CkPython Requires Chilkat v11.7.0+

PDF Placeholders Without a Value: Error, Blank or Keep

See more PDF Text Replacement Examples

Demonstrates the "unusedPlaceholders" option, which decides what happens to a placeholder found on the page that has no value in "placeholders": "error" (the default) makes it a problem with the reason unusedPlaceholder, so nothing is applied; "blank" replaces it with nothing; "keep" leaves it on the page as it is. CkPython

import sys
import chilkat

success = False

#  This example requires the Chilkat API to have been previously unlocked.
#  See Global Unlock Sample for sample code.

#  The PDF used in this example is available at invoice_template.pdf

pdf = chilkat.CkPdf()
success = pdf.LoadFile("qa_data/pdf/invoice_template.pdf")
if (success == False):
    print(pdf.lastErrorText())
    sys.exit()

#  Values for every placeholder except {{po}} (the purchase order number, which this customer has none of).
json = chilkat.CkJsonObject()
json.UpdateString("placeholders.customer","Acme Corp")
json.UpdateString("placeholders.date","2026-10-18")
json.UpdateString("placeholders.qty1","2")
json.UpdateString("placeholders.desc1","Cordless drill, 18 V")
json.UpdateString("placeholders.price1","$460.00")
json.UpdateString("placeholders.amount1","$920.00")
json.UpdateString("placeholders.qty2","6")
json.UpdateString("placeholders.desc2","Galvanized hinge, 4 inch")
json.UpdateString("placeholders.price2","$12.50")
json.UpdateString("placeholders.amount2","$75.00")
json.UpdateString("placeholders.subtotal","$995.00")
json.UpdateString("placeholders.taxRate","7.35%")
json.UpdateString("placeholders.tax","$73.13")
json.UpdateString("placeholders.total","$1,068.13")

jsonOut = chilkat.CkJsonObject()

#  The default, "error": the unfilled {{po}} is a problem and nothing would be applied.
success = pdf.TextReplace("check",json,jsonOut)
if (success == False):
    print(pdf.lastErrorText())
    sys.exit()

print("error (default): ok = " + str(jsonOut.BoolOf("ok")) + ", problem: " + jsonOut.stringOf("problems[0].field") + " " + jsonOut.stringOf("problems[0].reason"))

#  "keep": {{po}} stays on the page, literally.
json.UpdateString("unusedPlaceholders","keep")
success = pdf.TextReplace("check",json,jsonOut)
if (success == False):
    print(pdf.lastErrorText())
    sys.exit()

print("keep: ok = " + str(jsonOut.BoolOf("ok")))

#  "blank": {{po}} is replaced by nothing, leaving "PO Number:" with an empty value.
json.UpdateString("unusedPlaceholders","blank")
success = pdf.TextReplace("apply",json,jsonOut)
if (success == False):
    print(pdf.lastErrorText())
    sys.exit()

print("blank: applied = " + str(jsonOut.BoolOf("applied")))

success = pdf.WriteFile("qa_output/invoice_no_po.pdf")
if (success == False):
    print(pdf.lastErrorText())
    sys.exit()

#  Sample output:

#  error (default): ok = false, problem: po unusedPlaceholder
#  keep: ok = true
#  blank: applied = true