Python + Selenium + PhantomJS render to PDF

Question

Is it possible to use PhantomJS\'s rendering to PDF capabilities when PhantomJS is being used in combination with Selenium and Python? (ie. mimic page.ren

Answer 1

Here is a solution using selenium and special command for GhostDriver (it should work since GhostDriver 1.1.0 and PhantomJS 1.9.6, tested with PhantomJS 1.9.8):

#!/usr/bin/env python
# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-

"""Download a webpage as a PDF."""


from selenium import webdriver


def download(driver, target_path):
    """Download the currently displayed page to target_path."""
    def execute(script, args):
        driver.execute('executePhantomScript',
                       {'script': script, 'args': args})

    # hack while the python interface lags
    driver.command_executor._commands['executePhantomScript'] = ('POST', '/session/$sessionId/phantom/execute')
    # set page format
    # inside the execution script, webpage is "this"
    page_format = 'this.paperSize = {format: "A4", orientation: "portrait" };'
    execute(page_format, [])

    # render current page
    render = '''this.render("{}")'''.format(target_path)
    execute(render, [])


if __name__ == '__main__':
    driver = webdriver.PhantomJS('phantomjs')
    driver.get('http://stackoverflow.com')
    download(driver, "save_me.pdf")

see also my answer to the same question here.

Answer 2

You could use selenium.selenium.capture_screenshot('file.png') but that will give you a screen shot as a png not a pdf. There does not seem to be a way to get a screenshot as a pdf.

Here are the docs for capture_screenshot: http://selenium.googlecode.com/git/docs/api/py/selenium/selenium.selenium.html?highlight=screenshot#selenium.selenium.selenium.capture_screenshot

Answer 3

Tried pdfkit? It can render PDF files from html pages.

Answer 4

@rejected, I know you mentioned not wanting to use subprocesses, but...

You may actually be able to leverage subprocess communication more than you anticipated. Theoretically, you could take Ariya's stdin/stdout example and extend it to be a relatively generic wrapper script. It might first accept a page to load, then listen for (& execute) your test actions on that page. Eventually, you could kick off the .render or even make a generic capture for error handling:

try {
  // load page & execute stdin commands
} catch (e) {
  page.render(page + '-error-state.pdf');
}