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Quick Start Guide

This quick start guide helps you get up and running with flyfield efficiently.

What You Need (Prerequisites)

Before you begin using flyfield, you need the following:

  • Familiarity with Command Line

You should know how to open and use the terminal (Linux/macOS) or command prompt/PowerShell (Windows) to run commands. This is necessary to execute flyfield commands properly.

  • Python Installation

flyfield requires Python 3.9 or later. To check your Python version, open a terminal or command prompt and run:

python --version

If Python is not installed or if the version is below 3.9, download and install the latest Python version from python.org. Follow the installer instructions suitable for your operating system.

  • Installing flyfield

The recommended method to install flyfield is using pipx, which allows you to install and run Python CLI tools in isolated environments. To install pipx (if you don't have it), run:

python -m pip install --user pipx
python -m pipx ensurepath

Once pipx is installed, install flyfield by running:

pipx install flyfield

After installation, verify that flyfield is correctly installed by running:

flyfield --version

This should print the installed version number without errors.

  • PDF and Data Files Have a copy of the PDF form you want to automate, for example:
Trust-tax-return-2024.pdf

Also prepare or obtain a CSV file containing your field codes and corresponding values in a code,fill column format, for example:

example-fields-filled-capture.csv

Typical Workflow Overview

  1. Make a copy of your original PDF (keep it safe)
  2. Generate a markup PDF that shows detected field boxes to verify visually
  3. Extract and generate interactive form fields on selected pages
  4. Fill the PDF fields using data from your CSV file
  5. Capture filled form data back into CSV for review or reuse

Useful Tips

  • Ensure your CSV files are UTF-8 encoded and properly formatted
  • Use the --debug flag for more detailed logs if encountering issues

Want More?

For a detailed, step-by-step walkthrough with real-world examples and commands, see the Worked Example.

This streamlined guide gives you the essentials to start using flyfield safely and confidently, pointing to deeper tutorial content for extended learning.