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Theses-Checker

Autor: Michaela Macková ([email protected])

The developed applications implement a tool that checks for typographical errors that often occur in theses. Two applications were created: one web-based and the other command-line executable. Both applications were developed in Python and use the PyMuPDF library to process PDF documents.

This program is a part of a bachelor's thesis.

Web tool

The developed web application is freely available at https://theseschecker.eu.pythonanywhere.com/.

The input of this application is a PDF file containing the technical report that will be checked. The output is the same file with graphical indications of any identified mistakes. The edited PDF is displayed directly on the web page, with errors marked using PDF annotations.

Command-line executable

The input to this application is one or more PDF files, each containing a technical report that will be checked. Using the available arguments, you can set which checks are performed and whether embedded PDF files (located inside the PDF documents) are treated as images during the checks. The output consists of the provided PDF files, each accompanied by a graphical indication of any identified mistakes, with errors marked using PDF annotations.

Bachelor's thesis

If you want to learn more and know Czech you can read my thesis at https://www.vut.cz/studenti/zav-prace/detail/144733.

Abstract:
The main goal of this work is to create an application that checks technical reports and marks all the found errors with PDF annotations. The technical documentation of this thesis breaks down the structure of a PDF file, commonly found mistakes in graduate theses, web development using the Django framework and discusses existing libraries for editing PDF documents. The resulting application is implemented in Python and is accessible as a web tool with the help of the Django framework. The developed solution recognizes six mostly typographical errors frequently found in graduate theses. The mistakes found are visually marked and the edited PDF file is then displayed directly on the web page. The resulting tool is freely available and helps students and supervisors to correct the technical reports the students create.

Development

1. Installation of dependencies

Before running the program, you must install all the packages on which the application depends. For easier installation, files have been created containing the packages and their versions that can be used with the pip install command. These files are stored in the root folder. Both versions of Theses Checker (the web tool and the command line program) were developed in the Python programming language version 3.10. Other versions have not been tested.

Web tool

To install dependencies for the web tool, use the following command:

> pip install -r requirements_web.txt

Command-line executable

To install dependencies for the command-line executable, use the following command:

> pip install -r requirements.txt

2. Before first use

After installing the dependencies, you’ll need to make a few adjustments before using either application for the first time.

Web tool

  • For the web application to work properly, the theses_checker.py file must be located in the src\web\theses_checker\bl\ folder (its original location).
  • The next step is creating a .env file in src\web\ folder. This file will contain the secret key that should be set before this application is published. The file must contain a line starting with SECRET_KEY= followed by the newly generated secret key. The example below contains the base value of the secret key, but this value must be manually changed to maintain security. This secret key can be generated, for example, at Djecrety.
  • Next, the DEBUG variable in the settings.py file (located in src\web\web\ folder), must be set. This variable can be used to specify whether the application will run in development mode or production mode. (Static files such as style.css and script.js may not function correctly in production mode on the local server.)
  • The tool creates and stores new PDF files, for our developed strategies on how to delete these files see section 4. For web server with small storage space

.env file example:

SECRET_KEY=django-insecure-8%7#%6m22)=2**4c50n1h-&_!z_&3os6r+0g3_0eofna9mlkx*

Command-line executable

In order for the command line program to work properly, the theses_checker.py file must be located in the same folder as the check.py file. The original folder of this check.py file is src\ and the theses_checker.py file is originally located in the src\web\theses_checker\bl\ folder.

3. Usage

Web tool

To start the server locally for the web tool, use this command (used primarily for debugging purposes):

> python manage.py runserver

Command-line executable

To execute this program, use the following command:

> python check.py [ARG]… in_file [in_file]…

Command description: Makes a new pdf file called '*_annotated.pdf' in the folder, where this program is saved. If no check flag is given, everything will be checked.

Available arguments are:

  • -h or --help
  • --embedded_PDF - if used, embedded PDF files will be treated as part of the PDF; otherwise, they will be considered as images
  • -o or --overflow - performs overflow check
  • -i or --image_width - performs image width check
  • -H or --Hyphen - performs hyphen check
  • -t or --TOC - performs table of content section check
  • -s or --space_bracket - performs space before left bracket check
  • -e or --empty_chapter - performs text between titles check
  • -b or --bad_reference - performs bad reference check (finding '??' in text - usually found in PDFs exported from LaTeX)

The application can be used as follows:

> python check.py -h

> python check.py file.pdf

> python check.py file1.pdf file2.pdf file3.pdf

> python check.py -o -t file.pdf file2.pdf

> python check.py file.pdf -H -s -b

4. For web server with small storage space

In case server has small storage space there were developed two strategies on how to delete annotated PDF files:

4.1. Bash script for periodic deletion

Note: This script does not run by itself. For it to work you need to schedule a job (for example as cron job).

This script is located in src\web\ folder and is named periodicDeleteFiles.sh. When this script is run, it deletes all PDF files located in in .\files\ or .\static\ folder that are older than specified period (originally set to 24h). To change this period, simply change the value in Period variable.

This script can by run by this command:

> bash periodicDeleteFiles.sh

4.2. Delete when loaded on the user's side

Note: By using this method, web cannot be used on mobile devices - PDF is deleted before user can download resource from server.

This option relies on user's web browser to store PDF in temporary storage. PDF file is sent as (a part of) a HTTP response and than deleted from server.

There are a few steps to set up if you want to use this option:

  1. in src\web\theses_checker\views.py uncomment method view_annotated (lines 67-81)
  2. in src\web\theses_checker\urls.py uncomment/add new path to urlpatterns list: 
    path('view/<str:pdf_name>', views.view_annotated, name='view_annotated')
  3. in src\web\templates\theses_checker\annotated.html set <iframe> source (src) to following (as seen in comment in file). By using this source, there is no need to load static in template anymore 
    "{% url 'view_annotated' pdf_name=pdf_name %}"

Known Issues

  • overflow check doesn't work for two-sided papers (padding on odd pages is different than padding on even pages)
  • some files (when user leaves mid request?) stay in static folder
  • when error is thrown during file processing, files stay in files folder