In the PDF industry, the Path PDF refers to the vector graphic elements in the PDF file and expresses graphic content by defining the path. It consists of a few concepts as below:
- Path: Defines boundaries for lines, filled areas, or clipping other images.
- Connection: 2 consecutive line segments where the endpoint of one connects to the start point of the other.
- Closure: Forms a closed path by linking the start and endpoint using the "h" operator.
- Current Clipping Path: Sets the page's clipping boundary to control the visible content area.
While these concepts may seem complex and can't be understood easily, a simple example can make them clear: imagine uploading a PDF to an editor and finding that the text cannot be edited or appears garbled. This issue could arise because some text in the PDF is drawn using paths, similar to outlines created with lines. These "paths" are versatile and can be used to create everything from shapes and dividers to text and images.