This article describes how to utilize the PDF Scout 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.
Best Practices
EPR will not accept plan review documents rejected by Scout. All plan review documents must be submitted in PDF format.
Prerequisites
SCOUT API Step-by-step guide
Send email to lcao@eplansoft.com 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:
Get a scout token.
url: <scout-url>/api/auth (POST)
- API parameters: username/password
- Get an "upload" url
- Upload file using the "upload" url obtained from step 2
- Call Scout to get the json result.
ALERT!
Tokens automatically expire after 3 hours of inactivity.
Step 1. Get a token
POST https://scout-api.eplansoftreview.com/api/auth
Request Body format:
{
"username": "admin_username",
"password": "admin_password"
}
Sample Response:
{
"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
Sample Response:
{
"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
Request Body format:
{
"filePath": "filePath from step 2 response body"
}
Sample Response:
{
"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 the file passes Scout.
Best Practices
Documents rejected by Scout should be rejected in the public facing/customer portal.