PHPackages drainerlight/php-pdf-decompressor - PHPackages - PHPackages [Skip to content](#main-content)[PHPackages](/)[Directory](/)[Categories](/categories)[Trending](/trending)[Leaderboard](/leaderboard)[Changelog](/changelog)[Analyze](/analyze)[Collections](/collections)[Log in](/login)[Sign up](/register) 1. [Directory](/) 2. / 3. [PDF & Document Generation](/categories/documents) 4. / 5. drainerlight/php-pdf-decompressor ActiveLibrary[PDF & Document Generation](/categories/documents) drainerlight/php-pdf-decompressor ================================= Pure-PHP PDF decompressor: converts PDF 1.5+ cross-reference streams and object streams (ObjStm) into a classic PDF 1.4 structure, so parsers that only understand the traditional xref table (such as FPDI's free parser) can read them. A qpdf-free alternative — no external binaries. v0.1.0(today)02↑2900%MITPHPPHP >=7.4CI passing Since Jul 1Pushed todayCompare [ Source](https://github.com/drainerlight/php-pdf-decompressor)[ Packagist](https://packagist.org/packages/drainerlight/php-pdf-decompressor)[ Docs](https://github.com/drainerlight/php-pdf-decompressor)[ RSS](/packages/drainerlight-php-pdf-decompressor/feed)WikiDiscussions main Synced today READMEChangelogDependencies (2)Versions (2)Used By (0) php-pdf-decompressor ==================== [](#php-pdf-decompressor) **Make modern PDFs readable by legacy parsers — in pure PHP.** [![CI](https://github.com/drainerlight/php-pdf-decompressor/actions/workflows/ci.yml/badge.svg)](https://github.com/drainerlight/php-pdf-decompressor/actions/workflows/ci.yml)[![Latest Version](https://camo.githubusercontent.com/f2dae8ca0bca161ead7c9b650d5adbbd6f5edc1960fad7474824d26334dccc61/68747470733a2f2f696d672e736869656c64732e696f2f7061636b61676973742f762f647261696e65726c696768742f7068702d7064662d6465636f6d70726573736f722e737667)](https://packagist.org/packages/drainerlight/php-pdf-decompressor)[![Total Downloads](https://camo.githubusercontent.com/417c46aeb60ddeeb562431f8385aff34b735d7a8642dd675c00aeaf406d33f86/68747470733a2f2f696d672e736869656c64732e696f2f7061636b61676973742f64742f647261696e65726c696768742f7068702d7064662d6465636f6d70726573736f722e737667)](https://packagist.org/packages/drainerlight/php-pdf-decompressor)[![PHP Version](https://camo.githubusercontent.com/f5acea407dc9f9151dc2bf93e6f3ba7b8b88345c0ef2f92d89653615bff4b9d1/68747470733a2f2f696d672e736869656c64732e696f2f7061636b61676973742f7068702d762f647261696e65726c696768742f7068702d7064662d6465636f6d70726573736f722e737667)](https://www.php.net/)[![License: MIT](https://camo.githubusercontent.com/6c3572a1ee8577d98a641342bd3de054d166d82710451663f2fc45169d4fa077/68747470733a2f2f696d672e736869656c64732e696f2f7061636b61676973742f6c2f647261696e65726c696768742f7068702d7064662d6465636f6d70726573736f722e737667)](LICENSE) Converts PDF 1.5+ files that use **compressed cross-reference streams** (`/Type /XRef`) and **object streams** (`/Type /ObjStm`) into a **classic PDF 1.4** structure that parsers such as the **free parser shipped with FPDI** can read. A **qpdf-free / Ghostscript-free** alternative: no external binaries, no PHP extensions beyond `ext-zlib`. Works on shared hosting where you can't install anything. > This PDF document probably uses a compression technique which is not supported by the free parser shipped with FPDI. If you have ever seen that error — this library is the fix. --- - [Why](#why) - [Requirements](#requirements) - [Installation](#installation) - [Usage](#usage) - [Use it with FPDI](#use-it-with-fpdi) - [As a library](#as-a-library) - [Command line](#command-line) - [How it works](#how-it-works) - [What's supported](#whats-supported) - [FAQ](#faq) - [Contributing](#contributing) - [License](#license) Why --- [](#why) Modern PDFs (produced by most current tools) store their cross-reference table and many objects **compressed**. Older, pure-PHP PDF importers — most notably the free parser bundled with [FPDI](https://www.setasign.com/fpdi) — can't read that and abort. The usual fixes require a **system binary**: ``` qpdf --object-streams=disable --stream-data=uncompress --force-version=1.4 in.pdf out.pdf ``` …which you often can't install (shared hosting, locked-down servers). This library does the same job **in pure PHP**, so you can normalize a PDF at runtime and hand it straight to FPDI. Requirements ------------ [](#requirements) - **PHP 7.4 or any PHP 8** — supports 7.4, 8.0, 8.1, 8.2, 8.3 (tested in CI on all of these; runs on 8.4 as well). - `ext-zlib` Installation ------------ [](#installation) ``` composer require drainerlight/php-pdf-decompressor ``` Usage ----- [](#usage) ### Use it with FPDI [](#use-it-with-fpdi) The most common use case — normalize only when needed, then import as usual: ``` use PdfDecompressor\Normalizer; use setasign\Fpdi\Fpdi; $file = 'modern.pdf'; // Only rewrite the file if it uses features the free parser rejects. if (Normalizer::isCompressed(file_get_contents($file))) { (new Normalizer())->normalizeFile($file, $file = 'normalized.pdf'); } $pdf = new Fpdi(); $pdf->setSourceFile($file); // no more "compression technique not supported" $pdf->importPage(1); ``` ### As a library [](#as-a-library) ``` use PdfDecompressor\Normalizer; $normalizer = new Normalizer(); // File to file $normalizer->normalizeFile('input.pdf', 'output.pdf'); // Bytes to bytes $classicBytes = $normalizer->normalize(file_get_contents('input.pdf')); ``` ### Command line [](#command-line) ``` vendor/bin/pdf-decompress [--force] [--quiet] input.pdf output.pdf ``` Exit codes: `0` success, `1` runtime error (I/O, unreadable/encrypted PDF), `2`usage error. How it works ------------ [](#how-it-works) The same steps a tool like qpdf performs, implemented from the ISO 32000-1 spec: 1. **Parse** the cross-reference table — classic table *or* compressed cross-reference stream, following `/Prev` chains and hybrid `/XRefStm`. 2. **Unpack** every object, including those packed inside object streams (ObjStm). 3. **Rewrite** everything as uncompressed indirect objects with a classic cross-reference table and a minimal trailer. If `startxref` is missing or corrupt, it **rebuilds** the cross-reference table by scanning the file for object definitions. What's supported ---------------- [](#whats-supported) FeatureStatusCompressed cross-reference streams (`/XRef`)✅Object streams (`/ObjStm`)✅`/Prev` chains + hybrid `/XRefStm`✅Broken / missing `startxref` (rebuild)✅Generation numbers preserved✅Encrypted PDFs (`/Encrypt`)⛔ detected & rejected (no decryption)Filters other than FlateDecode (LZW, ASCII85, …)⛔ not yet`/Extends` object-stream chaining⛔ not yetSee [PLANNING.md](PLANNING.md) for the roadmap and known edge cases. > **Not affiliated with Setasign or FPDI.** This is an independent, clean-room implementation based solely on the public ISO 32000-1 specification. "FPDI" and "qpdf" are named only to describe compatibility and purpose. FAQ --- [](#faq) **How do I fix "This PDF document probably uses a compression technique which is not supported by the free parser shipped with FPDI"?**That error means the PDF uses a compressed cross-reference stream and/or object streams (PDF 1.5+). Run the file through this library first, then hand the result to FPDI — see [Use it with FPDI](#use-it-with-fpdi). No commercial add-on or system binary required. **How can I read a PDF 1.5, 1.6 or 1.7 with FPDI's free parser?**Normalize it to a classic PDF 1.4 structure with `Normalizer::normalizeFile()` and open the output with FPDI as usual. **How do I decompress a PDF in PHP without qpdf or Ghostscript?**This library reimplements the relevant part of `qpdf --object-streams=disable --stream-data=uncompress` in pure PHP. It only needs `ext-zlib`, so it runs on shared hosting where you can't install binaries. **What are object streams (ObjStm) and cross-reference streams?**They are PDF 1.5+ features that pack many objects into one compressed stream and replace the classic `xref` table with a compressed one. They shrink files but break parsers that only understand the traditional cross-reference table. **Does it decrypt password-protected PDFs?**No. Encrypted PDFs (with an `/Encrypt` dictionary) are detected and rejected with a clear error rather than producing garbage. **Is this a replacement for the commercial FPDI PDF-Parser add-on?**It solves the same "compressed PDF won't open" problem for free, from a different angle: instead of teaching the parser to read compressed PDFs, it rewrites the PDF into a form the free parser already understands. It is an independent, clean-room project and is not affiliated with Setasign. Contributing ------------ [](#contributing) Contributions are welcome — see [CONTRIBUTING.md](CONTRIBUTING.md). In short: `composer install`, keep `composer test` green on PHP 7.4+, and add a test for any new behavior. License ------- [](#license) MIT — see [LICENSE](LICENSE). ### Health Score 34 — LowBetter than 75% of packages Maintenance100 Actively maintained with recent releases Popularity3 Limited adoption so far Community6 Small or concentrated contributor base Maturity23 Early-stage or recently created project Bus Factor1 Top contributor holds 100% of commits — single point of failure How is this calculated?**Maintenance (25%)** — Last commit recency, latest release date, and issue-to-star ratio. Uses a 2-year decay window. **Popularity (30%)** — Total and monthly downloads, GitHub stars, and forks. Logarithmic scaling prevents top-heavy scores. **Community (15%)** — Contributors, dependents, forks, watchers, and maintainers. Measures real ecosystem engagement. **Maturity (30%)** — Project age, version count, PHP version support, and release stability. ### Release Activity Cadence Unknown Total 1 Last Release 0d ago ### Community Maintainers ![](https://www.gravatar.com/avatar/72e859ce5f89c699c4af4c5184a4f19e1a7ede2b71ed8247b52838a39f0f39ac?d=identicon)[drainerlight](/maintainers/drainerlight) --- Top Contributors [![drainerlight](https://avatars.githubusercontent.com/u/28043807?v=4)](https://github.com/drainerlight "drainerlight (13 commits)") --- Tags cross-reference-streamdecompressfpdifpdi-pdf-parserobjstmpdfpdf-parserphpqpdfxrefphppdffpdiqpdfdecompresspdf-parseruncompressdecompressorobject-streamobjstmxrefcross-reference-streamflatedecode ### Code Quality TestsPHPUnit ### Embed Badge ![Health badge](/badges/drainerlight-php-pdf-decompressor/health.svg) ``` [![Health](https://phpackages.com/badges/drainerlight-php-pdf-decompressor/health.svg)](https://phpackages.com/packages/drainerlight-php-pdf-decompressor) ``` ### Alternatives [pontedilana/php-weasyprint PHP library allowing PDF generation from an url or a html page. 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