Blog

November 13th, 2023

Here is some PHP code for WordPress/WooCommerce which will make PDF Ink recognize TWO custom shortcodes in any watermark content: [VARIATION_DESC] and [VARIATION_NAME]. These translate to variation description and variation name, both aspects of a WooCommerce variable product. This code (everything above the dashed line) should get added anywhere in your functions.php file. If unsure where to put it, add it at the end of the file. You could also add the snippet using the WordPress plugin called “CODE SNIPPETS” (front and back end). This snippet development was sponsored by customer Michael. Thanks Michael! For reference (maybe for people migrating from WaterWoo to PDF Ink) here is a snippet which would have worked with WaterWoo:

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October 27th, 2023

When choosing between WooCommerce PDF Watermark and PDF Ink for watermarking and passwording PDFs, both plugins offer essential features but differ significantly. PDF Ink provides greater flexibility with customizable watermarks, allowing HTML tags, custom fonts, and multiple watermark locations. It supports advanced encryption options like AES and offers robust file management, including recycling previously watermarked PDFs. In contrast, WooCommerce PDF Watermark has limitations, such as fewer customization options and higher pricing. Read the full comparison!

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April 26th, 2023

PDFs are a fantastic way to share documents – they preserve formatting, are widely compatible, and can even be compressed for easy transmission. But what if that PDF contains confidential, sensitive or monetized information? The Portable Document Format (PDF) offers some security, which when stacked can be quite effective. These include: Invisible Watermarks: A Non-Visual Deterrent A watermark (also called a stamp) is usually a semi-transparent image or text stamped onto the background of each page in a document. The watermark can be your company logo, a confidential notice, or even a name or # copies authorized, or a copyright notice. While watermarks can’t completely prevent copying, they do make unauthorized distribution visually unappealing. Watermarks […]

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April 17th, 2023

A customer wrote with a neato request last month. If one WooCommerce product had several PDFs, and wasn’t a variable product, how could each PDF in the list be watermarked differently from the others? There is no setting for that inside PDF Ink because WooCommerce hasn’t exactly made that function easily possible, and also because it somehow hadn’t been requested until last month. That’s sort of amazing considering how long the plugin has been around! Anyway, it was a good request and so we added a filter hook called ‘pdfink_woo_filter_settings‘. (This hook replaces the ‘wwpdf_filter_settings_array’ in WaterWoo PDF Premium, with identical arguments.) Filtering Settings Because WooCommerce — unlike Easy Digital Downloads — doesn’t give a […]

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March 23rd, 2023

Creating accessible PDFs is essential for ensuring that all users, including those with disabilities, can effectively interact with your documents. Unfortunately, many PDF manipulation plugins can inadvertently strip away accessibility features, leading to frustration for both creators and users. Unlike traditional libraries that may lose important features during processing, the SetaPDF library from SetaSign offers a robust solution by parsing PDF objects directly, allowing for on-the-fly error correction and preserving accessibility.

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February 25th, 2023

There are several ways to go about getting the attachment ID (of the ‘attachment’ WordPress post type, stored in the wp_posts WPDB (WordPress Database) table. Here are some of them: From the Media Library: Navigate to Dashboard -> Media. Here you will see your WordPress uploads (Media), either in grid view or list view. They’re both fine, it’s just a preference thing. Instructions for both are below. You can click the small icons to change the Media view from list to grid or vice versa. List View If in List view, navigate to the item by scrolling or using the search bar at the top right. Then hover over the title of that file, like […]

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February 20th, 2023

Brought to you by a longtime user, Jake, is the following snippet, which allows for a different stamp on the first page than all other pages. This is a function for users of TCPDF. PDF Ink loops through each PDF page with TCPDF to apply watermarks. What this PHP code says is that if inside this loop, and we are on the first page (the page indicated as “start_page” in PDF Ink settings), apply the special stamp. For all other pages, business as usual (maybe a different stamp. The code needs to be cut and pasted into your WordPress child theme functions.php file, or maybe using the Code Snippets plugin if you are uncomfortable working […]

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February 15th, 2021

There are quite a few built in shortcodes, but sometimes we just need something… special. You can add your own shortcodes to PDF Ink for on-the-fly customized watermarks on PDF pages. In this simple example we are going to create a shortcode to reflect a customer’s order total (price) in the watermark, when using a custom shortcode: [TOTAL_PRICE] Now when you use [TOTAL_PRICE] in your watermark, the PDF will show the total price of the WooCommerce order the PDF was purchased in. Perhaps this way you could print out the price on a gift certificate. More on how to create gift certificates using PDF Ink can be found here. Another Example In the following example […]

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December 10th, 2020

At the moment there are quite a few softwares (mostly paid) that allow you to manipulate PDF files as they are sold online. Some even allow you to add identifying customer data to the PDF in order to copyright, encrypt and password intellectual property. Currently the WordPress plugin scene includes three main routes for PDF manipulation. Risking simplifying things to a degree and possibly excluding outliers on the market, most products for WordPress will use these library set #4: Watermarkers using FPDI/FPDF (Option 4) include WooCommerce PDF Watermark from WooCommerce, the Ignite WooCommerce PDF Watermark Stamper, and Tips & Tricks’ WP PDF Stamper. Basically, all the competition uses the same library set. Some competitors have […]

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July 7th, 2020

Clear communication about password-protected PDFs is crucial to avoid customer confusion. For WooCommerce shops, customize the Thank You page and order confirmation emails to inform customers of their PDF passwords. Use hooks to add messages indicating that passwords are their email addresses or phone numbers. Highlight this information with bold text or colors to ensure it stands out. Effective communication enhances the customer experience, reduces support inquiries, and builds trust, ultimately leading to repeat business and positive word-of-mouth for your shop.

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June 1st, 2020

This is a bit more of a technical post for PDF Ink users who would like to add dynamic customer or order data to file watermarks–data that isn’t already covered in existing PDF Ink “Magic Tags.” There are already magic tags for order number, purchase date, quantity Purchased, customer name, address, phone, email, etc. etc. But maybe your project requires pulling a different tidbit from the customer profile or order data. If that’s the case, keep reading. Your project will likely involve writing a few lines of code. These days you can probably present the question to AI and have it write a PHP snippet for you. If you would rather have human help, or […]

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May 1st, 2020

Do you have a PDF “blank” of an award or certificate or gift certificate you wish to add custom data to on-the-fly? Maybe this is a gift certificate needing an amount, name and order number printed on it, or a graduation certificate needing a name, date and a degree printed on it. If you have a WordPress site and are using WooCommerce, Easy Digital Downloads, Download Monitor, keep reading because this is easier to set up than you would think, using PDF Ink. This can work for any type of PDF document, whether it be a diploma or an award—or you name it. Additional text or images can be added to existing PDFs using software […]

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April 22nd, 2019

In today's fast-paced business world, protecting sensitive information is crucial. Adding legalese to your PDFs can safeguard your documents, and with PDF Ink, you can easily add watermarks like "confidential" or "do not distribute" during download. This process is quick and requires minimal effort, allowing for easy updates. Personalization options, such as custom headers, footers, and even coupon codes, enhance your PDFs further. With PDF Ink, you can ensure your EPUB and PDF documents are both secure and professional. Happy watermarking!

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October 6th, 2018

Here is an example of adding new magic tags to PDF Ink for on-the-fly and totally-customized watermarks. A Brazilian customer using WooCommerce requested a magic tag to display the Cadastro de Pessoas Físicas (CPF) on PDFs. CPF is a taxpayer identification number all citizens of Brazil must use to shop online within Brasil. In order to collect CPF data from customers, our customer uses the Woocommerce Extra Checkout Fields for Brazil plugin.* We wrote the following code to programmatically create the magic tag [BILLING_CPF]. This magic tag will import any customer’s CPF number into their personalized PDF during stamping (when the customer clicks download). The “WooCommerce Extra Checkout” plugin mentioned above must be in use, […]

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April 26th, 2016

TCPDF is a third-party library which does its best to parse/understand and re-write your PDF with your desired changes (watermarks/encryption/etc), but it cannot possibly work on all PDFs and on all servers 100% of the time. Below are some suggestions on how to make your setup play nice with your server (part of a disk on a computer in a room somewhere in the world you probably have limited control over). Stay realistic, think carefully through the process, plan, and do your testing. Hosting Plans If you have large PDFs, complex watermarks (HTML, images, fonts, encryption) and/or heavy customer traffic, you may also want to upgrade your hosting so you can use more CPU if […]

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