Overview
The DynamicPDF Cloud API - a suite of tools for creating PDFs on the cloud - contains everything your organization needs to create and manipulate PDF documents.
The DynamicPDF Cloud API has everything you need for generating and integrating professional PDFs into your applications. Use the DynamicPDF Designer to create professional-looking PDFs graphically. Use the API Endpoint to integrate DynamicPDF Cloud API's capabilities into your own applications.
Designer is an online WYSWYG graphical tool for creating PDF documents and reports using no coding.
The API Endpoints are a set of REST API endpoints that you can integrate into your existing applications to create PDF pages, convert images to PDFs, and generate PDFs using DLEX documents created using Designer. You can also extract metadata from PDFs and images using The API Endpoints.
If this is your first time here, be certain to check out our Getting Started page and video. There, you walk through creating a very simple report using the DynamicPDF Cloud API Designer. You then call the created report using the DynamicPDF Cloud API's dlex-layout endpoint.
DynamicPDF Cloud API Features
The DynamicPDF Cloud API offers the following functionality for creating and using PDFs on the cloud.
| Tool | Description | Users Guide Page |
|---|---|---|
| DynamicPDF Designer | Online document and report designer to create PDF reports and documents. | Designer |
| Endpoints | ||
dlex-layout | Create a PDF using a DLEX document and your data, and return the PDF to your application. | dlex-layout |
image-info | Send an image to the endpoint and receive JSON metadata describing the image. | image-info |
pdf-info | Send a PDF to the endpoint and receive JSON metadata describing the PDF. | pdf-info |
pdf-text | Send a PDF to the endpoint and receive JSON metadata containing the PDF's text. | pdf-text |
pdf-xmp | Send a PDF to the endpoint and receive XML metadata containing the PDF's XMP metadata. | pdf-xmp |
The pdf endpoint creates a PDF document from one or more of the tasks listed below. Each task can be used independently or with other tasks to merge into a PDF document returned to your application. | ||
dlex | Create a PDF using a DLEX document and your data, and either return PDF or merge with another PDF created using the pdf endpoint. | |
html | Create a PDF from HTML and either return a PDF or merge with another PDF created using the pdf endpoint. | |
image | Create a PDF from an image, and either return PDF or merge with another PDF created using the pdf endpoint. | |
pdf | Add an existing PDF to merge with another PDF created using the pdf endpoint. | |
page | Create a new PDF, and either return PDF or merge with another PDF created using the pdf endpoint. |
Tutorials/Getting Started
The best way to learn is by doing. Refer to the many tutorials to help you understand the many features the DynamicPDF Cloud API offers. There you will find tutorials for using the API endpoints directly using REST calls, tutorials for using our many different client libraries, and tutorials for using the DynamicPDF Cloud API Designer to create awesome PDF reports in the cloud.
All resources are available for download from your cloud storage space using the Resource Manager. See the section below on the Resource Manager for more information.
The DynamicPDF Cloud API
The DynamicPDF Cloud API consists of:
- The DynamicPDF Designer,
- The Environment Manager,
- and The API Endpoints.
Figure 1. The DynamicPDF Cloud API online application.
Within the Environment Manager you will find the Resource Manager, Apps and API Keys, Users, Plan and Billing, Reporting, and Help Docs.
The Environment Manager
The Environment Manager is where you manage your Cloud API account. Use the Environment Manager to manage resources, assign apps and app keys, manage users, billing, reporting, and access help documentation.
Manage Resources
You use the Resource Manager to manage your resources. The Resource Manager is how you manage any resources you place in your cloud storage space that is needed by your applications when calling the API endpoints. Use your cloud storage space to store things such as DLEX files, PDF documents, images, and other assets you frequently access via the API endpoints or Designer. For more information on working with your cloud storage space, refer to the Resource Manager.
Do not store your sensitive JSON data in the cloud. Store your organization's sensitive data on your local system.
Figure 2. The DynamicPDF Cloud API Resource Manager.
View your resources like this - if it frequently changes or is sensitive information, such as your organization's data, it belongs on your local system. If it is something like a DLEX file, assets used to generate PDF documents, and things that persist between calls to the API endpoints, it belongs in your cloud storage space.
Sample Resources
Throughout the website numerous code samples are provided. All codes samples have an associated GitHub project. Moreover, all resources in your cloud storage space are available for download using the Resource Manager. At the top-level of the folder structure you should see a samples folder. Highlighting that folder causes an Add Samples button to appear on the right.
Figure 3. The Resource Manager layout element's Add Samples functionality.
From the Add Samples button you can then add the resources for the relevant code sample. Clicking on the information icon will open the associated page containing the code sample for the resources.
Figure 4. Selecting the i button opens the associated documentation page containing the code for the relevant resources.
Checking a sample's checkbox and then selecting OK will add the folder and resources for that sample to your cloud storage space.
Figure 5. Adding the Getting Started resources to your cloud storage space using the Resource Manager.
Apps and API Keys
The Apps and API Keys is where you manage your applications and API keys. You are not required to create multiple applications and API keys. But realize that the Cloud API is how you keep track of your usage through Reporting. See the Users Guide section on the Apps and API Keys for more details (Apps and API Keys).
Figure 6. The DynamicPDF Cloud API Apps and API Keys.
Users
The Users icon is where you add, edit, and delete users associated with an organization's account. For more details refer to the Users documentation.
Figure 7. Add, edit, and delete users using the User Manager.
Billing
Billing is where you can select and pay for the plan your organization wishes to use. For more information refer to Billing.
Figure 8. Billing is where you select/upgrade your plan.
Reporting
Reporting is where you can review your usage in a convenient report. Go to Reporting for more information.
Figure 9. Reporting displays your DynamicPDF Cloud API usage.
The API Endpoints
The Cloud API Overview Users Guide provides more information on the API endpoints (Cloud API Overview).
| Endpoint | Documentation |
|---|---|
| dlex-layout | dlex-layout |
image-info | image-info |
pdf | |
pdf-info | pdf-info |
pdf-text | pdf-text |
pdf-xmp | pdf-xmp |
The API Client Libraries
The DynamicPDF Cloud API also provides several client libraries you can integrate into your applications. The Users Guide page describing the client APIs provides more information (Cloud API Client Libraries).
Access the libraries from the DynamicPDF Cloud API GitHub project at https://github.com/dynamicpdf-api.
Refer to each client library's readme.md file on GitHub for documentation on the library.
The DynamicPDF Designer (Online)
The DynamicPDF Designer users guide provides more information on using Designer. Designer is an online graphical editor that makes creating PDF documents and reports easy. Visually layout a report and then you can use that template to merge your JSON data with the DLEX to generate a PDF.
Figure 10. DynamicPDF Designer interface.