Styling Text

TextStyleRequest changes the appearance of existing text without replacing its characters. Omitted style fields remain unchanged.

Style a literal phrase

Python

from pdfdancer import PdfColorRequest, TextStyleRequest

response = pdf.text().style(
    TextStyleRequest.literal("Payment overdue")
    .font("Helvetica-Bold")
    .size(12)
    .fill_color(PdfColorRequest.rgb(0.85, 0.1, 0.1))
    .build()
)

TypeScript

import {PdfColorRequest, TextStyleRequest} from 'pdfdancer-client-typescript';

const response = await pdf.text().style(
  TextStyleRequest.literal('Payment overdue')
    .font('Helvetica-Bold')
    .size(12)
    .fillColor(PdfColorRequest.rgb(0.85, 0.1, 0.1))
    .build()
);

Java

import com.pdfdancer.common.request.PdfColorRequest;
import com.pdfdancer.common.request.TextStyleRequest;

var response = pdf.text().style(
        TextStyleRequest.literal("Payment overdue")
                .font("Helvetica-Bold")
                .size(12)
                .fillColor(PdfColorRequest.rgb(0.85, 0.1, 0.1))
                .build());

Bold and italic are part of the font name; there are no separate bold or italic switches.

Select runs by their current appearance

Style-run filters let you find text by its current appearance and then change that text's font, size, color, spacing, or other supported style properties. They can target one phrase, all text using a font, headings identified by size, or combinations such as bold 12-point text containing Total. At least one where filter is required.

Python

response = pdf.text().style(
    TextStyleRequest.runs_where()
    .where_font("Helvetica-Bold")
    .where_size(12, tolerance=0.25)
    .where_text_contains("Total")
    .font("Helvetica")
    .fill_color(PdfColorRequest.rgb(0, 0, 0))
    .build()
)

TypeScript

const response = await pdf.text().style(
  TextStyleRequest.runsWhere()
    .whereFont('Helvetica-Bold')
    .whereSize(12, 0.25)
    .whereTextContains('Total')
    .font('Helvetica')
    .fillColor(PdfColorRequest.rgb(0, 0, 0))
    .build()
);

Java

var response = pdf.text().style(
        TextStyleRequest.runsWhere()
                .whereFont("Helvetica-Bold")
                .whereSize(12, 0.25)
                .whereTextContains("Total")
                .font("Helvetica")
                .fillColor(PdfColorRequest.rgb(0, 0, 0))
                .build());

The supplied where calls are combined into one filter: a text segment must satisfy every condition. Here, the segment must use Helvetica-Bold, be approximately 12 points, and contain Total. Start with a narrow page scope and inspect matched before applying document-wide changes.

Where edited text gets its appearance

Text operations need a starting appearance. Some operations can copy the appearance of existing text; coordinate insertion cannot, because it has no source text to copy.

Operation	Starting appearance
Style existing text	Existing selected text
Replace with text	Replaced source text
Insert at anchor	Text at the anchor caret
Insert at coordinates	None; font and size are required

Reset spacing overrides

Use the spacing-reset option when selected text has unusual character or word spacing and you want it to use the font's normal spacing. It removes existing spacing overrides; it cannot be combined with explicit spacing values in the same request.

Python

from pdfdancer import TextStyleRequest

response = pdf.text().style(
    TextStyleRequest.literal("Total")
    .reset_spacing_overrides()
    .build()
)

TypeScript

import {TextStyleRequest} from 'pdfdancer-client-typescript';

const response = await pdf.text().style(
  TextStyleRequest.literal('Total')
    .resetSpacingOverrides()
    .build()
);

Java

import com.pdfdancer.common.request.TextStyleRequest;

var response = pdf.text().style(
        TextStyleRequest.literal("Total")
                .resetSpacingOverrides(true)
                .build());

Custom fonts and characters the font cannot display

Register a TTF and use the returned font name. Registration only makes the font available; it does not guarantee that the font contains every character in the selected text. If matched is positive but changed is zero, inspect font-related errors before saving. See Working with Fonts.