CODEWITHSUNDEEP
perlpdfannotationscpan
Samuel
Samuel

Reputation: 25

Erroring in my Perl script coming from CAM::PDF::Annot module. Don't know why

I believe this may be a bug in the module I am using, or I am just completely overlooking something.

My code is this:

#!/usr/bin/perl

use strict;
use warnings;

use CAM::PDF;
use CAM::PDF::Annot;

sub main()
{
   my $pdf = CAM::PDF::Annot->new( 'b.pdf' ); 
   my $otherDoc = CAM::PDF::Annot->new( 'b_an.pdf' );
   my $page = 1;
   my %refs;

   my @list = @{$pdf->getAnnotations($page)};
   for my $annotRef (@list){
       $otherDoc->appendAnnotation( $page, $pdf, $annotRef, \%refs);
   } 

   $otherDoc->output('pdf_merged.pdf');
}
exit main;

This code was taken almost directly from the synopsis found on the module's CPAN page: http://metacpan.org/pod/CAM::PDF::Annot

The problem comes when I run the script using TWO pdf's with annotations. Using two pdf's without annotations runs. Using one pdf with annotations, and one pdf without annotations, runs. Only when both pdf's have annotations does it error.

The error is: "Can't use string ("46") as an ARRAY ref while "strict refs" in use at /usr/opt/perl5/lib/site_perl/5.10.1/CAM/PDF/Annot.pm line 195"

Line 195 of Annot.pm is:

push @{$annots->{value}}, $pupRef;

Annot.pm is inside the CAM::PDF::Annot module.

Any guidance in fixing this would be greatly appreciated!

P.S. In the error, "string ("x")", x is always a number, and seems to change depending on the pdf and the annotations within the pdf. And I will try to add any other information that you need to help figure this out!

Upvotes: 2

Views: 355

Answers (1)

toolic
toolic

Reputation: 62037

Whenever I have a problem with a CPAN module, I go to its webpage to try and assess its quality and see if any bugs have already been reported.

http://search.cpan.org/~donatoaz/CAM-PDF-Annot-0.06 shows the following suspicious results:

CPAN Testers PASS (2)   FAIL (168)   NA (49)

It is surprising that you were able to install the module. No one has reported bugs, but there is clearly a major problem with the code. It seems the author is either unaware of the tester reports (which have been sent to his CPAN email address for more than a year), or has stopped maintaining it.

You could submit a bug report, so at least others will be aware of your issue.

I realize this does not answer your question of how to fix the problem, but even if you do identify a fix, the author may not apply it (in which case, someone could start the process of becoming a co-maintaner).

Upvotes: 1

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