Ok so I want to download this embedded PDF/document in order to physically print it. The website allows me to view it as much as I want, but is asking me to fork over 25 + tax USD so i can download the document.

Obviously, i don’t want to do that, so I try to download the embedded document via inspect element. But, the weird thing is it not actually loading a pdf, but like really small pictures of each page:

So, my question is basically how can I download this document in order to print it?

PdF link: https://www.sbcaplanroom.com/jobs/2477/plans/goleta-sanitary-district-biosolids-and-energy-phase-1-project/?preview=200647

  • andrew_bidlaw@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
    0·
    1 year ago

    FOR LINUX, COMPLETE AND WORKING

    1. Install xdotool, AutoKey
    2. In Firefox get Save Screenshot: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/savescreenshot/ Then, in Firefox Shortcuts add Ctrl+1 as a hotkey to capture visible page.
    3. Create a script for Autokey in Python, mine is:
    import time
import os   
import subprocess

pages = dialog.input_dialog(title='', message='Number of pages:', default='5').data

time.sleep(1)
for k in range(1,int(pages)):
    subprocess.run(["xdotool", "key", "ctrl+1"]) # Plugin's hotkey
    time.sleep(2)
    subprocess.run(["xdotool", "click", "1"]) # Mouseclick
    time.sleep(2)

subprocess.run(["xdotool", "key", "ctrl+1"]) # to screenshot the last one
    1. In the bottom of a program, set a hotkey to launch it (I set it to Home).
    2. Open OP’s page and via Inspect Element find the link to embed. It’s https://www.sbcaplanroom.com/preview/2477/12610/200647
    3. Press F11, make the whole picture fit.
    4. Place mouse pointer over next page button, so it clicks each time.
    5. Lauch my Autokey script via Home button.
    6. Enter number of pages.
    7. See how it does it.
    8. Open screenshots directory in XnView, select them. Locate it’s BatchConvert tool, in Actions tab select a crop action and adjust it to pages’ margins. ACHTUNG The last one should be done differently, you can open it in XnV and crop this one alone.
    9. Use any tool to stitch them back together into a PDF. I’ve used PDF Arranger: https://github.com/pdfarranger/pdfarranger But some user down there said it crashed on 600-something pages document.

    Result: https://files.catbox.moe/iivoga.pdf

  • Norah - She/They@lemmy.blahaj.zoneEnglish
    0·
    1 year ago

    Okay so, PDF documents are actually already “a collection of images” basically. This website is clearly trying to make it an extra step harder by loading the images individually as you browse the document. You could manually save/download all the images and use a tool to turn it back into a pdf. I haven’t heard of a tool that does this automatically, but it should be possible for a web scraper to make the GET requests sequentially then stitch the pdf back together.

    • Pantoffel@feddit.deEnglish
      0·
      1 year ago

      I would go this route as well. As a developer this sounds easy enough. It you don’t get vertical sequences of images, but instead a grid of images, then I would apply traditional image stitching techniques. There are tons of libraries for that on github.