How to Redact Regions in PDF Files

Pull and Start IronSecureDoc

If you don't have IronSecureDoc running yet, please follow the links below to get it set up:

The [POST] Redact Region API

The [POST] Redact Region API endpoint allows you to hide sensitive information within specific regions of a PDF document using true redaction. This feature is crucial for applications that manage confidential documents, such as legal contracts, medical records, or financial statements. By leveraging this API, you can ensure that sensitive text within defined areas of a PDF is permanently removed, offering both security and compliance.

Trying It Out in Swagger

Swagger is a powerful tool that enables developers to interact with RESTful APIs through a user-friendly web interface. Whether you're using languages like Python, Java, or others, Swagger offers a convenient way to test and implement this API.

Understanding Input Parameters

Before using this API, it's essential to understand the input parameters required and optional for redacting a region in your PDF. These parameters help define the specific area to redact.

API Integration: Python Example

Once you're familiar with the parameters, you can call this API using your preferred programming language. Below is an example of how to integrate this API using Python.

import requests

# Define the API endpoint URL
url = 'http://localhost:8080/v1/document-services/pdfs/redact-region'

# Set the headers for the request (optional relevant metadata)
headers = {
    'accept': '*/*',
    'author': 'IronSoftware',
    'title': 'REDACT REGION DEMO 2024',
    'subject': 'DEMO EXAMPLE'
}

# Open the PDF file to be redacted in binary read mode
files = {
    'pdf_file': ('sample_file.pdf', open('sample_file.pdf', 'rb'), 'application/pdf')
}

# Define the coordinates and page for the redaction region
data = {
    'region_to_redact_x': '60',  # X-coordinate starting at the bottom-left
    'region_to_redact_y': '270', # Y-coordinate starting at the bottom-left
    'region_to_redact_w': '470', # Width of the region to be redacted
    'region_to_redact_h': '200', # Height of the region to be redacted
    'specific_pages': [1]        # Specify the page index to redact
}

# Make the POST request to the API with the provided parameters and file
response = requests.post(url, headers=headers, files=files, data=data)

# Save the redacted PDF response to a new file
with open('redacted_output.pdf', 'wb') as f:
    f.write(response.content)

print('PDF redacted successfully.')

import requests

# Define the API endpoint URL
url = 'http://localhost:8080/v1/document-services/pdfs/redact-region'

# Set the headers for the request (optional relevant metadata)
headers = {
    'accept': '*/*',
    'author': 'IronSoftware',
    'title': 'REDACT REGION DEMO 2024',
    'subject': 'DEMO EXAMPLE'
}

# Open the PDF file to be redacted in binary read mode
files = {
    'pdf_file': ('sample_file.pdf', open('sample_file.pdf', 'rb'), 'application/pdf')
}

# Define the coordinates and page for the redaction region
data = {
    'region_to_redact_x': '60',  # X-coordinate starting at the bottom-left
    'region_to_redact_y': '270', # Y-coordinate starting at the bottom-left
    'region_to_redact_w': '470', # Width of the region to be redacted
    'region_to_redact_h': '200', # Height of the region to be redacted
    'specific_pages': [1]        # Specify the page index to redact
}

# Make the POST request to the API with the provided parameters and file
response = requests.post(url, headers=headers, files=files, data=data)

# Save the redacted PDF response to a new file
with open('redacted_output.pdf', 'wb') as f:
    f.write(response.content)

print('PDF redacted successfully.')

This code performs the following steps:

• Load the PDF: The PDF file to be redacted is loaded from the local file system.
• Set Redaction Parameters: Specify the coordinates (X, Y), width, height, and specific page to redact.
• Call the API: The [POST] Redact Region API is called, passing in the necessary parameters.
• Save the Result: The redacted PDF is saved as a new file.

The given region is redacted as shown below.