not a quick hack, you'll have to invest some time in learning windows-specific automation mechanisms and acrobat's API. But IMHO that's the most proper way to do it. And while I'm a big python supporter I would still think twice before using python in that case. I'm pretty sure more microsoft-specific tools and languages will allow you to solve this problem more quickly. What you want to do is not portable anyway.

How to change page of already open pdf in python

4 Answers4

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