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Making a PDF that's larger than Germany

alexwlchan.net

71–80 of 156 posts

Re: Making a PDF that's larger than Germany

#71
post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

On an only slightly related note: is there any good way to check PDFs for malware/executables? If I'm stuck with an attempt at it, the best I can think of is opening in a new QEMU or docker with no Internet access, but that's 1) a fair but of work to check something, and 2) probably not even that secure. Using some cli tool, like xxx, bat, or ranger, that does some processing to extract the text and looking at just t…

What you mean with "PDFs with malware/executables"? If you're talking about embedded active content within them, then a reader application can just ignore/not run it. If you're talking about a crafted PDF that exploits, let's say, font rendering bugs inside the reader than it's near impossible. Keep your applications updated.

There is a Chrome addon called SquareX https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/kapjaoifikajdcdehfd... The founder is pretty reputed in the Cybersecurity field.

Re: Making a PDF that's larger than Germany

#75

It seems germane at this point to paraphrase Steven Wright. “I have a map of the United States. It’s actual size. “

I have the map of US in my cell-phone. I'm somewhat confused by its directions however when I look at the map and want to go somewhere. Is the top-part of the map where I'm moving? Or is the top-part North? Seems it is not North and that is confusing because maps I've seen before have North at the top always. If I turn 90 degrees, the map turns around. But I thought it was I who turned around. And if I stop, the map…

If you want North to be up, tap the compass icon.

Re: Making a PDF that's larger than Germany

#76

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have the map of US in my cell-phone. I'm somewhat confused by its directions however when I look at the map and want to go somewhere. Is the top-part of the map where I'm moving? Or is the top-part North? Seems it is not North and that is confusing because maps I've seen before have North at the top always. If I turn 90 degrees, the map turns around. But I thought it was I who turned around. And if I stop, the map…

I really hate that too. You are in a intersection and the voice says "Drive north for x miles/km". What is wrong with "turn right and drive for x miles/km"? I normally have zero clue in what direction north is especially when I am in a location i have never been before. I drive a bike and have the phone in my pocket and can therefore not see any arrow that the app might display. I only have the audio to navigate from…

That’s Google maps for you. Try another one, most have way better voice cues (amongst other things!).

Re: Making a PDF that's larger than Germany

#77
post #68

PDF is a fabulous format. I mean, it’s an awful format in so many ways, technically speaking, but the net effect of having a self-contained static file in your custody stands in blissful contrast to the user-hostile dynamic/SaaS website that can be taken away at a moment’s notice. PDF/A is the true PDF - it strips out most of the dangerous cruft. Anyway, if you like weird PDF hijinks, here’s a polyglot PDF/A CSV file…

Does it anything else? Maybe pwn me via my PDF viewer?;)

Re: Making a PDF that's larger than Germany

#78
So what is the actual limit if any? I just had a quick look at ISO 32000-2:2020 [1] and think the answer is none or implementation depended if you want. In the file format a media box is a rectangle, a rectangle is an array of four numbers, and a number is either an integer or a real. Numbers are represented as strings, so there is no a priori limit on their range and there seem to be no requirements on the minimum or maximum range of values an implementation has to support. The appendix only says that IEEE 754 is a commonly used format to represent reals and that this might impose limits.

[1] https://developer.adobe.com/document-services/docs/assets/5b...

Re: Making a PDF that's larger than Germany

#79
post #68

PDF is a fabulous format. I mean, it’s an awful format in so many ways, technically speaking, but the net effect of having a self-contained static file in your custody stands in blissful contrast to the user-hostile dynamic/SaaS website that can be taken away at a moment’s notice. PDF/A is the true PDF - it strips out most of the dangerous cruft. Anyway, if you like weird PDF hijinks, here’s a polyglot PDF/A CSV file…

> PDF/A is the true PDF

As someone working in the graphic industry, I'd say PDF/X is the true PDF, but ymmv. :-)

Re: Making a PDF that's larger than Germany

#80

Long story short: the original tweet makes a confusion between PDF (the file format) and adobe acrobat (the PDF reader) : the 381km2 is an acrobat limit, not a PDF limit Funny document, still

Interesting, I always though Acrobat was the reference implementation of PDF.
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