PDFtk bookmark replacement, powered by Apache PDFBox

PDFtk https://www.pdflabs.com/tools/pdftk-the-pdf-toolkit/ is a powerful command line toolkit for manipulating PDFs. One feature it includes is the ability to export details of all bookmarks out as a text file, then update the bookmarks of another PDF based on this or a modified form of those https://www.pdflabs.com/blog/export-and-import-pdf-bookmarks/

Unfortunately, PDFtk doesn't support setting the zoom when importing bookmarks (it's hard coded to zoom to fit-width), and it doesn't support setting how far down the page a bookmark should take you to (it's hard coded to the top).

As I've thus far been unable to persuade the authors of PDFtk to take money in exchange for adding these two bookmark features, I've instead created this project as an alternative...

Powered by Apache PDFBox, written in Java rather than C, this tool allows you to export PDF Bookmarks (including Zoom and Y offset), and import them back in. It uses the same syntax as PDFtk where possible, with additional bookmark fields for Zoom and Y offset.

Exporting Bookmarks

This can be done in the "pdftk compatible way", or with a more bookmary-y option as we know we're only working on bookmarks.

To export the bookmarks to Standard Output (StdOut), use one of:

• java -jar PDFtkBox.jar -export <input.pdf>
• java -jar PDFtkBox.jar <input.pdf> dump_data

To export the bookmarks to a new text file, use one of:

• java -jar PDFtkBox.jar -export <input.pdf> <bookmarks.txt>
• java -jar PDFtkBox.jar -export <input.pdf> -bookmarks <bookmarks.txt>
• java -jar PDFtkBox.jar <input.pdf> dump_data output <bookmarks.txt>

Importing Bookmarks

This can be done in the "pdftk compatible way", or with a simpler set of options as we know we're only working on bookmarks.

To import the bookmarks, from Standard In (StdIn), saving as a new file, use one of:

• java -jar PDFtkBox.jar -import <input.pdf> <output.pdf>
• java -jar PDFtkBox.jar <input.pdf> update_info - <output.pdf>

To import the bookmarks, from a text file, saving as a new file, use one of:

• java -jar PDFtkBox.jar -import <input.pdf> -bookmarks <bookmarks.txt> <output.pdf>
• java -jar PDFtkBox.jar -import <input.pdf> -bookmarks <bookmarks.txt> -output <output.pdf>
• java -jar PDFtkBox.jar <input.pdf> update_info <bookmarks.txt> output <output.pdf>

Bookmark Definition

This format is based on the PDFtk one, with extra fields for Zoom and Y offset.

BookmarkBegin
BookmarkTitle: Page Title
BookmarkLevel: 1
BookmarkPageNumber: 2
BookmarkZoom: Inherit
BookmarkYOffset: 230

The zoom can be one of:

• Inherit - Inherit zoom
• FitPage - Fit page width+height
• FitWidth - Fit page width
• FitHeight - Fit page height
• ##% - Zoom to ##% eg 50% = 50% zoom

The default zoom is, in keeping with PDFtk, is FitWidth

The default Y Offset, in keeping with PDFtk, is 0 (top)