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This article describes how to utilize the PDF Scout™ Inspector Tool API to check or pre-flight PDF files. 

  • PDF files are uploaded to Scout.
  • A Scout process will analyze the PDF for pre-configured checks such as file size, known corrupted PDF data, page dimensions, etc
  • Scout results are available via the url /api/scout (POST) in json format

Scout checks are required before PDF files can be used for plan review in EPR.


Info
titleBest Practices

e-PlanREVIEW® (EPR) will not accept plan review documents rejected by Scout.  All plan review documents must be submitted in PDF format.



Prerequisites

See: Scout Inspector Tool


...

SCOUT API Step-by-step guide

To inspect a pdf file using Scout APIs, follow these steps:

...

Open a support ticket to get your SCOUT API credentials, please include your name company or agency name.

Postman collection to help with API development: scout-client.postman_collection.json

Overview of PDF checking with Scout:

  1. Get a scout token.

    1. url: <scout-url>/api/auth (POST)

    2. API parameters: username/password
  2. Get an "upload" url
  3. Upload file using the "upload" url obtained from step 2
  4. Call Scout to get the json result.


Info
titleALERT!

Tokens automatically expire after 12 hours of inactivity.


Step 1. Get a token

POST https://scout-api.eplansoftreview.com/api/auth

...

Code Block
{
    "username": "youradmin_username",
    "password": "youradmin_password"
}

Sample Response:

Code Block
{
    "success": true,
    "token": "eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJ1c2VybmFtZSI6ImVwbGFuYWRtaW4iLCJpYXQiOjE1MjU0NDk2MDcsImV4cCI6MTUyNTQ1MzIwN30.5uRl1WIjpGwJaA-qVbnYI_wenzKl0bRy6RPuvp2WUzo"
}


Step 2. Get an Upload Url

GET https://scout-api.eplansoftreview.com/api/uploadUrl?filename=your_filename

...

Code Block
{
    "success": true,
    "message": "Use the method and url to upload file to Scout server.",
    "data": {
        "method": "PUT",
        "url": "https://eplan-scout.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/1525449678912evil.pdf?Content-Type=application%2Fpdf&X-Amz-Algorithm=AWS4-HMAC-SHA256&X-Amz-Credential=AKIAIGT7NUYPP3IOYOBA%2F20180504%2Fus-west-2%2Fs3%2Faws4_request&X-Amz-Date=20180504T160118Z&X-Amz-Expires=300&X-Amz-Signature=0cf8ad94edf98902134f7909246549d2b1059fc228bb2054f9fea42d33f2f1a2&X-Amz-SignedHeaders=host",
        "contentType": "application/pdf",
        "filename": "sample.pdf",
        "filePath": "1525449678912sample.pdf"
    }
}


Step 3. Upload file to Scout Server

PUT [url_from_last_step]

Note: You must upload file using the PUT method. 


Step 4. Call Scout api to get the result

POST https://scout-api.eplansoftreview.com/api/scout

...

Code Block
{
    "success": true,
    "data": {
        "filename": "1525449678912sample.pdf",
        "filesize": 73121,
        "numPages": 1,
        "outlines": null,
        "results": [
            {
                "key": "accessible",
                "success": true,
                "value": null
            },
            {
                "key": "version",
                "success": true,
                "value": "1.7"
            },
            {
                "key": "size",
                "success": true,
                "value": "0.07MB"
            },
            {
                "key": "rotation",
                "success": true,
                "value": null
            },
            {
                "key": "pageAccess",
                "success": true,
                "value": null
            },
            {
                "key": "annotation",
                "success": true,
                "value": null
            },
            {
                "key": "resolution",
                "success": true,
                "value": null
            }
        ],
        "pages": [
            {
                "pageNumber": 1,
                "dimension": {
                    "pageNumber": 1,
                    "mediaBox": [
                        0,
                        0,
                        1728,
                        1296
                    ],
                    "rotate": 0,
                    "orientation": "Landscape",
                    "width": 1728,
                    "height": 1296
                },
                "pageAccess": {
                    "value": null,
                    "errMessage": null,
                    "debugData": null
                },
                "annotation": {
                    "value": null,
                    "errMessage": null,
                    "debugData": null
                },
                "resolution": {
                    "value": null,
                    "errMessage": null,
                    "debugData": null
                }
            }
        ],
        "pageDimensions": {
            "1": {
                "pageNumber": 1,
                "mediaBox": [
                    0,
                    0,
                    1728,
                    1296
                ],
                "rotate": 0,
                "orientation": "Landscape",
                "width": 1728,
                "height": 1296
            }
        },
        "author": "",
        "version": 1.7,
        "isPassed": true
    }
}


Determining the Results

Check "isPassed" value in the response body to see if you the file passes the inspector.Scout. 


Info
titleBest Practices

Documents rejected by Scout should be rejected in the public facing/customer portal.