Provided by: libpdf-builder-perl_3.023-1_all 
NAME
PDF::Builder::Annotation - Add annotations to a PDF
METHODS
Note that the handling of annotations can vary from Reader to Reader. The available icon set may be
larger or smaller than given here, and some Readers activate an annotation on a single mouse click, while
others require a double click. Not all features provided here may be available on all PDF Readers.
$annotation = PDF::Builder::Annotation->new()
Returns an annotation object (called from $page->annotation()).
It is normally not necessary to explicitly call this method (see examples).
Annotation types
$annotation->link($page, %options)
$annotation->link($page)
Defines the annotation as a launch-page with page $page (within this document) and options %options
(-rect, -border, -color, fit: see descriptions below).
Note that $page is not a simple page number, but is a page structure such as
"$pdf->openpage(page_number)".
$annotation->pdf_file($pdffile, $page_number, %options)
Defines the annotation as a PDF-file with filepath $pdffile, on page $page_number, and options
%options (-rect, -border, -color, fit: see descriptions below). This differs from the "link" call in
that the target is found in a different PDF file, not the current document.
$page_number is the physical page number, starting at 1: 1, 2,...
$annotation->file($file, %options)
Defines the annotation as a launch-file with filepath $file (a local file) and options %options
(-rect, -border, -color: see descriptions below). How the file is displayed depends on the operating
system, type of file, and local configuration or mapping.
$annotation->url($url, %options)
Defines the annotation as a launch-url with url $url and options %options (-rect, -border, -color:
see descriptions below). This page is usually brought up in a browser, and may be remote.
$annotation->text($text, %options)
Defines the annotation as a text note with content string $text and options %options (-rect, -color,
-text, -open: see descriptions below). The $text may include newlines \n for multiple lines.
"-text" is the popup's label string, not to be confused with the main $text.
The icon appears in the upper left corner of the "-rect" selection rectangle, and its active
clickable area is fixed by the icon (it is not equal to the rectangle). The icon size is fixed, and
its fill color set by "-color".
Additional options:
-icon => name_string
-icon => reference
Specify the icon to be used. The default is Reader-specific (usually "Note"), and others may be
defined by the Reader. "Comment", "Key", "Help", "NewParagraph", "Paragraph", and "Insert" are
also supposed to be available on all PDF Readers. Note that the name case must exactly match.
The icon is of fixed size. Any AP dictionary entry will override the -icon setting.
A reference to an icon may be passed instead of a name.
-opacity => value
Define the opacity (non-transparency, opaqueness) of the icon. This value ranges from 0.0
(transparent) to 1.0 (fully opaque), and applies to both the outline and the fill color. The
default is 1.0.
$annotation->markup($text, $PointList, $highlight, %options)
Defines the annotation as a text note with content string $text and options %options (-rect, -color,
-text, -open: see descriptions below). The $text may include newlines \n for multiple lines.
"-text" is the popup's label string, not to be confused with the main $text.
There is no icon. Instead, the annotated text marked by $PointList is highlighted in one of four ways
specified by $highlight.
$PointList => [ 8n numbers ]
One or more sets of numeric coordinates are given, defining the quadrilateral (usually a
rectangle) around the text to be highlighted and selectable (clickable, to bring up the
annotation text). These are four sets of "x,y" coordinates, given (for Left-to-Right text) as the
upper bound Upper Left to Upper Right and then the lower bound Lower Left to Lower Right. Note
that this is different from what is (erroneously) documented in the PDF specification! It is
important that the coordinates be given in this order.
Multiple sets of quadrilateral corners may be given, such as for highlighted text that wraps
around to new line(s). The minimum is one set (8 numbers). Any AP dictionary entry will override
the $PointList setting. Finally, the "Rect" selection rectangle is created just outside the
convex bounding box defined by $PointList.
$highlight => 'string'
The following highlighting effects are permitted. The "string" must be spelled and capitalized
exactly as given:
Highlight
The effect of a translucent "highlighter" marker.
Squiggly
The effect is an underline written in a "squiggly" manner.
StrikeOut
The text is struck-through with a straight line.
Underline
The text is marked by a straight underline.
-color => array of values
If "-color" is not given (an array of numbers in the range 0.0-1.0), a medium gray should be used
by default. Named colors are not supported at this time.
-opacity => value
Define the opacity (non-transparency, opaqueness) of the icon. This value ranges from 0.0
(transparent) to 1.0 (fully opaque), and applies to both the outline and the fill color. The
default is 1.0.
$annotation->movie($file, $contentType, %options)
Defines the annotation as a movie from $file with content (MIME) type $contentType and options
%options (-rect, -border, -color: see descriptions below).
The "-rect" rectangle also serves as the area where the movie is played, so it should be of usable
size and aspect ratio. It does not use a separate popup player. It is known to play .avi and .wav
files -- others have not been tested. Using Adobe Reader, it will not play .mpg files (unsupported
type). More work is probably needed on this annotation method.
$annotation->file_attachment($file, %options)
Defines the annotation as a file attachment with file $file and options %options (-rect, -color: see
descriptions below). Note that "-color" applies to the icon fill color, not to a selectable area
outline. The icon is resized (including aspect ratio changes) based on the selectable rectangle given
by "-rect", so watch your rectangle dimensions!
The file, along with its name, is embedded in the PDF document and may be extracted for viewing with
the appropriate viewer.
This differs from the "file" method in that "file" looks for and launches a file already on the
Reader's machine, while "file_attachment" embeds the file in the PDF, and makes it available on the
Reader's machine for actions of the user's choosing.
Note 1: some Readers may only permit an "open" action, and may also restrict file types (extensions)
that will be handled. This may be configurable with your Reader's security settings.
Note 2: the displayed file name (pop-up during mouse rollover of the target rectangle) is given with
the path trimmed off (file name only). If you want the displayed name to exactly match the path that
was passed to the call, including the path, give the "-notrimpath" option.
Options:
-icon => name_string
-icon => reference
Specify the icon to be used. The default is Reader-specific (usually "PushPin"), and others may
be defined by the Reader. "Paperclip", "Graph", and "Tag" are also supposed to be available on
all PDF Readers. Note that the name case must exactly match. "None" is a custom invisible icon
defined by PDF::Builder. The icon is stretched/squashed to fill the defined target rectangle, so
take care when defining "-rect" dimensions. Any AP dictionary entry will override the -icon
setting.
A reference to an icon may be passed instead of a name.
-opacity => value
Define the opacity (non-transparency, opaqueness) of the icon. This value ranges from 0.0
(transparent) to 1.0 (fully opaque), and applies to both the outline and the fill color. The
default is 1.0.
-notrimpath => 1
If given, show the entire path and file name on mouse rollover, rather than just the file name.
-text => string
A text label for the popup (on mouseover) that contains the file name.
Note that while PDF permits different specifications (paths) to DOS/Windows, Mac, and Unix (including
Linux) versions of a file, and different format copies to be embedded, at this time PDF::Builder only
permits a single file (format of your choice) to be embedded. If there is user demand for multiple
file formats to be referenced and/or embedded, we could look into providing this, although separate
OS version paths may be considered obsolescent!.
Internal routines and common options
$annotation->rect($llx,$lly, $urx,$ury)
Sets the rectangle (active click area) of the annotation, given by -rect option. This is any pair of
diagonally opposite corners of the rectangle.
The default clickable area is the icon itself.
Defining option. Note that this "option" is actually required.
-rect => [LLx, LLy, URx, URy]
Set annotation rectangle at "[LLx,LLy]" to "[URx,URy]" (lower left and upper right coordinates).
LL to UR is customary, but any diagonal is allowed.
$annotation->border(@b)
Sets the border-style of the annotation, if applicable, as given by the -border option. There are
three entries in the array: horizontal and vertical corner radii, and border width.
A border is used in annotations where text or some other material is put down, and a clickable
rectangle is defined over it (-rect). A border is not used when an icon is being used to mark the
clickable area.
The default is [0 0 1] (solid line of width 1, with sharp corners).
Defining option:
-border => [CRh, CRv, W]
-border => [CRh, CRv, W [, on, off...]]
Set annotation border style of horizontal and vertical corner radii "CRh" and "CRv" (value 0 for
squared corners) and width "W" (value 0 for no border). The default is squared corners and a
solid line of width 1 ([0 0 1]). Optionally, a dash pattern array may be given ("on" length,
"off" length, as one or more pairs). The default is a solid line.
The border vector seems to ignore the first two settings (corner radii), but the line thickness
works, on basic Readers. The radii may work on some other Readers.
$annotation->content(@lines)
Sets the text-content of the "text()" annotation. This is a text string or array of strings.
$annotation->open($bool)
Display the "text()" annotation either open or closed, if applicable.
Both are editable; the "open" form brings up the page with the entry area already open for editing,
while "closed" has to be clicked on to edit it.
Defining option:
-open => boolean
If true (1), the annotation will be marked as initially "open". If false (0), or the option is
not given, the annotation is initially "closed".
$annotation->dest($page, fit_setting)
For certain annotation types ("link" or "pdf_file"), the fit_setting specifies how the content of the
page $page is to be fit to the window, while preserving its aspect ratio. These fit settings are:
-fit => 1
Display the page with its contents magnified just enough to fit the entire page within the window
both horizontally and vertically. If the required horizontal and vertical magnification factors
are different, use the smaller of the two, centering the page within the window in the other
dimension.
-fith => $top
Display the page with the vertical coordinate $top positioned at the top edge of the window and
the contents of the page magnified just enough to fit the entire width of the page within the
window.
-fitv => $left
Display the page with the horizontal coordinate $left positioned at the left edge of the window
and the contents of the page magnified just enough to fit the entire height of the page within
the window.
-fitr => [$left, $bottom, $right, $top]
Display the page with its contents magnified just enough to fit the rectangle specified by the
coordinates $left, $bottom, $right, and $top entirely within the window both horizontally and
vertically. If the required horizontal and vertical magnification factors are different, use the
smaller of the two, centering the rectangle within the window in the other dimension.
-fitb => 1
Display the page with its contents magnified just enough to fit its bounding box entirely within
the window both horizontally and vertically. If the required horizontal and vertical
magnification factors are different, use the smaller of the two, centering the bounding box
within the window in the other dimension.
-fitbh => $top
Display the page with the vertical coordinate $top positioned at the top edge of the window and
the contents of the page magnified just enough to fit the entire width of its bounding box within
the window.
-fitbv => $left
Display the page with the horizontal coordinate $left positioned at the left edge of the window
and the contents of the page magnified just enough to fit the entire height of its bounding box
within the window.
-xyz => [$left, $top, $zoom]
Display the page with the coordinates "[$left, $top]" positioned at the top-left corner of the
window and the contents of the page magnified by the factor $zoom. A zero (0) value for any of
the parameters $left, $top, or $zoom specifies that the current value of that parameter is to be
retained unchanged.
This is the default fit setting, with position (left and top) and zoom the same as the calling
page's ([undef, undef, undef]).
$annotation->dest($name)
Connect the Annotation to a "Named Destination" defined elsewhere, including the optional desired fit
(default: -xyz undef*3).
$annotation->Color(@color)
Set the icon's fill color. The color is an array of 1, 3, or 4 numbers, each in the range 0.0 to 1.0.
If 1 number is given, it is the grayscale value (0 = black to 1 = white). If 3 numbers are given, it
is an RGB color value. If 4 numbers are given, it is a CMYK color value. Currently, named colors
(strings) are not handled.
For link and url annotations, this is the color of the rectangle border (-border given with a width
of at least 1).
If an invalid array length or numeric value is given, a medium gray ( [0.5] ) value is used, without
any message. If no color is given, the usual fill color is black.
Defining option:
Named colors are not supported at this time.
-color => [ ] or not 1, 3, or 4 numbers 0.0-1.0
A medium gray (0.5 value) will be used if an invalid color is given.
-color => [ g ]
If g is between 0.0 (black) and 1.0 (white), the fill color will be gray.
-color => [ r, g, b ]
If r (red), g (green), and b (blue) are all between 0.0 and 1.0, the fill color will be the
defined RGB hue. [ 0, 0, 0 ] is black, [ 1, 1, 0 ] is yellow, and [ 1, 1, 1 ] is white.
-color => [ c, m, y, k ]
If c (red), m (magenta), y (yellow), and k (black) are all between 0.0 and 1.0, the fill color
will be the defined CMYK hue. [ 0, 0, 0, 0 ] is white, [ 1, 0, 1, 0 ] is green, and [ 1, 1, 1, 1
] is black.
-text => string
Specify an optional text label for annotation. This text or comment only shows up as a title in the
pop-up containing the file or text.
perl v5.32.1 2021-09-15 PDF::Builder::Annotation(3pm)