Export form to JSON

This command creates a JSON file containing a PDF form structure with optional data.

The resulting JSON payload contains the single element array forms serving as a starting point for form filling.

The content of this element contains all form fields grouped by field type:

• text fields
• date fields
• check boxes
• radio button groups
• combo boxes
• list boxes

Have a look at some examples.

Usage

pdfcpu form export inFile [outFileJSON]

Common Flags

name	description	values
v(erbose)	turn on logging
vv	verbose logging
q(uiet)	quiet mode
u(nit)	display unit	po(ints),in(ches),cm,mm
c(onf)	config dir	$path, disable
upw	user password
opw	owner password

Arguments

name	description	required
inFile	PDF input file containing form	yes
outFileJSON	JSON output file	no

Examples

Export a form created with pdfcpu to JSON:

$ pdfcpu form export english.pdf
writing out.json...

$ cat out.json

{
	"header": {
		"source": "english.pdf",
		"version": "pdfcpu v0.4.1",
		"creation": "2023-03-04 20:22:17 CET",
		"producer": "pdfcpu v0.4.1"
	},
	"forms": [
		{
			"textfield": [
				{
					"page": 1,
					"id": "30",
					"name": "firstName1",
					"default": "Joe",
					"value": "Jackie",
					"multiline": false,
					"locked": false
				},
				{
					"page": 1,
					"id": "31",
					"name": "note1",
					"value": "This is a sample text.\nThis is the next line.",
					"multiline": true,
					"locked": false
				}
			],
			"datefield": [
				{
					"page": 1,
					"id": "33",
					"name": "dob1",
					"format": "dd.mm.yyyy",
					"default": "01.01.2000",
					"value": "31.12.1999",
					"locked": true
				}
			],
			"checkbox": [
				{
					"page": 1,
					"id": "34",
					"name": "cb11",
					"default": false,
					"value": true,
					"locked": false
				},
			],
			"radiobuttongroup": [
				{
					"page": 1,
					"id": "35",
					"name": "gender1",
					"options": [
						"female",
						"male",
						"non-binary"
					],
					"default": "male",
					"value": "non-binary",
					"locked": false
				}
			],
			"combobox": [
				{
					"page": 1,
					"id": "36",
					"name": "city12",
					"editable": false,
					"options": [
						"London",
						"San Francisco",
						"Sidney"
					],
					"default": "San Francisco",
					"value": "Sidney",
					"locked": false
				}
			],
			"listbox": [
				{
					"page": 1,
					"id": "37",
					"name": "city11",
					"multi": true,
					"options": [
						"San Francisco",
						"São Paulo",
						"Vienna"
					],
					"defaults": [
						"Vienna",
						"São Paulo"
					],
					"values": [
						"San Francisco",
						"Vienna"
					],
					"locked": false
				}
			]
		}
	]
}