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javaitext

com.itextpdf.kernel.PdfException: There is no associate PdfWriter for making indirects

I keep getting this error in some pdf file. It works perfectly from some pdf while fails and give error on other pdfs.

Jar used: forms-7.1.4.jar io-7.1.4.jar layout-7.1.4.jar kernel-7.1.4.jar

enter image description here

package test;

import java.io.ByteArrayOutputStream;
import java.io.File;
import java.io.FileOutputStream;
import java.io.PrintWriter;
import java.nio.file.Files;
import java.util.*;

import com.itextpdf.kernel.pdf.PdfDocument;
import com.itextpdf.kernel.pdf.PdfName;
import com.itextpdf.kernel.pdf.PdfReader;
import com.itextpdf.forms.PdfAcroForm;




public class test5 {
    public static final String DATASHEET
    = "2.pdf";


    public static void main(String[] args) throws Exception {
        PdfReader reader = new PdfReader(DATASHEET);
        PdfDocument pdfDoc = new PdfDocument(reader);
        PdfAcroForm form = PdfAcroForm.getAcroForm(pdfDoc, true);
        Set<String> fields = form.getFormFields().keySet();
        for (String key : fields) {
            PdfName type = form.getField(key).getFormType();
            
            if(type!= null && 0 == PdfName.Btn.compareTo(type) )
            {
                
                String[] states = form.getField(key).getAppearanceStates();
                for (int i = 0; i < states.length; i++) {
                    System.out.println(states[i]);
                }
            }
            
           
        }
        
    }
}

PDF FILE

This program finds the radio button values in the pdf

Solution

  • You open the PdfDocument with only a PdfReader, no PdfWriter:

    PdfDocument pdfDoc = new PdfDocument(reader);

    Thus, you cannot (deeply) change the document. On the other hand you retrieve the AcroForm with the second argument true:

    PdfAcroForm form = PdfAcroForm.getAcroForm(pdfDoc, true);

    This signals to iText that you want it to add a new AcroForm structure to the document if it does not have one yet. This is a deep change.

    Thus, your code works for pdfs that already have an AcroForm structure and fail for pdfs that don't.

    So either use a writable PdfDocument (with also a PdfWriter) or don't tell iText to create AcroForm structures (with a false parameter). For the latter option you may have to add a null check.