#  `dump_images`

Extract PDF embedded image metadata to JSON
## Usage
> pdftl `<input>` `dump_images` `[<spec>...]` `[output` `<output>]`

## Details
The `dump_images` operation extracts metadata about embedded images
in a PDF file.

It traverses the PDF's content streams (including nested Form XObjects)
to correctly calculate the absolute bounding boxes of all drawn images using
the Current Transformation Matrix (CTM).

Outputs a JSON object containing page-level image metadata, including:
* **name**: Internal PDF resource name
* **obj_id**: PDF object number (shared across pages if the same image is reused)
* **bbox**: Absolute bounding box coordinates [x_min, y_min, x_max, y_max] in PDF points
* **width_px**: Native image width in pixels
* **height_px**: Native image height in pixels
* **ppi_x**: Horizontal resolution in pixels per inch, derived from bbox and pixel dimensions
* **ppi_y**: Vertical resolution in pixels per inch, derived from bbox and pixel dimensions
* **colorspace**: Resolved color space descriptor — includes family, ICC profile details,
  colorant names for spot colors, and alternate space where applicable
* **bits**: Bit depth per component
* **stream_bytes**: Compressed stream size in bytes as stored in the PDF
* **format**: Compression filter, e.g. flatedecode (PNG-style), dctdecode (JPEG)

Note: If the same image object is drawn multiple times (e.g. as a tiling pattern),
it will appear once per placement with its own bbox and ppi values. The obj_id
field can be used to identify duplicate placements of the same underlying stream.

You can optionally provide page specifications to limit extraction to specific pages.
You can also filter by resolution by providing `min_dpi=<n>` or `max_dpi=<n>` as arguments.
## Examples

> Print image metadata for in.pdf to console
```
pdftl in.pdf dump_images
```

> Save image metadata for in.pdf to a file
```
pdftl in.pdf dump_images output images.json
```

> Save image metadata for in.pdf to a file and save a copy of in.pdf
```
pdftl in.pdf dump_images output images.json --- output copy.pdf
```

> Print image metadata for pages 1, 3, 4, and 5
```
pdftl in.pdf dump_images 1 3-5
```

> List only images with a resolution exceeding 150 DPI.
```
pdftl in.pdf dump_images max_dpi=150
```


**Tags**: info, metadata, images

*Source: pdftl.operations.dump_images*

*Read online: [https://pdftl.readthedocs.io/en/latest/operations/dump_images.html](https://pdftl.readthedocs.io/en/latest/operations/dump_images.html)*

*Type: Operation*