Convert existing PDF to PDF/A

[Loïc]

Converting existing PDF to PDF/A using rasterization approach.

This method is suitable for bitmap based PDF Documents.

Advantages:

- Can convert any existing PDF to PDF/A compliant.
- For bitmap-based PDF, each original bitmap is kept "as is".
- Generated PDF size can be highly reduced if JBIG2 compression is used (for bitmap based PDF only).

Inconvenient:

- For vector content based PDF the quality is reduced and the file size will be probably dramatically higher.
- All layers of the PDF will be merged.
- Hidden text will be dropped.

Code: Select all

        Const DPI_RENDERING As Single = 200.0F
        Const RENDER_FORMS As Boolean = True

        Dim srcPDF As New GdPicturePDF
        Dim dstPDF As New GdPicturePDF
        Dim oGdPictureImaging As New GdPictureImaging

        If srcPDF.LoadFromFile("c:\test.pdf", False) = GdPictureStatus.OK Then
            dstPDF.NewPDF(True)
            For i As Integer = 1 To srcPDF.GetPageCount()
                srcPDF.SelectPage(i)
                Dim imageID As Integer = srcPDF.RenderPageToGdPictureImageEx(DPI_RENDERING, RENDER_FORMS)
                If imageID <> 0 Then
                    dstPDF.AddImageFromGdPictureImage(imageID, False, True)
                    oGdPictureImaging.ReleaseGdPictureImage(imageID)
                Else
                    MsgBox("error, can not render page: " + i.ToString() + ". Status: " + srcPDF.GetStat().ToString)
                End If
            Next
            dstPDF.SaveToFile("c:\newpdf.pdf")
            dstPDF.CloseDocument()
            srcPDF.CloseDocument()
        End If

[acl]

Does GDPicture have the capability of converting a PDF file into PDF/A? I know that it could be accomplished by rendering each page to a bitmap and then creating a new PDF out of them, but this approach has too many drawbacks to be usable.

[Gabriela]

Hello,

Just a quick update, that the direct conversion of existing PDF to PDF/A is already on our roadmap, but without any time frame yet. So stay tuned, we will keep you updated about any news.