python - Place image over PDF

Question

How can I place an image over an existing PDF file at an specific coordinate location. The pdf represents a drawing sheet with one page. The image will be scaled. I'm checking ReportLab but can't find the answer. Thanks.

Answer 1

Its been 5 years, I think these answers need some TLC. Here is a complete solution.

The following is tested with Python 2.7

Install dependencies

pip install reportlab 
pip install pypdf2

Do the magic

from reportlab.pdfgen import canvas
from PyPDF2 import PdfFileWriter, PdfFileReader

# Create the watermark from an image
c = canvas.Canvas('watermark.pdf')

# Draw the image at x, y. I positioned the x,y to be where i like here
c.drawImage('test.png', 15, 720)

# Add some custom text for good measure
c.drawString(15, 720,"Hello World")
c.save()

# Get the watermark file you just created
watermark = PdfFileReader(open("watermark.pdf", "rb"))

# Get our files ready
output_file = PdfFileWriter()
input_file = PdfFileReader(open("test2.pdf", "rb"))

# Number of pages in input document
page_count = input_file.getNumPages()

# Go through all the input file pages to add a watermark to them
for page_number in range(page_count):
    print "Watermarking page {} of {}".format(page_number, page_count)
    # merge the watermark with the page
    input_page = input_file.getPage(page_number)
    input_page.mergePage(watermark.getPage(0))
    # add page from input file to output document
    output_file.addPage(input_page)

# finally, write "output" to document-output.pdf
with open("document-output.pdf", "wb") as outputStream:
    output_file.write(outputStream)

References:

New home of pypdf: http://mstamy2.github.io/PyPDF2/

Reportlab docs: http://www.reportlab.com/apis/reportlab/2.4/pdfgen.html

Reportlab complete user guide: https://www.reportlab.com/docs/reportlab-userguide.pdf