Python PDF form flattening

Question

How do I "flatten" a PDF-form? I have a PDF form which needs to be filled. I have a simple example where TEMP_FORM.pdf is the from and data_dict is the value to be filled in TEMP_FORM.pdf. The output file is saved as FORM1.pdf but is still editable I need flatten that file so that the value cannot be edited.

from PyPDF2 import PdfFileReader, PdfFileWriter

TEMPLATE_PATH = 'TEMP_FORM.pdf'
OUTPUT_PATH = 'FORM1.pdf'
data_dict = {
    'name': 'XYZ',
    'address': 'PQR',
    'email': 'xyz@gmail.com',
    'send_date': '2018-02-13',
    'due_date': '2018-03-13'
}

if __name__ == '__main__':
    input_file = PdfFileReader(open(TEMPLATE_PATH, "rb"))

    output_file = PdfFileWriter()
    output_file.addPage(input_file.getPage(0))
    output_file.updatePageFormFieldValues(output_file.getPage(0), data_dict)
    output_stream = open(OUTPUT_PATH, "wb")

    output_file.write(output_stream)
    output_stream.close()

Can you explain what you mean by 'flatten' here? Example inputs and outputs would be helpful. Thanks — Stefan, Mar 05 '19 at 12:56
When using a PDF fillable form, the user must lock or "flatten" the PDF document after completing the form fields to ensure the document can be viewed on all devices and to prevent other users from manipulating or editing the information. The document filed and stored in CM/ECF cannot be altered once it has been filed; however, flattening the form will prevent any user from saving the document and editing the form fields. — sabin shrestha, Mar 06 '19 at 03:27
I think this question needs some restructuring. The code example is about programmatically filling in a pdf form. But in your comment you're talking about a user editing the file, presumably manually. Stopping the user from saving a file is surely a property of the service the user is using? The documentation of PdfFileWriter: https://pythonhosted.org/PyPDF2/PdfFileWriter.html doesn't talk about locking files. There is a method for writing metadata though, might be what you're looking for? All-in-all, I think this question needs updating to be more specific. Thanks — Stefan, Mar 06 '19 at 09:22

ViaTech · Accepted Answer · 2019-04-25T19:39:53.757

Per the Adobe Docs, you can change the Bit Position of the Editable Form Fields to 1 to make them ReadOnly. I provided a full solution here, but it uses Django:

https://stackoverflow.com/a/55301804/8382028

Adobe Docs (page 552):

https://www.adobe.com/content/dam/acom/en/devnet/pdf/pdfs/pdf_reference_archives/PDFReference.pdf

Use PyPDF2 to fill the fields, then loop through the annotations and do this:

for j in range(0, len(output_file['/Annots'])):
    writer_annot = output_file['/Annots'][j].getObject()
    for field in data_dict: 
        if writer_annot.get('/T') == field:
            writer_annot.update({
                NameObject("/Ff"): NumberObject(1)   # make ReadOnly
            })

Python PDF form flattening

1 Answers1