PDF4me

Overview

This node provides functionality to unlock password-protected PDF files. It supports multiple input methods for the PDF file, including binary data from a previous node, a base64-encoded string, or a URL pointing to the PDF. The node removes the password protection using the provided password and outputs the unlocked PDF file.

Common scenarios where this node is beneficial include:

• Automating workflows that require processing secured PDFs by removing their passwords.
• Preparing locked PDFs for further editing, merging, or conversion in an automated pipeline.
• Unlocking PDFs received from external sources before applying additional operations like watermarking or extracting content.

Practical example:

• A user receives encrypted invoices as PDFs via email. This node can unlock those PDFs automatically using the known password so that subsequent nodes can extract invoice data or convert the PDFs to other formats.

Properties

Output

The node outputs the unlocked PDF file as binary data under the specified output binary property. The JSON output contains metadata about the operation and references to the unlocked PDF binary data. The binary data can then be passed to subsequent nodes for further processing or saving.

If the node processes multiple items, it returns an array of results corresponding to each input item.

Dependencies

• Requires access to the PDF unlocking service or library integrated within the node's implementation.
• Needs the password for the protected PDF to successfully unlock it.
• If using URL input, requires network access to fetch the PDF file from the given URL.
• No explicit external API keys or credentials are indicated in the source code snippet, but appropriate authentication may be required depending on the underlying PDF service.

Troubleshooting

• Incorrect Password: If the provided password is wrong, the node will fail to unlock the PDF. Verify the password and try again.
• Invalid Input Data: Ensure the PDF file is correctly provided according to the selected input type (binary, base64, or URL). For example, if using binary data, confirm the binary property name matches the actual data field.
• Network Issues: When using a URL input, network connectivity problems or invalid URLs can cause failures. Confirm the URL is accessible and points to a valid PDF.
• Unsupported PDF Format: Some PDFs with advanced encryption or corruption might not be unlockable by the node.
• Async Processing: If asynchronous processing is enabled and issues arise, try disabling async mode to debug synchronously.

Common error messages typically relate to authentication failure (wrong password), file not found (invalid URL or missing binary data), or unsupported file format.

Links and References

• PDF Password Removal Concepts
• Base64 Encoding Reference
• n8n Documentation - Working with Binary Data
• Handling Files in n8n