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# PDF.js (pdfjs-dist)
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PDF.js is a comprehensive PDF viewing and parsing library built entirely with HTML5 technologies. The pdfjs-dist package provides a generic, production-ready build that enables PDF rendering in web browsers without requiring plugins or native browser extensions, offering complete document parsing, rendering, and interactive features including form handling, annotations, and text extraction.
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## Package Information
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- **Package Name**: pdfjs-dist
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- **Package Type**: npm
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- **Language**: JavaScript/TypeScript
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- **Installation**: `npm install pdfjs-dist`
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- **Version**: 5.4.149
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## Core Imports
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```javascript
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import { getDocument, GlobalWorkerOptions } from "pdfjs-dist";
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```
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For legacy build (older browsers):
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```javascript
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import { getDocument } from "pdfjs-dist/legacy/build/pdf.mjs";
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```
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CommonJS:
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```javascript
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const { getDocument, GlobalWorkerOptions } = require("pdfjs-dist");
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```
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## Basic Usage
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```javascript
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import { getDocument, GlobalWorkerOptions } from "pdfjs-dist";
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// Configure worker (required)
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GlobalWorkerOptions.workerSrc = "path/to/pdf.worker.mjs";
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// Load a PDF document
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const loadingTask = getDocument("path/to/document.pdf");
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const pdf = await loadingTask.promise;
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// Get the first page
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const page = await pdf.getPage(1);
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// Get page viewport for rendering
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const viewport = page.getViewport({ scale: 1.0 });
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// Render to canvas
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const canvas = document.getElementById("pdf-canvas");
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const context = canvas.getContext("2d");
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canvas.width = viewport.width;
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canvas.height = viewport.height;
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const renderContext = {
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  canvasContext: context,
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  viewport: viewport
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};
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await page.render(renderContext).promise;
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```
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## Architecture
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PDF.js is built around several key architectural components:
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- **Document Layer**: Core PDF parsing and document management (`getDocument`, `PDFDocumentProxy`)
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- **Page Layer**: Individual page handling and rendering (`PDFPageProxy`, `PageViewport`)
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- **Display Layer**: Canvas rendering, text extraction, and layer management
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- **Annotation System**: Interactive annotations and form handling
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- **Editor Framework**: Tools for creating and editing annotations
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- **Worker System**: Web worker-based PDF parsing for non-blocking operations
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- **Utility Layer**: Helper functions for URL handling, data processing, and browser compatibility
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## Capabilities
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### Document Loading and Management
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Core functionality for loading PDF documents from URLs, binary data, or streams. Handles document-level operations like metadata extraction, page navigation, and resource management.
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```javascript { .api }
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function getDocument(src: DocumentInitParameters): PDFDocumentLoadingTask;
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interface DocumentInitParameters {
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  url?: string | URL;
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  data?: TypedArray | ArrayBuffer | Array<number> | string;
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  httpHeaders?: Record<string, string>;
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  withCredentials?: boolean;
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  password?: string;
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  length?: number;
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  range?: PDFDataRangeTransport;
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  rangeChunkSize?: number;
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  worker?: PDFWorker;
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  verbosity?: number;
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  docBaseUrl?: string;
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  cMapUrl?: string;
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  cMapPacked?: boolean;
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  CMapReaderFactory?: any;
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  iccUrl?: string;
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  useSystemFonts?: boolean;
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  standardFontDataUrl?: string;
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  StandardFontDataFactory?: any;
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  wasmUrl?: string;
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  WasmFactory?: any;
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  useWorkerFetch?: boolean;
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  useWasm?: boolean;
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  stopAtErrors?: boolean;
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  maxImageSize?: number;
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  isEvalSupported?: boolean;
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  isOffscreenCanvasSupported?: boolean;
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  isImageDecoderSupported?: boolean;
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  canvasMaxAreaInBytes?: number;
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  disableFontFace?: boolean;
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  fontExtraProperties?: boolean;
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  enableXfa?: boolean;
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  ownerDocument?: Document;
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  disableRange?: boolean;
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  disableStream?: boolean;
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  disableAutoFetch?: boolean;
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  pdfBug?: boolean;
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  CanvasFactory?: any;
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  FilterFactory?: any;
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  enableHWA?: boolean;
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}
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```
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[Document API](./document-api.md)
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### Page Rendering and Display
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Page-level operations including rendering to canvas, viewport calculations, and visual transformations. Essential for displaying PDF content in web applications.
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```javascript { .api }
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interface PDFPageProxy {
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  render(params: RenderParameters): RenderTask;
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  getViewport(params: GetViewportParameters): PageViewport;
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  getAnnotations(params?: GetAnnotationsParameters): Promise<any[]>;
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  getTextContent(params?: GetTextContentParameters): Promise<TextContent>;
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  cleanup(): void;
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}
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interface RenderParameters {
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  canvasContext: CanvasRenderingContext2D;
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  viewport: PageViewport;
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  intent?: string;
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  enableWebGL?: boolean;
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  renderInteractiveForms?: boolean;
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  transform?: number[];
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  background?: string;
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}
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```
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[Rendering API](./rendering-api.md)
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### Text Extraction and Selection
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Text layer functionality for extracting, searching, and enabling text selection within PDF documents.
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```javascript { .api }
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class TextLayer {
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  static render(parameters: TextLayerRenderParameters): TextLayerRenderTask;
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  static update(parameters: TextLayerUpdateParameters): void;
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}
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interface TextLayerRenderParameters {
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  textContentSource: ReadableStream | TextContent;
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  container: HTMLElement;
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  viewport: PageViewport;
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  textDivs?: HTMLElement[];
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  textContentItemsStr?: string[];
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  isOffscreenCanvasSupported?: boolean;
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}
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```
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[Text Layer API](./text-layer.md)
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### Annotation Handling
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Interactive PDF annotations including links, form fields, and multimedia content. Supports both rendering existing annotations and creating new ones.
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```javascript { .api }
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class AnnotationLayer {
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  static render(parameters: AnnotationLayerParameters): void;
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  static update(parameters: AnnotationLayerParameters): void;
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}
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interface AnnotationLayerParameters {
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  viewport: PageViewport;
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  div: HTMLElement;
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  annotations: any[];
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  page: PDFPageProxy;
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  imageResourcesPath?: string;
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  renderForms?: boolean;
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  linkService: IPDFLinkService;
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  downloadManager?: IDownloadManager;
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  enableScripting?: boolean;
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  hasJSActionsPromise?: Promise<boolean>;
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  fieldObjectsPromise?: Promise<{ [id: string]: any }>;
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  annotationCanvasMap?: Map<string, HTMLCanvasElement>;
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  accessibilityManager?: any;
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}
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```
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[Annotation API](./annotation-api.md)
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### Annotation Editing
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Interactive annotation creation and editing tools including freetext, highlighting, stamps, and ink annotations.
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```javascript { .api }
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class AnnotationEditorLayer {
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  render(parameters: AnnotationEditorLayerParameters): void;
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  update(parameters: AnnotationEditorLayerParameters): void;
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  updateMode(mode: number): void;
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  addInkEditorIfNeeded(isCommitting: boolean): void;
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  addStampEditorIfNeeded(): void;
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  destroy(): void;
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}
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class AnnotationEditorUIManager {
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  updateUI(editor: any): void;
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  updateMode(mode: number): void;
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  getMode(): number;
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  destroy(): void;
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}
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```
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[Editor API](./editor-api.md)
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### XFA Forms
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XML Forms Architecture (XFA) support for dynamic PDF forms and interactive content.
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```javascript { .api }
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class XfaLayer {
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  static render(parameters: XfaLayerParameters): XfaLayerResult;
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  static update(parameters: XfaLayerParameters): void;
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}
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interface XfaLayerParameters {
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  viewport: PageViewport;
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  div: HTMLElement;
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  xfaHtml: Element;
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  annotationStorage?: AnnotationStorage;
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  linkService: IPDFLinkService;
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  xfaHtmlFactory: any;
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}
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```
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[XFA API](./xfa-api.md)
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### Configuration and Workers
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Global configuration options and web worker management for optimal performance and browser compatibility.
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```javascript { .api }
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const GlobalWorkerOptions: {
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  workerSrc: string;
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  workerPort?: MessagePort;
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};
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class PDFWorker {
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  constructor(params?: PDFWorkerParameters);
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  destroy(): void;
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  static fromPort(params: FromPortParameters): PDFWorker;
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  static getWorkerSrc(): string;
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}
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```
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[Configuration API](./configuration.md)
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## Version and Build Information
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Core version and build information for the PDF.js library.
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```javascript { .api }
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const version: string;
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const build: string;
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```
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## Exception Classes
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Exception classes thrown by various PDF.js operations.
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```javascript { .api }
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class AbortException extends Error {
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  constructor(msg: string);
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  readonly name: "AbortException";
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}
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class InvalidPDFException extends Error {
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  constructor(msg: string);
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  readonly name: "InvalidPDFException";
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}
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class ResponseException extends Error {
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  constructor(msg: string, status: number, missing: boolean);
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  readonly name: "ResponseException";
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  readonly status: number;
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  readonly missing: boolean;
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}
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class PasswordException extends Error {
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  constructor(msg: string, code: number);
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  readonly name: "PasswordException";
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  readonly code: number;
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}
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```
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## Utility Functions
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Core utility functions for URL handling, data processing, and browser compatibility.
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```javascript { .api }
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function createValidAbsoluteUrl(url: string, baseUrl?: string): URL | null;
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function isValidExplicitDest(dest: any): boolean;
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function fetchData(src: string | URL): Promise<Uint8Array>;
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function getRGB(color: string): [number, number, number];
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function getFilenameFromUrl(url: string, onlyStripPath?: boolean): string;
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function getPdfFilenameFromUrl(url: string, defaultFilename?: string): string;
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function isDataScheme(url: string): boolean;
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function isPdfFile(filename: string): boolean;
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function noContextMenu(element: HTMLElement): void;
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function stopEvent(event: Event): void;
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```
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## Display and Rendering Utilities
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Utility classes and functions for rendering, canvas management, and UI components.
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```javascript { .api }
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class OutputScale {
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  constructor(sx: number, sy: number);
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  sx: number;
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  sy: number;
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  scaled: boolean;
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}
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class DOMSVGFactory {
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  create(width: number, height: number): SVGElement;
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  createElement(type: string): SVGElement;
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}
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class DrawLayer {
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  constructor(params: DrawLayerParameters);
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  render(intent?: string): Promise<void>;
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  cancel(): void;
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  destroy(): void;
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}
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class ColorPicker {
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  constructor(params: ColorPickerParameters);
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  renderMainColor(color: number[]): void;
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  renderButton(): HTMLButtonElement;
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}
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class TouchManager {
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  constructor(element: HTMLElement);
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  destroy(): void;
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}
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class SignatureExtractor {
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  static extract(data: Uint8Array): Promise<SignatureInfo[]>;
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}
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```
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## Constants and Enumerations
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```javascript { .api }
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// Annotation types
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enum AnnotationType {
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  TEXT = 1,
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  LINK = 2,
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  FREETEXT = 3,
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  LINE = 4,
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  SQUARE = 5,
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  CIRCLE = 6,
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  POLYGON = 7,
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  POLYLINE = 8,
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  HIGHLIGHT = 9,
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  UNDERLINE = 10,
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  SQUIGGLY = 11,
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  STRIKEOUT = 12,
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  STAMP = 13,
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  CARET = 14,
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  INK = 15,
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  POPUP = 16,
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  FILEATTACHMENT = 17,
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  SOUND = 18,
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  MOVIE = 19,
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  WIDGET = 20,
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  SCREEN = 21,
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  PRINTERMARK = 22,
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  TRAPNET = 23,
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  WATERMARK = 24,
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  THREED = 25,
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  REDACT = 26
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}
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// Annotation editor types  
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enum AnnotationEditorType {
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  DISABLE = -1,
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  NONE = 0,
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  FREETEXT = 3,
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  HIGHLIGHT = 9,
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  STAMP = 13,
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  INK = 15,
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  POPUP = 16,
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  SIGNATURE = 101,
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  COMMENT = 102
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}
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// Annotation editor parameter types
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enum AnnotationEditorParamsType {
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  RESIZE = 1,
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  CREATE = 2,
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  FREETEXT_SIZE = 11,
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  FREETEXT_COLOR = 12,
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  FREETEXT_OPACITY = 13,
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  INK_COLOR = 21,
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  INK_THICKNESS = 22,
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  INK_OPACITY = 23,
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  HIGHLIGHT_COLOR = 31,
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  HIGHLIGHT_THICKNESS = 32,
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  HIGHLIGHT_FREE = 33,
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  HIGHLIGHT_SHOW_ALL = 34,
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  DRAW_STEP = 41
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}
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// Annotation mode
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enum AnnotationMode {
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  DISABLE = 0,
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  ENABLE = 1,
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  ENABLE_FORMS = 2,
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  ENABLE_STORAGE = 3
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}
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// Permission flags
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enum PermissionFlag {
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  PRINT = 0x04,
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  MODIFY_CONTENTS = 0x08,
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  COPY = 0x10,
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  MODIFY_ANNOTATIONS = 0x20,
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  FILL_INTERACTIVE_FORMS = 0x100,
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  COPY_FOR_ACCESSIBILITY = 0x200,
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  ASSEMBLE = 0x400,
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  PRINT_HIGH_QUALITY = 0x800
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}
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// Verbosity levels
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enum VerbosityLevel {
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  ERRORS = 0,
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  WARNINGS = 1,
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  INFOS = 5
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}
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// Image formats
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enum ImageKind {
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  GRAYSCALE_1BPP = 1,
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  RGB_24BPP = 2,
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  RGBA_32BPP = 3
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}
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// Password response codes
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enum PasswordResponses {
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  NEED_PASSWORD = 1,
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  INCORRECT_PASSWORD = 2
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}
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// Operation codes for internal PDF operations
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const OPS: {
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  dependency: number;
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  setLineWidth: number;
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  setLineCap: number;
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  setLineJoin: number;
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  setMiterLimit: number;
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  setDash: number;
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  setRenderingIntent: number;
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  setFlatness: number;
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  setGState: number;
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  save: number;
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  restore: number;
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  transform: number;
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  moveTo: number;
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  lineTo: number;
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  curveTo: number;
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  curveTo2: number;
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  curveTo3: number;
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  closePath: number;
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  rectangle: number;
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  stroke: number;
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  closeStroke: number;
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  fill: number;
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  eoFill: number;
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  fillStroke: number;
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  eoFillStroke: number;
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  closeFillStroke: number;
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  closeEOFillStroke: number;
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  endPath: number;
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  clip: number;
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  eoClip: number;
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  beginText: number;
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  endText: number;
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  setCharSpacing: number;
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  setWordSpacing: number;
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  setHScale: number;
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  setLeading: number;
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  setFont: number;
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  setTextRenderingMode: number;
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  setTextRise: number;
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  moveText: number;
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  setLeadingMoveText: number;
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  setTextMatrix: number;
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  nextLine: number;
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  showText: number;
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  showSpacedText: number;
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  nextLineShowText: number;
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  nextLineSetSpacingShowText: number;
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  setCharWidth: number;
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  setCharWidthAndBounds: number;
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  setStrokeColorSpace: number;
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  setFillColorSpace: number;
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  setStrokeColor: number;
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  setStrokeColorN: number;
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  setFillColor: number;
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  setFillColorN: number;
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  setStrokeGray: number;
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  setFillGray: number;
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  setStrokeRGBColor: number;
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  setFillRGBColor: number;
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  setStrokeCMYKColor: number;
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  setFillCMYKColor: number;
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  shadingFill: number;
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  beginInlineImage: number;
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  beginImageData: number;
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  endInlineImage: number;
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  paintXObject: number;
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  markPoint: number;
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  markPointProps: number;
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  beginMarkedContent: number;
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  beginMarkedContentProps: number;
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  endMarkedContent: number;
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  beginCompat: number;
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  endCompat: number;
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  paintFormXObjectBegin: number;
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  paintFormXObjectEnd: number;
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  beginGroup: number;
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  endGroup: number;
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  beginAnnotations: number;
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  endAnnotations: number;
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  beginAnnotation: number;
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  endAnnotation: number;
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  paintJpegXObject: number;
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  paintImageMaskXObject: number;
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  paintImageMaskXObjectGroup: number;
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  paintImageXObject: number;
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  paintInlineImageXObject: number;
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  paintInlineImageXObjectGroup: number;
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  paintImageXObjectRepeat: number;
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  paintImageMaskXObjectRepeat: number;
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  paintSolidColorImageMask: number;
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  constructPath: number;
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};
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```