Redact PDFs - C++ Sample Code

Requirements
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Sample code for using Apryse SDK to remove potentially sensitive content within PDF documents. Using 'pdftron.PDF.Redactor' makes sure that if a portion of an image, text, or vector graphics is contained in a redaction region, that portion is destroyed and is not simply hidden with clipping or image masks. Sample code provided in Python, C++, C#, Java, Node.js (JavaScript), PHP, Ruby and VB.

Implementation steps

To redact files with Apryse Server SDK:

Step 1: Follow get started with Server SDK in your preferred language or framework
Step 2: Add the sample code provided in this guide

To use this feature in production, your license key will need the Redaction Package. Trial keys already include all packages.

Learn more about our Server SDK.

1//---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2// Copyright (c) 2001-2024 by Apryse Software Inc. All Rights Reserved.
3// Consult legal.txt regarding legal and license information.
4//---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5
6#include <PDF/PDFNet.h>
7#include <PDF/PDFDoc.h>
8#include <PDF/Redactor.h>
9
10#include <iostream>
11#include <vector>
12#include "../../LicenseKey/CPP/LicenseKey.h"
13
14using namespace std;
15
16using namespace pdftron;
17using namespace Common;
18using namespace SDF;
19using namespace PDF;
20
21// PDF Redactor is a separately licensable Add-on that offers options to remove
22// (not just covering or obscuring) content within a region of PDF.
23// With printed pages, redaction involves blacking-out or cutting-out areas of
24// the printed page. With electronic documents that use formats such as PDF,
25// redaction typically involves removing sensitive content within documents for
26// safe distribution to courts, patent and government institutions, the media,
27// customers, vendors or any other audience with restricted access to the content.
28//
29// The redaction process in PDFNet consists of two steps:
30//
31// a) Content identification: A user applies redact annotations that specify the
32// pieces or regions of content that should be removed. The content for redaction
33// can be identified either interactively (e.g. using 'pdftron.PDF.PDFViewCtrl'
34// as shown in PDFView sample) or programmatically (e.g. using 'pdftron.PDF.TextSearch'
35// or 'pdftron.PDF.TextExtractor'). Up until the next step is performed, the user
36// can see, move and redefine these annotations.
37// b) Content removal: Using 'pdftron.PDF.Redactor.Redact()' the user instructs
38// PDFNet to apply the redact regions, after which the content in the area specified
39// by the redact annotations is removed. The redaction function includes number of
40// options to control the style of the redaction overlay (including color, text,
41// font, border, transparency, etc.).
42//
43// PDFTron Redactor makes sure that if a portion of an image, text, or vector graphics
44// is contained in a redaction region, that portion of the image or path data is
45// destroyed and is not simply hidden with clipping or image masks. PDFNet API can also
46// be used to review and remove metadata and other content that can exist in a PDF
47// document, including XML Forms Architecture (XFA) content and Extensible Metadata
48// Platform (XMP) content.
49
50static void Redact(const string& input, const string& output, const vector<Redactor::Redaction>& vec, Redactor::Appearance app)
51{
52 PDFDoc doc(input);
53 if (doc.InitSecurityHandler()) {
54 Redactor::Redact(doc, vec, app, false, true);
55 doc.Save(output, SDFDoc::e_linearized, 0);
56 }
57}
58
59int main(int argc, char *argv[])
60{
61 int ret = 0;
62
63 // Relative paths to folders containing test files.
64 string input_path = "../../TestFiles/";
65 string output_path = "../../TestFiles/Output/";
66
67 PDFNet::Initialize(LicenseKey);
68
69 try
70 {
71 vector<Redactor::Redaction> vec;
72 vec.push_back(Redactor::Redaction(1, Rect(100, 100, 550, 600), false, "Top Secret"));
73 vec.push_back(Redactor::Redaction(2, Rect(30, 30, 450, 450), true, "Negative Redaction"));
74 vec.push_back(Redactor::Redaction(2, Rect(0, 0, 100, 100), false, "Positive"));
75 vec.push_back(Redactor::Redaction(2, Rect(100, 100, 200, 200), false, "Positive"));
76 vec.push_back(Redactor::Redaction(2, Rect(300, 300, 400, 400), false, ""));
77 vec.push_back(Redactor::Redaction(2, Rect(500, 500, 600, 600), false, ""));
78 vec.push_back(Redactor::Redaction(3, Rect(0, 0, 700, 20), false, ""));
79
80 Redactor::Appearance app;
81 app.RedactionOverlay = true;
82 app.Border = false;
83 app.ShowRedactedContentRegions = true;
84
85 Redact(input_path + "newsletter.pdf", output_path + "redacted.pdf", vec, app);
86
87 cout << "Done..." << endl;
88 }
89 catch(Common::Exception& e)
90 {
91 cout << e << endl;
92 ret = 1;
93 }
94 catch(...)
95 {
96 cout << "Unknown Exception" << endl;
97 ret = 1;
98 }
99
100 PDFNet::Terminate();
101 return ret;
102}

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