Text Based Annotations using Python

This article shows how to work with text-based annotations in PDF documents using Aspose.PDF for Python via .NET.

The example script demonstrates several text annotation workflows:

  • free text annotations
  • highlight annotations
  • underline annotations
  • squiggly annotations
  • strikeout annotations

FreeText Annotations

Add FreeText Annotations

Free text annotations let you place visible text comments directly on a PDF page. This example adds a simple free text annotation to the first page.

Open the source PDF

document = ap.Document(infile)

Create and configure the free text annotation

free_text_annotation = ap.annotations.FreeTextAnnotation(
    document.pages[1],
    ap.Rectangle(299, 713, 308, 720, True),
    ap.annotations.DefaultAppearance(),
)
free_text_annotation.title = "Aspose User"
free_text_annotation.color = ap.Color.light_green

Add the annotation and save the PDF

document.pages[1].annotations.append(free_text_annotation)
document.save(outfile)

Complete example

def free_text_annotation_add(infile, outfile):
    document = ap.Document(infile)

    free_text_annotation = ap.annotations.FreeTextAnnotation(
        document.pages[1],
        ap.Rectangle(299, 713, 308, 720, True),
        ap.annotations.DefaultAppearance(),
    )
    free_text_annotation.title = "Aspose User"
    free_text_annotation.color = ap.Color.light_green

    document.pages[1].annotations.append(free_text_annotation)
    document.save(outfile)

Get FreeText Annotations

To inspect free text annotations, filter the first page annotations by the FREE_TEXT type and print each annotation rectangle.

Load the document and collect free text annotations

document = ap.Document(infile)
free_text_annotations = [
    annotation
    for annotation in document.pages[1].annotations
    if annotation.annotation_type == ap.annotations.AnnotationType.FREE_TEXT
]

for annotation in free_text_annotations:
    print(annotation.rect)

Complete example

def free_text_annotation_get(infile, outfile):
    document = ap.Document(infile)
    free_text_annotations = [
        annotation
        for annotation in document.pages[1].annotations
        if annotation.annotation_type == ap.annotations.AnnotationType.FREE_TEXT
    ]

    for annotation in free_text_annotations:
        print(annotation.rect)

Delete FreeText Annotations

This workflow removes all free text annotations from the first page and saves the updated PDF.

Find and delete free text annotations

document = ap.Document(infile)
free_text_annotations = [
    annotation
    for annotation in document.pages[1].annotations
    if annotation.annotation_type == ap.annotations.AnnotationType.FREE_TEXT
]

for annotation in free_text_annotations:
    document.pages[1].annotations.delete(annotation)

document.save(outfile)

Complete example

def free_text_annotation_delete(infile, outfile):
    document = ap.Document(infile)
    free_text_annotations = [
        annotation
        for annotation in document.pages[1].annotations
        if annotation.annotation_type == ap.annotations.AnnotationType.FREE_TEXT
    ]

    for annotation in free_text_annotations:
        document.pages[1].annotations.delete(annotation)

    document.save(outfile)

Text Markup Annotations

Highlight Annotations

Add Text Highlight

Highlight annotations emphasize parts of the document without changing the underlying content. This example adds a highlight annotation to the first page.

document = ap.Document(infile)

highlight_annotation = ap.annotations.HighlightAnnotation(
    document.pages[1],
    ap.Rectangle(300, 750, 320, 770, True),
)

document.pages[1].annotations.append(highlight_annotation)
document.save(outfile)

def text_highlight_annotation_add(infile, outfile):
    document = ap.Document(infile)

    highlight_annotation = ap.annotations.HighlightAnnotation(
        document.pages[1],
        ap.Rectangle(300, 750, 320, 770, True),
    )

    document.pages[1].annotations.append(highlight_annotation)
    document.save(outfile)

Get Text Highlight

To inspect highlight annotations, filter the page annotations by the HIGHLIGHT type and print their rectangles.

document = ap.Document(infile)
highlight_annotations = [
    annotation
    for annotation in document.pages[1].annotations
    if annotation.annotation_type == ap.annotations.AnnotationType.HIGHLIGHT
]

for annotation in highlight_annotations:
    print(annotation.rect)

def text_highlight_annotation_get(infile, outfile):
    document = ap.Document(infile)
    highlight_annotations = [
        annotation
        for annotation in document.pages[1].annotations
        if annotation.annotation_type == ap.annotations.AnnotationType.HIGHLIGHT
    ]

    for annotation in highlight_annotations:
        print(annotation.rect)

Delete Text Highlight

This workflow removes all highlight annotations from the first page and saves the output PDF.

document = ap.Document(infile)
highlight_annotations = [
    annotation
    for annotation in document.pages[1].annotations
    if annotation.annotation_type == ap.annotations.AnnotationType.HIGHLIGHT
]

for annotation in highlight_annotations:
    document.pages[1].annotations.delete(annotation)

document.save(outfile)

def text_highlight_annotation_delete(infile, outfile):
    document = ap.Document(infile)
    highlight_annotations = [
        annotation
        for annotation in document.pages[1].annotations
        if annotation.annotation_type == ap.annotations.AnnotationType.HIGHLIGHT
    ]

    for annotation in highlight_annotations:
        document.pages[1].annotations.delete(annotation)

    document.save(outfile)

Underline Annotations

Add Text Underline Annotations

Underline annotations mark text with a visible underline. This example adds a basic underline annotation and sets its metadata and color.

document = ap.Document(infile)

underline_annotation = ap.annotations.UnderlineAnnotation(
    document.pages[1],
    ap.Rectangle(299.988, 713.664, 308.708, 720.769, True),
)
underline_annotation.title = "Aspose User"
underline_annotation.subject = "Inserted Underline 1"
underline_annotation.flags = ap.annotations.AnnotationFlags.PRINT
underline_annotation.color = ap.Color.blue

document.pages[1].annotations.append(underline_annotation)
document.save(outfile)

def text_underline_annotation_add(infile, outfile):
    document = ap.Document(infile)

    underline_annotation = ap.annotations.UnderlineAnnotation(
        document.pages[1],
        ap.Rectangle(299.988, 713.664, 308.708, 720.769, True),
    )
    underline_annotation.title = "Aspose User"
    underline_annotation.subject = "Inserted Underline 1"
    underline_annotation.flags = ap.annotations.AnnotationFlags.PRINT
    underline_annotation.color = ap.Color.blue

    document.pages[1].annotations.append(underline_annotation)
    document.save(outfile)

Add Text Underline Annotations Flatten

If you want the underline to become part of the page content instead of remaining an interactive annotation, you can flatten it after adding it.

document = ap.Document(infile)

underline_annotation = ap.annotations.UnderlineAnnotation(
    document.pages[1],
    ap.Rectangle(299.988, 713.664, 308.708, 720.769, True),
)
underline_annotation.title = "Aspose User"
underline_annotation.subject = "Inserted Underline to Flatten"
underline_annotation.flags = ap.annotations.AnnotationFlags.PRINT
underline_annotation.color = ap.Color.blue

document.pages[1].annotations.append(underline_annotation)
underline_annotation.flatten()

document.save(outfile)

def text_underline_flatten_add(infile, outfile):
    document = ap.Document(infile)

    underline_annotation = ap.annotations.UnderlineAnnotation(
        document.pages[1],
        ap.Rectangle(299.988, 713.664, 308.708, 720.769, True),
    )
    underline_annotation.title = "Aspose User"
    underline_annotation.subject = "Inserted Underline to Flatten"
    underline_annotation.flags = ap.annotations.AnnotationFlags.PRINT
    underline_annotation.color = ap.Color.blue

    document.pages[1].annotations.append(underline_annotation)
    underline_annotation.flatten()

    document.save(outfile)

Add Text Underline Annotations with Quad Points

Quad points let you define the exact marked area for the underline annotation. This is useful when you need more control than a simple rectangle.

document = ap.Document(infile)
rect = ap.Rectangle(299.988, 713.664, 308.708, 720.769, True)

underline_annotation = ap.annotations.UnderlineAnnotation(document.pages[1], rect)
underline_annotation.title = "Aspose User"
underline_annotation.subject = "Inserted Underline with Quad Points"
underline_annotation.flags = ap.annotations.AnnotationFlags.PRINT
underline_annotation.color = ap.Color.blue
underline_annotation.quad_points = [
    ap.Point(rect.llx, rect.lly),
    ap.Point(rect.urx, rect.lly),
    ap.Point(rect.urx, rect.ury),
    ap.Point(rect.llx, rect.ury),
]

document.pages[1].annotations.append(underline_annotation)
document.save(outfile)

def text_underline_with_quad_points_add(infile, outfile):
    document = ap.Document(infile)
    rect = ap.Rectangle(299.988, 713.664, 308.708, 720.769, True)

    underline_annotation = ap.annotations.UnderlineAnnotation(document.pages[1], rect)
    underline_annotation.title = "Aspose User"
    underline_annotation.subject = "Inserted Underline with Quad Points"
    underline_annotation.flags = ap.annotations.AnnotationFlags.PRINT
    underline_annotation.color = ap.Color.blue
    underline_annotation.quad_points = [
        ap.Point(rect.llx, rect.lly),
        ap.Point(rect.urx, rect.lly),
        ap.Point(rect.urx, rect.ury),
        ap.Point(rect.llx, rect.ury),
    ]

    document.pages[1].annotations.append(underline_annotation)
    document.save(outfile)

Delete Text Underline Annotations

This workflow removes all underline annotations from the first page and saves the updated document.

document = ap.Document(infile)
underline_annotations = [
    annotation
    for annotation in document.pages[1].annotations
    if annotation.annotation_type == ap.annotations.AnnotationType.UNDERLINE
]

for annotation in underline_annotations:
    document.pages[1].annotations.delete(annotation)

document.save(outfile)

def text_underline_annotation_delete(infile, outfile):
    document = ap.Document(infile)
    underline_annotations = [
        annotation
        for annotation in document.pages[1].annotations
        if annotation.annotation_type == ap.annotations.AnnotationType.UNDERLINE
    ]

    for annotation in underline_annotations:
        document.pages[1].annotations.delete(annotation)

    document.save(outfile)

Delete Text Underline Annotations by Title

This workflow shows how to selectively delete underline annotations after checking their title.

document = ap.Document(infile)

underline_annotations = [
    cast(ap.annotations.UnderlineAnnotation, annotation)
    for annotation in document.pages[1].annotations
    if annotation.annotation_type == ap.annotations.AnnotationType.UNDERLINE
]

for annotation in underline_annotations:
    if annotation.title.startswith("a"):
        document.pages[1].annotations.delete(annotation)

document.save(outfile)

def text_underline_by_title_delete(infile, outfile):
    document = ap.Document(infile)

    underline_annotations = [
        cast(ap.annotations.UnderlineAnnotation, annotation)
        for annotation in document.pages[1].annotations
        if annotation.annotation_type == ap.annotations.AnnotationType.UNDERLINE
    ]

    for annotation in underline_annotations:
        if annotation.title.startswith("a"):
            document.pages[1].annotations.delete(annotation)

    document.save(outfile)

Get Text Underline Annotations

To inspect underline annotations, filter the first page annotations by the UNDERLINE type and print each rectangle.

document = ap.Document(infile)
underline_annotations = [
    annotation
    for annotation in document.pages[1].annotations
    if annotation.annotation_type == ap.annotations.AnnotationType.UNDERLINE
]

for annotation in underline_annotations:
    print(annotation.rect)

def text_underline_annotation_get(infile, outfile):
    document = ap.Document(infile)
    underline_annotations = [
        annotation
        for annotation in document.pages[1].annotations
        if annotation.annotation_type == ap.annotations.AnnotationType.UNDERLINE
    ]

    for annotation in underline_annotations:
        print(annotation.rect)

Get Text Underline Annotations Marked Text

This workflow converts each underline annotation to an UnderlineAnnotation object and extracts the marked text.

document = ap.Document(infile)

underline_annotations = [
    annotation
    for annotation in document.pages[1].annotations
    if annotation.annotation_type == ap.annotations.AnnotationType.UNDERLINE
]

for annotation in underline_annotations:
    ua = cast(ap.annotations.UnderlineAnnotation, annotation)
    print(f"Marked text: {ua.get_marked_text()}")

def text_underline_marked_text_get(infile, outfile):
    document = ap.Document(infile)

    underline_annotations = [
        annotation
        for annotation in document.pages[1].annotations
        if annotation.annotation_type == ap.annotations.AnnotationType.UNDERLINE
    ]

    for annotation in underline_annotations:
        ua = cast(ap.annotations.UnderlineAnnotation, annotation)
        print(f"Marked text: {ua.get_marked_text()}")

Get Text Underline Annotations Marked Fragments

If you need each marked fragment separately, you can iterate through the collection returned by get_marked_text_fragments().

document = ap.Document(infile)

underline_annotations = [
    annotation
    for annotation in document.pages[1].annotations
    if annotation.annotation_type == ap.annotations.AnnotationType.UNDERLINE
]

for annotation in underline_annotations:
    ua = cast(ap.annotations.UnderlineAnnotation, annotation)
    for fragment in ua.get_marked_text_fragments():
        print(f"Fragment text: {fragment.text}")

def text_underline_marked_fragments_get(infile, outfile):
    document = ap.Document(infile)

    underline_annotations = [
        annotation
        for annotation in document.pages[1].annotations
        if annotation.annotation_type == ap.annotations.AnnotationType.UNDERLINE
    ]

    for annotation in underline_annotations:
        ua = cast(ap.annotations.UnderlineAnnotation, annotation)
        for fragment in ua.get_marked_text_fragments():
            print(f"Fragment text: {fragment.text}")

Squiggly Annotations

Add Squiggly Annotations

Squiggly annotations are often used to mark spelling, grammar, or attention areas in text. This example adds a squiggly annotation to the first page.

document = ap.Document(infile)
page = document.pages[1]

squiggly_annotation = ap.annotations.SquigglyAnnotation(
    page,
    ap.Rectangle(67, 317, 261, 459, True),
)
squiggly_annotation.title = "John Smith"
squiggly_annotation.color = ap.Color.blue

page.annotations.append(squiggly_annotation)
document.save(outfile)

def text_squiggly_annotation_add(infile, outfile):
    document = ap.Document(infile)
    page = document.pages[1]

    squiggly_annotation = ap.annotations.SquigglyAnnotation(
        page,
        ap.Rectangle(67, 317, 261, 459, True),
    )
    squiggly_annotation.title = "John Smith"
    squiggly_annotation.color = ap.Color.blue

    page.annotations.append(squiggly_annotation)
    document.save(outfile)

Get Squiggly Annotations

To inspect squiggly annotations, filter the page annotations by the SQUIGGLY type and print their rectangles.

document = ap.Document(infile)
squiggly_annotations = [
    annotation
    for annotation in document.pages[1].annotations
    if annotation.annotation_type == ap.annotations.AnnotationType.SQUIGGLY
]

for annotation in squiggly_annotations:
    print(annotation.rect)

def text_squiggly_annotation_get(infile, outfile):
    document = ap.Document(infile)
    squiggly_annotations = [
        annotation
        for annotation in document.pages[1].annotations
        if annotation.annotation_type == ap.annotations.AnnotationType.SQUIGGLY
    ]

    for annotation in squiggly_annotations:
        print(annotation.rect)

Delete Squiggly Annotations

This workflow removes all squiggly annotations from the first page and saves the result.

document = ap.Document(infile)
squiggly_annotations = [
    annotation
    for annotation in document.pages[1].annotations
    if annotation.annotation_type == ap.annotations.AnnotationType.SQUIGGLY
]

for annotation in squiggly_annotations:
    document.pages[1].annotations.delete(annotation)

document.save(outfile)

def text_squiggly_annotation_delete(infile, outfile):
    document = ap.Document(infile)
    squiggly_annotations = [
        annotation
        for annotation in document.pages[1].annotations
        if annotation.annotation_type == ap.annotations.AnnotationType.SQUIGGLY
    ]

    for annotation in squiggly_annotations:
        document.pages[1].annotations.delete(annotation)

    document.save(outfile)

StrikeOut Annotations

Add Text Strikeout Annotations

Strikeout annotations mark text that should be treated as removed or crossed out. This example adds a strikeout annotation and sets its metadata and color.

document = ap.Document(infile)

strikeout_annotation = ap.annotations.StrikeOutAnnotation(
    document.pages[1],
    ap.Rectangle(299.988, 713.664, 308.708, 720.769, True),
)
strikeout_annotation.title = "Aspose User"
strikeout_annotation.subject = "Inserted text 1"
strikeout_annotation.flags = ap.annotations.AnnotationFlags.PRINT
strikeout_annotation.color = ap.Color.blue

document.pages[1].annotations.append(strikeout_annotation)
document.save(outfile)

def text_strikeout_annotation_add(infile, outfile):
    document = ap.Document(infile)

    strikeout_annotation = ap.annotations.StrikeOutAnnotation(
        document.pages[1],
        ap.Rectangle(299.988, 713.664, 308.708, 720.769, True),
    )
    strikeout_annotation.title = "Aspose User"
    strikeout_annotation.subject = "Inserted text 1"
    strikeout_annotation.flags = ap.annotations.AnnotationFlags.PRINT
    strikeout_annotation.color = ap.Color.blue

    document.pages[1].annotations.append(strikeout_annotation)
    document.save(outfile)

Get Text Strikeout Annotations

To inspect strikeout annotations, filter the page annotations by the STRIKE_OUT type and print their rectangles.

document = ap.Document(infile)
strikeout_annotations = [
    annotation
    for annotation in document.pages[1].annotations
    if annotation.annotation_type == ap.annotations.AnnotationType.STRIKE_OUT
]

for annotation in strikeout_annotations:
    print(annotation.rect)

def text_strikeout_annotation_get(infile, outfile):
    document = ap.Document(infile)
    strikeout_annotations = [
        annotation
        for annotation in document.pages[1].annotations
        if annotation.annotation_type == ap.annotations.AnnotationType.STRIKE_OUT
    ]

    for annotation in strikeout_annotations:
        print(annotation.rect)

Delete Text Strikeout Annotations

This workflow removes all strikeout annotations from the first page and saves the updated document.

document = ap.Document(infile)
strikeout_annotations = [
    annotation
    for annotation in document.pages[1].annotations
    if annotation.annotation_type == ap.annotations.AnnotationType.STRIKE_OUT
]

for annotation in strikeout_annotations:
    document.pages[1].annotations.delete(annotation)

document.save(outfile)

def text_strikeout_annotation_delete(infile, outfile):
    document = ap.Document(infile)
    strikeout_annotations = [
        annotation
        for annotation in document.pages[1].annotations
        if annotation.annotation_type == ap.annotations.AnnotationType.STRIKE_OUT
    ]

    for annotation in strikeout_annotations:
        document.pages[1].annotations.delete(annotation)

    document.save(outfile)
Shape Annotations via Python