PDF Settings Commands

The following command line arguments to Image to PDF all control what can be done with the PDF document. These items notify the PDF viewer what activity has been allowed by the author, and whether outlines/bookmarks have been enabled.

  -PageSize
Parameters: size name - must be one of the following:
  • Image
  • Not applicable Not applicable
  • A0
  • 33.11 x 46.81 inches 841 x 1189 mm
  • A1
  • 23.39 x 33.11 inches 594 x 841 mm
  • A2
  • 16.54 x 23.29 inches 420 x 594 mm
  • A3
  • 11.69 x 16.54 inches 297 x 420 mm
  • A4
  • 8.27 x 11.69 inches 210 x 297 mm
  • A5
  • 5.83 x 8.27 inches 148 x 210 mm
  • B0
  • 39.37 x 55.67 inches   1000 x 1414 mm
  • B1
  • 27.83 x 39.37 inches 707 x 1000 mm
  • B2
  • 19.68 x 27.83 inches 500 x 707 mm
  • B3
  • 13.90 x 19.68 inches 353 x 500 mm
  • B4
  • 9.84 x 13.90 inches 250 x 353 mm
  • B5
  • 6.93 x 9.84 inches 176 x 250 mm
  • Letter
  • 8.50 x 11.00 inches 216 x 279 mm
  • Tabloid
  • 11.00 x 17.00 inches 279 x 432 mm
  • Ledger
  • 17.00 x 11.00 inches 432 x 279 mm
  • Executive
  • 7.24 x 10.50 inches 184 x 267 mm
  • Legal
  • 8.50 x 14.00 inches 216 x 356 mm
  • Folio
  • 8.25 x 13.00 inches 210 x 330 mm
  • Foolscap
  • 8.00 x 13.00 inches 203 x 275 mm
  • Quarto
  • 8.50 x 10.8125 inches 216 x 275 mm
  • Statement
  • 5.50 x 8.50 inches 140 x 216 mm
    Notes:
  • To have the named page size rotated by 90 degrees (ie "landscape" view), just add the text "+Landscape" to the page size name, eg "A4+Landscape"
  • Specifies the width and height of the entire page that the image is to fit within. If the image is larger than the page it is scaled to fit.
  • The default if not specified is "Image", which means that the page size is set to the same as the image which means that each page in the PDF may be a different size.
  • If the image is smaller in width and / or height than the specified page size it is centered on the page by default unless -PageImageAlignment is specified (see below).
  • Meta image files (EMF or WMF) which are being converted using the -MetaToNativePDF command are not supported with the -PageSize command.
  • An alternative to this command is the version below which allows the specification of the page size in units of 1/72 of an inch.

  •   -PageSize
    Parameters: width - must be between 100 and 10000 inclusive
    height - must be between 100 and 10000 inclusive
    Notes:
  • The width and height are specified in units of 1/72 inch (which is the same as the internal units that are used by a PDF). So a size of 720 actually represents 10 inches, and when printed on a high-resolution printer it will be printed at a size of 10 inches, and when displayed on a computer monitor it will also appear at the correct size - do not forget that this is NOT measured in pixels but in 1/72 of an inch!
  • If the image is larger than the page it is scaled to fit.
  • If the image is smaller in width and / or height than the specified page size it is centered on the page.
  • Meta image files (EMF or WMF) which are being converted using the -MetaToNativePDF command are not supported with the -PageSize command.
  • An alternative to this command is the version above which allows the specification of the page size using a commonly used page size name rather than having to specify the width and height in units of 1/72 of an inch.

  •   -PageImageAlignment
    Parameters: vertical alignment - must be one of the following values:
  • Top
  • Middle
  • Bottom

  • horizontal alignment - must be one of the following values:
  • Left
  • Center
  • Right
  • Notes:
  • This command is optional and specifies the location of an image when it is smaller in width and / or height the required page size (see above).
  • This takes into account any defined left, right, top and bottom margins.
  • If not specified the default of Center and Middle is used.

  •   -DPI
    Parameters: resolution - must be between 9 and 2880 inclusive - there must be at least one resolution parameter (a list of them can be supplied using space to separate each additional resolution parameter - see below for details).
    Notes:
  • PDF documents use a default resolution setting of 72 DPI. Images created for screen display under Windows will probably have a resolution of 96 DPI. If you have created images for printing then you will probably need to use 300 or 600 DPI. If you do not adjust the default resolution setting then when displayed within a PDF document on screen a 96 DPI image will appear 25% larger than expected. This gets much worse for a 300 DPI image which will appear 416% larger than expected.
  • If more than one resolution parameter is supplied (with spaces separating them) then if the image is too larger to fit into a pdf at the first resolution the second one is tried, and so on until a resolution is found that keeps an image within the limits of a pdf page's width and height (both of which have maximum values of 14400 points which is 200 inches at the resolution required).
  • If you get the error PAGE_INVALID_SIZE when producing a pdf the most likely reason is that the image you are converting at the resolution you want is larger than 14400 points.
  • For example, an image which is 42000 x 5000 pixels at 200 DPI requires a page width of 42000 / 200 = 210 inches (or 15120 points) which is too large. But the same image at 300 DPI would fit as it required 42000 / 300 = 140 inches (or 10080 points).

  •   -UseActualImageDPI
    Parameters: None
    Notes: This command overrides the specified (or default) -DPI setting and uses the actual DPI recorded in the image file. Please note that where an image format does not explicitly record a DPI value a default one will be used that is appropriate to that image format (this will most likely be either 72 DPI or the current DPI of the main display on your PC).


      -Outline
    Parameters: format - must be one of the following:
  • Filename - this is the name of the image file including the image extension but not including the full filepath.
  • Name - same as filename but without the image extension.

  • style - must be one of the following:
  • Lowercase
  • Uppercase
  • Capitalise or Capitalize
  • None

  • title - of the outline root node which can be up to 256 characters long. If spaces are required within the title then enclose it within quotes.
    Notes:
  • This turns on the generation of a bookmark for each image that is converted into the output PDF document.
  • If the image is a multi-page TIFF or animated GIF, then a bookmark is generated for the first image only.
  • The title parameter is optional, if it is not specified then a default is shown by the PDF viewer application (eg "OutlineRoot").

  •   -PDFVersion
    Parameters: version number - must be one of the following:
  • 1.2 - compatible with Acrobat 3.x
  • 1.3 - compatible with Acrobat 4.x
  • 1.4 - compatible with Acrobat 5.x
  • 1.5 - compatible with Acrobat 6.x
  • 1.6 - compatible with Acrobat 7.x
  • 1.7 - compatible with Acrobat 8.x
  • 1.8 - compatible with Acrobat 9.x
  • Notes:
  • Sets the PDF version number which can normally be viewed from the "Document Properties" dialog display (this is normally located in the "File" menu in Adobe Reader)
  • This command is optional - if not specified it uses a suitable default value - normally 1.3

  •   -PDFALevel
    Parameters: PDF/A type - must be one of the following:
  • 1A
  • 1B
  • Notes:
  • Sets the PDF/A conformance level to 1A or 1B
  • This command is optional - if not specified then no PDF/A conformance level is set.
  • If this command is specified then fonts (if any are used) will be embedded.
  • If this command is specified then the meta data creation and modification dates will be set.

  •   -OutlineTitle
    Parameters: title - of the outline root node which can be up to 256 characters long. If spaces are required within the title then enclose it within quotes.
    Notes:
  • If an outline is produced (either using -Outline or -ImageBookmark) this sets the outline root title rather than the default that is shown by the PDF viewer application (eg "OutlineRoot").

  •   -OwnerPassword
    Parameters: password - can be up to 32 characters long. If spaces are required within the password then enclose it within quotes.
    Notes:
  • The owner of a PDF document would enter this password in order to view it and make changes and perform actions that may be restricted to a normal user.
  • Please note that the owner and user passwords cannot be the same.
  • The PDF document will be encrypted using the default encryption level of 40 bits. You can use an encryption level of 128 bits if you use the -EncryptionLevel command below.

  •   -UserPassword
    Parameters: password - can be up to 32 characters long. If spaces are required within the password then enclose it within quotes.
    Notes:
  • In order that only the intended user can view the PDF document, they must type in this password, otherwise the user is not allowed to access the PDF document.
  • Please note that you cannot have a user password without an owner one - if you do not specify an owner password a default one will be used - we recommend that you do not rely on the default owner password and set an appropriate one yourself.
  • Please note that the owner and user passwords cannot be the same.
  • The PDF document will be encrypted using the default encryption level of 40 bits. You can use an encryption level of 128 bits if you use the -EncryptionLevel command below.

  •   -EncryptionLevel
    Parameters: level - must be either 40 (low) or 128 (high)
    Notes:
  • Specifies the level of encryption that is to be used on the PDF document. If not specified the default level of 40 bits is used.

  •   -ForceEncryption
    Parameters: None
    Notes:
  • Normally, a PDF can only be encrypted if the owner and user passwords are specified as these form the basis for the encryption key. However, it may be required to force the encryption of the document without supplying either of these passwords and this command will ensure that this takes place.
  • WARNING: A PDF document that has been force encrypted in this way is NOT secure - it just prevents simple eavesdropping during electronic transmission.

  • Note: the following commands which set the PDF usage rights can be over-ridden with the owner password. Some PDF viewers may, or may not, obey these restrictions. Additionally, some PDF viewers may only enforce these restrictions if the User password is specified.

      -Edit
    Parameters: None
    Notes:
  • Allows editing/changing of the PDF document but NOT adding or changing of text notes and AcroForm fields.
  • Requires both an owner and user password to be set.

  •   -EditExtra
    Parameters: None
    Notes:
  • Allows the adding and changing of text notes and AcroForm fields within a PDF document.
  • Requires both an owner and user password to be set.

  •   -Copy
    Parameters: None
    Notes:
  • Allows the copying of text and graphics from the PDF document.
  • Requires both an owner and user password to be set.

  •   -Print
    Parameters: None
    Notes:
  • Allows printing of the PDF document.
  • Requires both an owner and user password to be set.