How to Flatten PDF Transparencies with JavaScript in NodeJS

Why Use Flatten Transparencies with JavaScript?

The pdfRest Flatten Transparencies API Tool is a powerful resource for developers who need to process PDFs to ensure compatibility and reduce file complexity. This tool is particularly useful when you want to make sure that PDFs with transparent elements are rendered consistently across different viewers and printers. This tutorial will show how to send an API call to Flatten Transparencies with JavaScript, which is a common language for web development and automation tasks.

A developer might integrate Flatten Transparencies when preparing documents for printing or publication. For instance, a graphic design studio might need to ensure that PDFs containing complex vector graphics with transparency effects are printed correctly, without any rendering issues. By flattening transparencies, the PDFs will be simplified, which can prevent printing errors and make the files more universally readable.

Flatten Transparencies with JavaScript Code Example

// This request demonstrates how to flatten transparencies in a PDF.
var axios = require('axios');
var FormData = require('form-data');
var fs = require('fs');

// Create a new form data instance and append the PDF file and parameters to it
var data = new FormData();
data.append('file', fs.createReadStream('/path/to/file'));
data.append('quality', 'medium');
data.append('output', 'pdfrest_flattened_transparencies_pdf');

// Define configuration options for axios request
var config = {
  method: 'post',
  maxBodyLength: Infinity, // set maximum length of the request body
  url: 'https://api.pdfrest.com/flattened-transparencies-pdf', 
  headers: { 
    'Api-Key': 'xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx', // Replace with your API key
    ...data.getHeaders() // set headers for the request
  },
  data : data // set the data to be sent with the request
};

// send request and handle response or error
axios(config)
.then(function (response) {
  console.log(JSON.stringify(response.data));
})
.catch(function (error) {
  console.log(error); 
});

// If you would like to download the file instead of getting the JSON response, please see the 'get-resource-id-endpoint.js' sample.

Source of the provided code: GitHub

Breaking Down the Code

The code example above demonstrates how to use the pdfRest Flatten Transparencies API Tool using JavaScript. The following sections break down the key parts of the code:

var axios = require('axios');
var FormData = require('form-data');
var fs = require('fs');

This snippet includes the required modules. axios is used for making HTTP requests, FormData is for creating multipart/form-data payloads, and fs is for file system operations.

var data = new FormData();
data.append('file', fs.createReadStream('/path/to/file'));
data.append('quality', 'medium');
data.append('output', 'pdfrest_flattened_transparencies_pdf');

Here, a new FormData instance is created, and the PDF file along with parameters are appended to it. The 'file' is the PDF to be processed, 'quality' specifies the desired quality of the output, and 'output' is the name of the resulting file.

var config = {
  method: 'post',
  maxBodyLength: Infinity,
  url: 'https://api.pdfrest.com/flattened-transparencies-pdf', 
  headers: { 
    'Api-Key': 'xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx',
    ...data.getHeaders()
  },
  data : data
};

This configures the axios request with the API endpoint, headers including the API key, and the data payload.

axios(config)
.then(function (response) {
  console.log(JSON.stringify(response.data));
})
.catch(function (error) {
  console.log(error); 
});

The request is sent using axios, and the response is handled in the promise's then and catch blocks.

Beyond the Tutorial

This tutorial covered how to flatten transparencies in a PDF using JavaScript and the pdfRest API. By following the steps outlined, you can now automate the process of preparing PDFs for printing or digital distribution, ensuring compatibility and reducing file complexity.

To explore more capabilities and demo all of the pdfRest API Tools, visit the API Lab. For further information and detailed documentation, refer to the API Reference Guide.

Note: This is an example of a multipart API call. Code samples using JSON payloads can be found at GitHub.