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Export to PDF

PDF is a drawing of the published lock, not a second layout engine. .K2F stays the source.

Default export writes AcroForm widgets for form_field nodes (fillable PDF). --flatten paints lock glyphs instead and omits widgets.

From Markdown

pip install k2f
# From the skill folder:
python scripts/init_package.py --workspace ./out/doc --title "From Markdown" --page a4

k2f markdown notes.md -o ./out/doc/doc.K2F --template ./out/doc/source
k2f export-pdf ./out/doc/doc.K2F -o ./out/doc/doc.pdf

That PDF matches the lock pages. Underscores or [____] in Markdown are not fields — see Fillable PDF.

CLI

k2f export-pdf file.K2F -o out.pdf
k2f export-pdf ./out/doc/doc.K2F -o ./out/doc/doc.pdf
k2f export-pdf file.K2F -o out.pdf --flatten          # glyphs, no AcroForm
k2f export-pdf file.K2F -o out.pdf --scale 4          # stamp pages only (default 4)

--scale is 2, 3, or 4 and applies only to stamp pages (blur, shadow, or gradient). Default export has the same page count as the lock — that is the customer PDF. --trust-pack adds captions and a verify page; do not use it for customer delivery. --trust-pack with fillable fields fails (FILLABLE_EXCLUSIVE).

Do not fall back to html2pdf, jsPDF, browser print, or React-PDF.

Fillable PDF

Markdown → K2F does not parse form_field comments or treat underscore runs as blanks. After import (or when authoring JSON):

  1. Unpack if you only have the packed file: k2f unpack ./out/doc/doc.K2F -o ./out/doc/source (skip --include-lock).
  2. Copy nodes from ex_form.json into content/root.json children. Role and content.type must both be form_field. Never draw ____ or □ in body text.
  3. Pack: python scripts/pack_verify.py ./out/doc/source -o ./out/doc/doc.K2F
  4. Export: k2f export-pdf ./out/doc/doc.K2F -o ./out/doc/doc.pdf

Default PDF: AcroForm widgets (field DrawText skipped, DrawBox kept). --flatten: paint glyphs, no widgets. Field shape: Allowed keys. Viewers overlay native inputs on the same boxes (Web viewer).

Word and PowerPoint export those boxes as lock drawings — not Word content controls or PPT form widgets.

SDK

SurfaceCallNotes
CLI k2f export-pdf-o, optional --flatten, --scale, --trust-packDraws the existing lock. No recompile.
Python Editored.export_pdf_bytes()No module-level k2f.export_pdf. Save first if you patched the tree.
JS @openk2f/k2fexportPdf(bytes, scale?, flatten?) after initWasmEditor has no PDF export — save() then exportPdf(bytes).
ViewerExport PDF / handle.exportPdf()Web viewer

Unlocked input fails with UNLOCKED. Byte-level stamp vs vector contract: Skill pdf-contract.md.

Common mistakes

MistakeReality
Markdown / HTML → a PDF libraryMD → K2F → export-pdf
____ in Markdown as a fill-in blankCopy ex_form.json, pack, then export
Edit the PDF and expect K2F to syncOne-way export (PDF_IS_NOT_A_SOURCE)
--trust-pack for a customer or fillable PDFExtra verify page; fillable documents error FILLABLE_EXCLUSIVE
Extra last page on a default exportBug, or you passed --trust-pack

See also