PdfReadError: Could not read Boolean object

[tataganesh]

I am getting the following error for certain PDFs. Due to the confidential nature of these documents, I can't share them, but I can try and provide information which can help solve this problem.
Stacktrace -

    inputpdf = PdfFileReader(open(pdfpath, "rb"), strict=False)
  File "/home/tata/.virtualenvs/obu/local/lib/python2.7/site-packages/PyPDF2/pdf.py", line 1084, in __init__
    self.read(stream)
  File "/home/tata/.virtualenvs/obu/local/lib/python2.7/site-packages/PyPDF2/pdf.py", line 1732, in read
    num = readObject(stream, self)
  File "/home/tata/.virtualenvs/obu/local/lib/python2.7/site-packages/PyPDF2/generic.py", line 74, in readObject
    return BooleanObject.readFromStream(stream)
  File "/home/tata/.virtualenvs/obu/local/lib/python2.7/site-packages/PyPDF2/generic.py", line 137, in readFromStream
    raise utils.PdfReadError('Could not read Boolean object')
PdfReadError: Could not read Boolean object

The exception seems to be raised from the following function, in generic.py:

    def readFromStream(stream):
        word = stream.read(4)
        if word == b_("true"):
            return BooleanObject(True)
        elif word == b_("fals"):
            stream.read(1)
            return BooleanObject(False)
        else:
            raise utils.PdfReadError('Could not read Boolean object')

Printing the variable word yields trai. Can anyone suggest a solution for this issue?

[tataganesh]

It seems as if all these pdfs are encrypted in some way. Using the solution cited in this issue #53 ,
That is, using the following command -
qpdf --password= --decrypt input.pdf output.pdf
and then reading output.pdf worked for me. I am not sure as to how I can determine beforehand, whether a pdf is encrypted ( or in this particular state ) or not.

[hvbtup]

I had the same error for a signed document (Austrian "Amtssignatur"). The file contained the sequence

xref
trailer

I think this violates the PDF 1.7 specification which says that a cross reference section (marked by the xref) consist of one or more subsection, but here we have zero subsections.
Anyway, all the browsers and Adobe Reader render the document without an error.

The signed PDF obviously uses the "incremental update" feature of the PDF format.

[hvbtup]

@ganeshtata , please reopen the issue.

[MartinThoma]

#1015 could fix this issue

[MartinThoma]

As there is no pdf, we can not confirm that it's solved. I assume it is and hence I'll close the issue.

Please let me know if you still encounter the same issue with the latest PyPDF2 version (and please attach the pdf, if possible)

[isriam]

I am able to reproduce this issue with test.pdf and pypdf.

Traceback (most recent call last):

  File "C:\Users\jerem\PycharmProjects\testing\main.py", line 16, in <module>
    main()
  File "C:\Users\jerem\PycharmProjects\testing\main.py", line 8, in main
    text = pypdf.PdfReader('test.pdf')
  File "C:\Users\jerem\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python310\lib\site-packages\pypdf\_reader.py", line 318, in __init__
    self.read(stream)
  File "C:\Users\jerem\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python310\lib\site-packages\pypdf\_reader.py", line 1548, in read
    self._read_xref_tables_and_trailers(stream, startxref, xref_issue_nr)
  File "C:\Users\jerem\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python310\lib\site-packages\pypdf\_reader.py", line 1758, in _read_xref_tables_and_trailers
    startxref = self._read_xref(stream)
  File "C:\Users\jerem\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python310\lib\site-packages\pypdf\_reader.py", line 1794, in _read_xref
    self._read_standard_xref_table(stream)
  File "C:\Users\jerem\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python310\lib\site-packages\pypdf\_reader.py", line 1657, in _read_standard_xref_table
    size = cast(int, read_object(stream, self))
  File "C:\Users\jerem\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python310\lib\site-packages\pypdf\generic\_data_structures.py", line 1229, in read_object
    return BooleanObject.read_from_stream(stream)
  File "C:\Users\jerem\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python310\lib\site-packages\pypdf\generic\_base.py", line 257, in read_from_stream
    raise PdfReadError("Could not read Boolean object")
pypdf.errors.PdfReadError: Could not read Boolean object

Process finished with exit code 1

[pubpub-zz]

@isriam
Please create a new issue. It will be easier to track