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PDF.co MCP Server

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by pdfdotco

pdf_make_unsearchable

Remove the text layer from a PDF to make it non-searchable, preventing text extraction and search functionality.

Instructions

Make existing PDF document non-searchable by removing the text layer from it.
Ref: https://developer.pdf.co/api-reference/pdf-change-text-searchable/unsearchable.md

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
urlYesURL to the source file. Supports publicly accessible links including Google Drive, Dropbox, PDF.co Built-In Files Storage. Use 'upload_file' tool to upload local files.
httpusernameNoHTTP auth user name if required to access source url. (Optional)
httppasswordNoHTTP auth password if required to access source url. (Optional)
pagesNoComma-separated page indices (e.g., '0, 1, 2-' or '1, 3-7'). Use '!' for inverted page numbers (e.g., '!0' for last page). Processes all pages if None. (Optional)
passwordNoPassword of the PDF file. (Optional)
nameNoFile name for the generated output. (Optional)
api_keyNoPDF.co API key. If not provided, will use X_API_KEY environment variable. (Optional)

Implementation Reference

  • MCP tool handler for 'pdf_make_unsearchable'. Defines the tool with pydantic Field descriptions for all parameters (url, httpusername, httppassword, pages, password, name, api_key), constructs ConversionParams, and delegates to make_pdf_unsearchable service function.
    @mcp.tool()
    async def pdf_make_unsearchable(
        url: str = Field(
            description="URL to the source file. Supports publicly accessible links including Google Drive, Dropbox, PDF.co Built-In Files Storage. Use 'upload_file' tool to upload local files."
        ),
        httpusername: str = Field(
            description="HTTP auth user name if required to access source url. (Optional)",
            default="",
        ),
        httppassword: str = Field(
            description="HTTP auth password if required to access source url. (Optional)",
            default="",
        ),
        pages: str = Field(
            description="Comma-separated page indices (e.g., '0, 1, 2-' or '1, 3-7'). Use '!' for inverted page numbers (e.g., '!0' for last page). Processes all pages if None. (Optional)",
            default="",
        ),
        password: str = Field(
            description="Password of the PDF file. (Optional)", default=""
        ),
        name: str = Field(
            description="File name for the generated output. (Optional)", default=""
        ),
        api_key: str = Field(
            description="PDF.co API key. If not provided, will use X_API_KEY environment variable. (Optional)",
            default="",
        ),
    ) -> BaseResponse:
        """
        Make existing PDF document non-searchable by removing the text layer from it.
        Ref: https://developer.pdf.co/api-reference/pdf-change-text-searchable/unsearchable.md
        """
        params = ConversionParams(
            url=url,
            httpusername=httpusername,
            httppassword=httppassword,
            pages=pages,
            password=password,
            name=name,
        )
    
        return await make_pdf_unsearchable(params, api_key=api_key)
  • Service function 'make_pdf_unsearchable' that makes the actual API call to the 'pdf/makeunsearchable' endpoint using the PDFCoClient.
    async def make_pdf_unsearchable(
        params: ConversionParams, api_key: str | None = None
    ) -> BaseResponse:
        return await request("pdf/makeunsearchable", params, api_key=api_key)
  • ConversionParams model used to parse and serialize the input parameters (url, pages, password, name, etc.) into the API payload.
    class ConversionParams(BaseModel):
        url: str = Field(
            description="URL to the source file. Supports publicly accessible links including Google Drive, Dropbox, PDF.co Built-In Files Storage. Use 'upload_file' tool to upload local files.",
            default="",
        )
        httpusername: str = Field(
            description="HTTP auth user name if required to access source url. (Optional)",
            default="",
        )
        httppassword: str = Field(
            description="HTTP auth password if required to access source url. (Optional)",
            default="",
        )
        pages: str = Field(
            description="Comma-separated page indices (e.g., '0, 1, 2-' or '1, 3-7'). Use '!' for inverted page numbers (e.g., '!0' for last page). Processes all pages if None. (Optional)",
            default="",
        )
        unwrap: bool = Field(
            description="Unwrap lines into a single line within table cells when lineGrouping is enabled. Must be true or false. (Optional)",
            default=False,
        )
        rect: str = Field(
            description="Defines coordinates for extraction (e.g., '51.8,114.8,235.5,204.0'). (Optional)",
            default="",
        )
        lang: str = Field(
            description="Language for OCR for scanned documents. Default is 'eng'. See PDF.co docs for supported languages. (Optional, Default: 'eng')",
            default="eng",
        )
        line_grouping: str = Field(
            description="Enables line grouping within table cells when set to '1'. (Optional)",
            default="0",
        )
        password: str = Field(
            description="Password of the PDF file. (Optional)", default=""
        )
        name: str = Field(
            description="File name for the generated output. (Optional)", default=""
        )
        autosize: bool = Field(
            description="Controls automatic page sizing. If true, page dimensions adjust to content. If false, uses worksheet’s page setup. (Optional)",
            default=False,
        )
    
        html: str = Field(
            description="Input HTML code to be converted. To convert the link to a PDF use the /pdf/convert/from/url endpoint instead.",
            default="",
        )
        templateId: str = Field(
            description="Set to the ID of your HTML template. You can find and copy the ID from HTML to PDF Templates.",
            default="",
        )
        templateData: str = Field(
            description="Set it to a string with input JSON data (recommended) or CSV data.",
            default="",
        )
        margins: str = Field(
            description="Set to CSS style margins like 10px, 5mm, 5in for all sides or 5px 5px 5px 5px (the order of margins is top, right, bottom, left). (Optional)",
            default="",
        )
        paperSize: str = Field(
            description="A4 is set by default. Can be Letter, Legal, Tabloid, Ledger, A0, A1, A2, A3, A4, A5, A6 or a custom size. Custom size can be set in px (pixels), mm or in (inches) with width and height separated by space like this: 200 300, 200px 300px, 200mm 300mm, 20cm 30cm or 6in 8in. (Optional)",
            default="",
        )
        orientation: str = Field(
            description="Set to Portrait or Landscape. Portrait is set by default. (Optional)",
            default="",
        )
        printBackground: bool = Field(
            description="true by default. Set to false to disable printing of background. (Optional)",
            default=True,
        )
        mediaType: str = Field(
            description="Uses print by default. Set to screen to convert HTML as it appears in a browser or print to convert as it appears for printing or none to set none as mediaType for CSS styles. (Optional)",
            default="",
        )
        DoNotWaitFullLoad: bool = Field(
            description="false by default. Set to true to skip waiting for full load (like full video load etc. that may affect the total conversion time). (Optional)",
            default=False,
        )
        header: str = Field(
            description="User definable HTML for the header to be applied on every page header. (Optional)",
            default="",
        )
        footer: str = Field(
            description="User definable HTML for the footer to be applied on every page footer. (Optional)",
            default="",
        )
    
        worksheetIndex: str = Field(
            description="Index of the worksheet to convert. (Optional)", default=""
        )
    
        def parse_payload(self, async_mode: bool = True):
            payload = {
                "async": async_mode,
            }
            if self.url:
                payload["url"] = self.url
            if self.httpusername:
                payload["httpusername"] = self.httpusername
            if self.httppassword:
                payload["httppassword"] = self.httppassword
            if self.pages:
                payload["pages"] = self.pages
            if self.unwrap:
                payload["unwrap"] = self.unwrap
            if self.rect:
                payload["rect"] = self.rect
            if self.lang:
                payload["lang"] = self.lang
            if self.line_grouping:
                payload["lineGrouping"] = self.line_grouping
            if self.password:
                payload["password"] = self.password
            if self.name:
                payload["name"] = self.name
            if self.autosize:
                payload["autosize"] = self.autosize
    
            if self.html:
                payload["html"] = self.html
            if self.templateId:
                payload["templateId"] = self.templateId
            if self.templateData:
                payload["templateData"] = self.templateData
            if self.margins:
                payload["margins"] = self.margins
            if self.paperSize:
                payload["paperSize"] = self.paperSize
            if self.orientation:
                payload["orientation"] = self.orientation
            if self.printBackground:
                payload["printBackground"] = self.printBackground
            if self.mediaType:
                payload["mediaType"] = self.mediaType
            if self.DoNotWaitFullLoad:
                payload["DoNotWaitFullLoad"] = self.DoNotWaitFullLoad
            if self.header:
                payload["header"] = self.header
            if self.footer:
                payload["footer"] = self.footer
    
            if self.worksheetIndex:
                payload["worksheetIndex"] = self.worksheetIndex
    
            return payload
  • MCP server instance created with FastMCP named 'pdfco', which auto-registers the @mcp.tool() decorated functions.
    from fastmcp import FastMCP
    
    mcp = FastMCP("pdfco")
  • PDFCoClient async context manager that creates an HTTPX AsyncClient with the API key for making requests to the PDF.co API.
    @asynccontextmanager
    async def PDFCoClient(api_key: str | None = None) -> AsyncGenerator[AsyncClient, None]:
        # Use provided API key, fall back to environment variable
        x_api_key = api_key or X_API_KEY
    
        if not x_api_key:
            raise ValueError("""API key is required. Please provide an API key as a parameter or set X_API_KEY in the environment variables.
            
            To get the API key:
            1. Sign up at https://pdf.co
            2. Get the API key from the dashboard
            3. Either set it as an environment variable or provide it as a parameter
            
            Environment variable setup example (.cursor/mcp.json):
            ```json
            {
                "mcpServers": {
                    "pdfco": {
                        "command": "uvx",
                        "args": [
                            "pdfco-mcp"
                        ],
                        "env": {
                            "X_API_KEY": "YOUR_API_KEY"
                        }
                    }
                }
            }
            ```
            
            Or provide the API key as a parameter when calling the tool.
            """)
    
        client = AsyncClient(
            base_url=__BASE_URL,
            headers={
                "x-api-key": x_api_key,
                "User-Agent": f"pdfco-mcp/{__version__}",
            },
        )
        try:
            yield client
        finally:
            await client.aclose()
Behavior2/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Annotations are absent, so description carries full burden. It discloses the destructive action 'removing the text layer' but fails to specify permanent effects, authentication needs (api_key param), error conditions, or that output is likely asynchronous (common in PDF.co tools).

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness4/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

One sentence plus a reference link is concise and front-loaded. However, it lacks structure (e.g., sections for parameters, output) that would improve scannability.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness2/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

No output schema, so description should explain return value (likely job ID or URL). It omits mention of asynchronous processing, despite sibling tools 'get_job_check' and 'wait_job_completion' suggesting this pattern. Seven parameters demand more context than provided.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters3/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Input schema covers 100% of parameters with descriptions. The tool description adds no extra meaning beyond the schema; baseline 3 is appropriate as schema already documents parameters.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose5/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The description clearly states the verb 'Make [...] non-searchable' and the resource 'existing PDF document', with a specific mechanism 'removing the text layer'. This directly differentiates it from its sibling tool 'pdf_make_searchable' (which would add text).

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines2/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

No guidance on when to use this tool versus alternatives (e.g., pdf_make_searchable). No mention of prerequisites, irreversible effects, or contexts where it's appropriate.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

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