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callas pdfaPilot CLI

Produced by callas software GmbH

Command-line processingpdfapilot cli logo

pdfaPilot CLI is a true command-line application available on Windows (32 and 64-bit), Linux (32 and 64-bit), Mac OS X, IBM AIX and Sun Solaris. Because it is totally self-sufficient (installation is as easy as unzipping the installation archive) and has been optimized for speed and reliability, it is the ideal PDF/A engine for web portals, document management systems or automated archival systems. This command-line version of pdfaPilot is actually also the engine underneath pdfaPilot Server, so if you have pdfaPilot Server running you also have access to all power of pdfaPilot CLI.

PDF/A support and a wide range of PDF related functionality

pdfaPilot CLI obviously supports all PDF/A standards (and a range of related PDF standards as well); it can verify PDF/A compliance or bring incoming file into compliance with the PDF/A flavor of your choice. As pdfaPilot CLI can generate highly configurable reports in PDF and XML format, integration in further automated processes is easy. Next to PDF/A support, pdfaPilot CLI offers a number of related PDF features as well:

  • Converting from office documents, images and PostScript/EPS to PDF or PDF/A
  • Saving images for each page in a PDF
  • Extracting content (text) and images from a PDF
  • Securing a PDF file with a password
  • Converting tagged PDF into HTML or EPUB
  • Creating, checking or processing ZUGFeRD invoices
  • …

For each of these tasks, pdfaPilot CLI has a dedicated command-line action that comes with a range of customizable options.

Versatility in usage

Even though pdfaPilot CLI is a command-line application, it can be used in an extremely flexible way. First of all the command-line application can be started multiple times in parallel (8 times for a standard license, an unlimited times for the unlimited version of the product) in order to perform PDF/A compliance checking or conversion or to run any of the myriad of PDF manipulation actions built-in to the application. But pdfaPilot CLI can also be launched as a watched folder processing server, straight from the command-line. Or it can be launched using a dispatcher or satellite license to partake in load balancing across systems. In these modes it can be configured and controlled by a pdfaPilot Desktop running anywhere else in the network.

Complex automation environmentspdfapilot cli logo

Working with pdfaPilot CLI in environments where automation needs are complex or where high-availability of resources is crucial provides a number of benefits over the regular pdfaPilot Server product. pdfaPilot CLI can be started as a “typed” satellite. These allow a categorization of satellites connected to a dispatcher so that files can be processed on the best-qualified satellite. The command-line version can also be used to monitor a running pdfaPilot Server or Dispatcher (in order to ensure that everything runs smoothly). In critical environments, pdfaPilot CLI can be used to automatically address two different pdfaPilot Dispatchers so that results can be guaranteed even if one of the dispatchers would experience difficulties.

pdfaPilot for OEM customers

pdfaPilot is used by many OEM customers worldwide integrated into their own products, mainly for document and email archiving based on the PDF/A standard, and for analysis, processing and conversion of office and print PDFs. Our OEM customers’ products are used in government agencies, finance or in the industry for archiving, document management, email management, product live cycle management and much more.




Product Type

Windows MacOS Linux Server Command-line PDF viewer/printer Workflow management Utility


Creation Consuming Editing


Tagged PDF creation PDF/UA creation Remediate Verify
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