PDF Form Flattener

The Documentize PDF Form Flattener for .NET plugin is designed to convert interactive PDF forms into non-editable documents, making them secure from unauthorized modifications. This tool transforms form fields into static content, enhancing the security of your PDF documents. It is particularly useful when you need to secure contracts, agreements, or any document where form fields must remain unchanged.

How to Flatten Form Fields in a PDF

To flatten form fields in a PDF document, follow these steps:

  1. Create an instance of the FormFlattener class.
  2. Create an instance of the FormFlattenAllFieldsOptions or FormFlattenSelectedFieldsOptions class.
  3. Add the input and output files to the options.
  4. Call the Process method to perform the flattening operation.
​
 1var formFlattener = new FormFlattener();
 2
 3// Create options to flatten all fields
 4var flattenOptions = new FormFlattenAllFieldsOptions();
 5
 6// Add the input and output files
 7flattenOptions.Inputs.Add(new FileDataSource("input.pdf"));
 8flattenOptions.Outputs.Add(new FileDataSource("output-flat.pdf"));
 9
10// Process the form flattening operation
11var resultContainer = formFlattener.Process(flattenOptions);

Flatten Selected Fields

You can selectively flatten only specific form fields based on criteria such as the field’s position or type.

  1. Create an instance of the FormFlattener class.
  2. Define the criteria for flattening specific fields using FormFlattenSelectedFieldsOptions.
  3. Add the input and output files to the options.
  4. Call the Process method to apply the changes.
​
 1var formFlattener = new FormFlattener();
 2
 3// Create options to flatten selected fields (e.g., fields with lower-left x-coordinate > 300)
 4var flattenOptions = new FormFlattenSelectedFieldsOptions(
 5    (field) => field.Rect.LLX > 300
 6);
 7
 8// Add input and output files
 9flattenOptions.Inputs.Add(new FileDataSource("input.pdf"));
10flattenOptions.Outputs.Add(new FileDataSource("output-flat.pdf"));
11
12// Process the form flattening operation
13var resultContainer = formFlattener.Process(flattenOptions);

Key Features:

  • Flatten All Form Fields: Converts interactive form fields into non-editable static content.
  • Flatten Selected Fields: Optionally flatten specific fields in a PDF while keeping others editable.
  • Secure Documents: Ensures that the flattened fields are protected from further modifications.
  • Batch Processing: Capable of flattening multiple PDF forms in a single process.