EscribalDocument setup
This group configures the overall setup of a PDF document: its page size, orientation, and margins, plus document-level information (title, author…), security (an open password and permissions), and language. These are the foundational settings you normally apply once, near the start, while building a PDF.
Prerequisite: before using any of these instructions, the workflow must already have a PDF created (with Create PDF).
These concepts recur across several instructions in this group; they are explained here once.
-
Document: indicates which document in the workflow the instruction applies to. If left empty, the current document is used. If the document doesn’t exist (or is not a PDF), the instruction simply does nothing.
-
When settings take effect: Set Page Size, Set Page Orientation, and Set Page Margins change the page layout right away. Set Document Metadata, Set Document Security, and Set Document Language are recorded now and applied when the PDF is saved (when it is rendered to the final file) — their effect appears in the finished
.pdf, not before. -
Dynamic values (
@name): in a text field (page format, title, author, password, language code…) you can type@followed by the name of a value saved earlier in the workflow, and it will be replaced by that value. -
“From variable” fields: the
@nametrick only works in text fields. The numeric fields in this group (Custom width, Custom height, and the four margins) each have a companion “from variable” field:- If you leave it empty, the value typed in the normal field is used.
- If you fill it in with the name of a saved value, the engine ignores the normal field and reads the value from that variable.
This is mainly for chaining instructions. If you only work with fixed values, you can ignore these fields. (The yes/no fields in this group have no “from variable” companion.)
- Set Document Language .pdf
- Set Document Metadata .pdf
- Set Document Security .pdf
- Set Page Margins .pdf
- Set Page Orientation .pdf
- Set Page Size .pdf
Set Document Language .pdf
Sets the document’s language (for example en-US or es-ES).
When to use it: to declare the language of the content, which helps accessibility tools (screen readers) and search.
| Parameter | Meaning | Default | Required |
|---|---|---|---|
| Document | Document the instruction applies to | (current document) | No |
| Language code | Language code such as en-US, es-ES, fr-FR. Supports @name |
en-US |
No |
Important behavior: the language is applied when the PDF is saved.
Set Document Metadata .pdf
Sets the document’s information properties — title, author, subject, keywords, and the creator (the producing application).
When to use it: to fill in the PDF’s document properties, which appear in a reader’s “Properties” / “Document info” panel and in search results.
| Parameter | Meaning | Default | Required |
|---|---|---|---|
| Document | Document the instruction applies to | (current document) | No |
| Title | Document title. Supports @name |
(empty) | No |
| Author | Document author. Supports @name |
(empty) | No |
| Subject | Document subject. Supports @name |
(empty) | No |
| Keywords | Keywords / tags. Supports @name |
(empty) | No |
| Creator | Name of the producing application. Supports @name |
(empty) | No |
Important behavior: each field is applied only if it is not empty, so you can set some properties without clearing the others. These values are applied when the PDF is saved.
Set Document Security .pdf
Configures the document’s security: an optional password to open it, and which instructions (printing, copying, editing) are allowed.
When to use it: to protect the PDF with a password or to restrict what readers can do with it.
| Parameter | Meaning | Default | Required |
|---|---|---|---|
| Document | Document the instruction applies to | (current document) | No |
| Open password | Password required to open the PDF. Empty = no password. Supports @name |
(empty) | No |
| Allow printing | Yes = readers may print the document | Yes |
No |
| Allow copying | Yes = readers may copy text and images | Yes |
No |
| Allow editing | Yes = readers may modify the document | Yes |
No |
| Allow printing (from variable) | Reads the yes/no value from a saved value | (empty) | No |
| Allow copying (from variable) | Reads the yes/no value from a saved value | (empty) | No |
| Allow editing (from variable) | Reads the yes/no value from a saved value | (empty) | No |
Important behavior: these settings are applied when the PDF is saved. Setting security enables the PDF’s protection, using the password and permissions you provide.
Set Page Margins .pdf
Sets the page margins (top, bottom, left, right) in centimetres.
When to use it: to widen or narrow the blank border around the page content.
| Parameter | Meaning | Default | Required |
|---|---|---|---|
| Document | Document the instruction applies to | (current document) | No |
| Top margin | Top margin in centimetres. -1 = leave unchanged, 0 = set to zero |
2.5 |
No |
| Bottom margin | Bottom margin in centimetres. -1 = leave unchanged, 0 = set to zero |
2.5 |
No |
| Left margin | Left margin in centimetres. -1 = leave unchanged, 0 = set to zero |
2.5 |
No |
| Right margin | Right margin in centimetres. -1 = leave unchanged, 0 = set to zero |
2.5 |
No |
| Top margin (from variable) | Reads the value from a saved value | (empty) | No |
| Bottom margin (from variable) | Reads the value from a saved value | (empty) | No |
| Left margin (from variable) | Reads the value from a saved value | (empty) | No |
| Right margin (from variable) | Reads the value from a saved value | (empty) | No |
Important behavior: the margins are set in centimetres on the document’s current
section. Any margin left at -1 keeps its current value, so you can change one and
leave the rest; 0 sets that margin to zero.
Set Page Orientation .pdf
Sets the page orientation to portrait or landscape.
When to use it: to switch the PDF to landscape (wider than tall), for example for wide tables or charts.
| Parameter | Meaning | Default | Required |
|---|---|---|---|
| Document | Document the instruction applies to | (current document) | No |
| Landscape | Yes = landscape; No = portrait | No |
No |
| Landscape (from variable) | Reads the yes/no value from a saved value | (empty) | No |
Important behavior: the orientation applies to the document’s current section.
Set Page Size .pdf
Sets the page size of the document, either by a standard paper format or by a custom size in centimetres.
When to use it: to choose the paper size of the PDF (for example A4 or Letter), or to define a custom page size.
| Parameter | Meaning | Default | Required |
|---|---|---|---|
| Document | Document the instruction applies to | (current document) | No |
| Page format | Standard paper size, picked from a list: A3, A4, A5, Letter, or Legal |
A4 |
No |
| Custom width | Custom page width in centimetres. Used only together with a custom height | 0 |
No |
| Custom height | Custom page height in centimetres. Used only together with a custom width | 0 |
No |
| Custom width (from variable) | Reads the width from a saved value | (empty) | No |
| Custom height (from variable) | Reads the height from a saved value | (empty) | No |
Important behavior: if both Custom width and Custom height are greater
than 0, the custom size (in centimetres) is used and Page format is ignored.
Otherwise the standard Page format is applied. An unrecognized page format falls
back to A4. The size applies to the document’s current section.
This documentation is the help of the application, and it comes underCreative Commons Attribution 4.0.