Version 9: There Is Magic in Here
Magic in the new webPDF version 9? In number symbolism, 9 stands for perfection. If multiplied by any number, the digit sum remains 9. So there is something magical in this number - and that spirit is also reflected in webPDF version 9.
This has little to do with magic and much more with experience and know-how: our developers at SoftVision have raised webPDF to a new level. The new release includes many new and revised functions. In addition, a fully redesigned portal makes webPDF more comfortable to use. It is this combination that creates the "magic" of version 9. Let’s start with the most important features.
The most important features of version 9
Describing the complete feature list would take hours. More than 20 new REST and SOAP web service operations alone could fill an entire article. We therefore focus on a selected overview. If you want to see all updates immediately, you can find the detailed list for version 9 here.
Key features of the new version in the general area of web services include support for OAuth2 tokens (JWS tokens) and improved support for certificate stores. These are necessary, for example, for the encryption and decryption of PDF documents and also when using electronic signatures.
What is now possible with the help of PDF Web Services are HTML and SVG exports. New functions for comments, e.g. stamps or graphic elements, are also available. Likewise, scaling of pages and content in the PDF document is possible. In addition, all web services are capable of encrypting and decrypting PDF documents with certificates and compressing them. The latter has a positive effect on the required storage space, which needs to be kept as lean as possible in times of ever more data.
In brief:
- Support for OAuth2 tokens (JWS tokens)
- Improved support for certificate stores
- Export of PDF documents as SVG graphics
- HTML export for PDF documents
- Scaling of pages and content in PDF documents
- Stamps or graphic elements in comments
Highly comfortable portal
The completely revised webPDF portal includes many improvements and innovations. Users can now create barcodes without a PDF source and download multiple documents simultaneously as a ZIP file, which saves significant time.
Also possible now: highlight signature fields and sign directly on screen, for example with the "Draw signature" function. This removes the need for printing, signing, and scanning. In the admin area, a new landing page provides an overview of server and web service status. Statistics for the last 30 days are visible at a glance.
Optimised webPDF server
As already mentioned, version 9 supports web service authorization via external OAuth2 providers (e.g., Microsoft or Auth0). Also noteworthy: user login via Azure AD and the option to read certificates from LDAP profiles when using LDAP and Active Directory login.
Improved PDF/A Services
When converting PDF documents to PDF/A, version 9 and the "Pdfa" web service can now quickly correct structural and syntax errors. The entire PDF/A engine has also been updated, which improves all PDF/A-related processing tasks.
By the way, version 9 is available as usual as a Windows or Linux installation package for direct setup, or as a container for Docker or Kubernetes.
Back to magic: yes, 9 stands for perfection in number symbolism. We do not claim that webPDF version 9 is perfect, because customer requirements continue to evolve. Our goal is to respond flexibly and support companies in day-to-day work as effectively as possible. It is not just the number of new features, but the quality and attention to detail that gives this release its particular "magic." Not convinced yet?