How to Use Mgosoft PDF Stamper Command Line for Automated PDF Stamping

Mgosoft PDF Stamper Command Line Guide: Syntax, Examples, and Tips

Mgosoft PDF Stamper is a lightweight command-line utility for applying text, image, and date/time stamps to single or multiple PDF files. This guide covers the command syntax, common examples, useful options, and practical tips for automating PDF stamping tasks.

Quick overview

• Purpose: Add watermarks, headers/footers, timestamps, and images to PDFs via CLI.
• Use cases: Batch stamping, automated document workflows, adding confidentiality marks, page numbering, and timestamping scanned documents.

Basic syntax

Command structure (assume executable named PdfStamper.exe):

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PdfStamper.exe [options] input.pdf output.pdf 

Common option forms:

• -t “text” — add text stamp
• -f fontname — specify font
• -fs fontsize — specify font size
• -c color — text color (hex or named)
• -x xpos -y ypos — position (points; origin bottom-left)
• -r rotation — rotation in degrees
• -i image.png — image stamp
• -p pages — target pages (e.g., 1, 1-3, odd, even, all)
• -op opacity — opacity (0–100)
• -l layer — stamp layer (foreground/background)
• -dt format — date/time format for dynamic timestamps
• -s — silent/overwrite output

Note: exact option names may vary by version; check the shipped help (PdfStamper.exe -?) for your install.

Examples

1. Simple text stamp centered on all pages

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PdfStamper.exe -t “CONFIDENTIAL” -f Arial -fs 48 -c #FF0000 -x 300 -y 400 -r 45 -op 50 input.pdf output.pdf 

Adds a red, semi-transparent diagonal “CONFIDENTIAL” stamp.

2. Add date/time in footer on every page

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PdfStamper.exe -t “Printed: %DATE% %TIME%” -f TimesNewRoman -fs 10 -x 50 -y 20 -p all input.pdf output.pdf 

Use the tool’s date/time token (e.g., %DATE%, %TIME%) or -dt to specify format if supported.

3. Image logo in top-right on first page only

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PdfStamper.exe -i logo.png -x 450 -y 750 -p 1 -op 80 input.pdf output.pdf 

4. Page numbering in footer (page X of Y)

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PdfStamper.exe -t “Page %p of %P” -f Courier -fs 9 -x 260 -y 30 -p all input.pdf output.pdf 

Common tokens: %p = current page, %P = total pages.

5. Batch process multiple PDFs (Windows CMD loop)

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for %F in (*.pdf) do PdfStamper.exe -t “ARCHIVE” -f Arial -fs 36 -x 300 -y 400 -op 40 “%F” “stamped%~nF_stamped.pdf” 

Common options explained

• Positioning: coordinates are typically in points (72 points = 1 inch); origin usually bottom-left. Adjust based on page size.
• Opacity: 0 = invisible, 100 = opaque.
• Pages selection: use ranges and keywords for flexible targeting.
• Layer: foreground places stamp over content; background behind content.
• Fonts & encoding: embedded fonts avoid substitution; ensure font exists on host system.

Troubleshooting & tips

• Verify exact CLI flags with PdfStamper.exe -? as versions differ.
• Use a small test PDF when experimenting with positions, rotation, and opacity.
• For consistent placement across varying page sizes, calculate coordinates relative to page width/height if the tool supports expressions or use page templates.
• Embed fonts or use common fonts to avoid rendering differences.
• When stamping many large PDFs, monitor disk space and run in batches to reduce memory spikes.
• For OCR’d scanned files, apply stamps after OCR to avoid interfering with text layers if needed.
• Use image stamps with transparent PNGs for clean overlays.
• Automate with scripting (PowerShell, Bash) and include error handling (check exit codes).
• Keep originals untouched—write stamped files to a separate folder or use versioned filenames.

Security and licensing notes

• Check Mgosoft’s license for deployment and redistribution terms.
• Stamping can alter PDFs; keep backups of originals when provenance is important.

Example workflow (automated nightly run)

1. Move new PDFs to a watch folder.
2. Run a script that applies a timestamp and “Processed” stamp:
   • Apply timestamp in footer.
   • Add “Processed” image logo on cover page.
3. Move stamped files to archive and log results (filename, pages, timestamp, exit code).
4. Alert on any non-zero exit codes.

If you want, I can generate ready-to-run scripts for Windows PowerShell or Bash tailored to your environment and the exact PdfStamper.exe version you have.