Work with Vector Graphics in Java

Aspose.PDF for Java exposes vector content through GraphicsAbsorber and GraphicElement objects. This lets you inspect low-level vector elements on a page and then update, remove, copy, or export them.

Inspect vector graphics on a page

Use this example when you need to enumerate vector elements and inspect their page, position, and operator count.

  1. Open the source PDF Document.
  2. Create a GraphicsAbsorber and visit the target page.
  3. Iterate through the absorbed GraphicElement objects and output their properties.
public static void usingGraphicsAbsorber(Path inputFile) {
    try (Document document = new Document(inputFile.toString())) {
        GraphicsAbsorber graphicsAbsorber = new GraphicsAbsorber();
        try {
            Page page = document.getPages().get_Item(1);
            graphicsAbsorber.visit(page);
            for (GraphicElement element : graphicsAbsorber.getElements()) {
                System.out.println("Page Number: " + element.getSourcePage().getNumber());
                System.out.println("Position: (" + element.getPosition().getX() + ", "
                        + element.getPosition().getY() + ")");
                System.out.println("Number of Operators: " + element.getOperators().size());
            }
        } finally {
            graphicsAbsorber.dispose();
        }
    }
}

Move vector graphics on the page

Use this example when all detected vector elements should be shifted to a new position.

  1. Open the source PDF Document.
  2. Visit the target page with GraphicsAbsorber and temporarily suppress updates.
  3. Change the position of each absorbed element, resume updates, and save the document.
public static void moveGraphics(Path inputFile, Path outputFile) {
    try (Document document = new Document(inputFile.toString())) {
        GraphicsAbsorber graphicsAbsorber = new GraphicsAbsorber();
        try {
            Page page = document.getPages().get_Item(1);
            graphicsAbsorber.visit(page);
            graphicsAbsorber.suppressUpdate();
            for (GraphicElement element : graphicsAbsorber.getElements()) {
                Point position = element.getPosition();
                element.setPosition(new Point(position.getX() + 150, position.getY() - 10));
            }
            graphicsAbsorber.resumeUpdate();
        } finally {
            graphicsAbsorber.dispose();
        }
        document.save(outputFile.toString());
    }
    System.out.println("Vector graphics moved in " + outputFile);
}

Remove vector graphics by position with element removal

Use this example when vector elements inside a specific rectangle should be deleted one by one.

  1. Open the source PDF Document.
  2. Visit the page with GraphicsAbsorber and define the target Rectangle.
  3. Remove the matching elements, resume updates, and save the document.
public static void removeGraphicsMethod1(Path inputFile, Path outputFile) {
    try (Document document = new Document(inputFile.toString())) {
        GraphicsAbsorber graphicsAbsorber = new GraphicsAbsorber();
        try {
            Page page = document.getPages().get_Item(1);
            Rectangle rectangle = new Rectangle(70, 248, 170, 252, true);
            graphicsAbsorber.visit(page);
            graphicsAbsorber.suppressUpdate();
            for (GraphicElement element : graphicsAbsorber.getElements()) {
                if (rectangle.contains(element.getPosition(), false)) {
                    element.remove();
                }
            }
            graphicsAbsorber.resumeUpdate();
        } finally {
            graphicsAbsorber.dispose();
        }
        document.save(outputFile.toString());
    }
    System.out.println("Vector graphics removed with method 1 in " + outputFile);
}

Remove vector graphics by deleting a collection

Use this example when matching vector elements should be collected first and then removed in one page operation.

  1. Open the source PDF Document.
  2. Visit the page with GraphicsAbsorber and collect the matching elements.
  3. Delete the collected graphics from the page contents and save the updated document.
public static void removeGraphicsMethod2(Path inputFile, Path outputFile) {
    try (Document document = new Document(inputFile.toString())) {
        GraphicsAbsorber graphicsAbsorber = new GraphicsAbsorber();
        try {
            Page page = document.getPages().get_Item(1);
            Rectangle rectangle = new Rectangle(70, 248, 170, 252, true);
            graphicsAbsorber.visit(page);
            GraphicElementCollection removedElements = new GraphicElementCollection();
            for (GraphicElement element : graphicsAbsorber.getElements()) {
                if (rectangle.contains(element.getPosition(), false)) {
                    removedElements.add(element);
                }
            }
            page.getContents().suppressUpdate();
            page.deleteGraphics(removedElements);
            page.getContents().resumeUpdate();
        } finally {
            graphicsAbsorber.dispose();
        }
        document.save(outputFile.toString());
    }
    System.out.println("Vector graphics removed with method 2 in " + outputFile);
}

Copy vector graphics to another page element by element

Use this example when each absorbed vector element should be added individually to a new page.

  1. Open the source PDF Document and add a destination page.
  2. Visit the source page with GraphicsAbsorber.
  3. Add each GraphicElement to the destination page and save the document.
public static void addToAnotherPageMethod1(Path inputFile, Path outputFile) {
    try (Document document = new Document(inputFile.toString())) {
        GraphicsAbsorber graphicsAbsorber = new GraphicsAbsorber();
        try {
            Page page1 = document.getPages().get_Item(1);
            Page page2 = document.getPages().add();
            graphicsAbsorber.visit(page1);
            page2.getContents().suppressUpdate();
            for (GraphicElement element : graphicsAbsorber.getElements()) {
                element.addOnPage(page2);
            }
            page2.getContents().resumeUpdate();
        } finally {
            graphicsAbsorber.dispose();
        }
        document.save(outputFile.toString());
    }
    System.out.println("Vector graphics copied with method 1 in " + outputFile);
}

Copy vector graphics to another page as a collection

Use this example when the entire absorbed vector graphic collection should be copied to a new page in one call.

  1. Open the source PDF Document and add a destination page.
  2. Visit the source page with GraphicsAbsorber.
  3. Add the absorbed graphics collection to the destination page and save the document.
public static void addToAnotherPageMethod2(Path inputFile, Path outputFile) {
    try (Document document = new Document(inputFile.toString())) {
        GraphicsAbsorber graphicsAbsorber = new GraphicsAbsorber();
        try {
            Page page1 = document.getPages().get_Item(1);
            Page page2 = document.getPages().add();
            graphicsAbsorber.visit(page1);
            page2.getContents().suppressUpdate();
            page2.addGraphics(graphicsAbsorber.getElements());
            page2.getContents().resumeUpdate();
        } finally {
            graphicsAbsorber.dispose();
        }
        document.save(outputFile.toString());
    }
    System.out.println("Vector graphics copied with method 2 in " + outputFile);
}
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