---
title: "PDF export config usage"
source: https://dev.pageseeder.com/guide/publishing/ant_api/extensions/pdf_export_config.html
description: "This document explains how to configure PDF export settings in PageSeeder by editing the pdf-export-config.xml file using XSL-FO and Apache FOP, with step-by-step instructions for creating custom page layouts."
last_updated: 2026-08-11T16:30:43+10:00
tokens: ~652
---

# PDF export config

For creating a PDF file from a PSML document.

For the default PDF export config, see [default config example](/guide/publishing/ant_api/extensions/pdf_export_config_default.md).

> **Tip:** See [Export PDF Ant task](/guide/publishing/ant_api/extensions/task_export-pdf.md) for further information.

## Overview

XSL Formatting Objects (XSL-FO) is a companion standard to XML. It is designed to enable developers to convert XML data into PDF and other formats. PageSeeder comes preconfigured with [FOP](https://xmlgraphics.apache.org/fop), a respected, open source FO processor from Apache.

With no additional code or configuration, PageSeeder’s FOP implementation enables any collection of PSML files to be output as a PDF document using a default page layout*.* However, when a custom page layout is required, it can be changed by editing a style sheet language file called `pdf-export-config.xml`. For information about this feature, *see* [Exporting to PDF](/guide/documents/pageseeder_fo_config.md). 

## Usage

To create a custom configuration, change from the [default configuration](/guide/publishing/ant_api/extensions/pdf_export_config_default.md) by following these steps. *This is only available to project managers and administrators.*


1. **Sign in** to PageSeeder and select a project or group.
2. Select **Enable developer mode** under *Account menu* \> **Preferences**.
3. To change the configuration for yourself ONLY go to a document, select the rocket **Export** icon on right sidebar (or from Documents page, under the ellipsis to the right of a document), then **Create PDF, +Show more options** and click **Edit config**. *  

*
4. To change the configuration for everyone in the project click the wrench icon in the header bar, then in the main section, click *Administration menu* **\> Template \> Types**, then in the Publication type table, **PDF Export** column. 


  1. To change the default configuration for all documents select **override** under the **default** option in the **default** row. (To revert to the default config, delete your customized default folder on the A*dministration menu \>* **\[Project\]** \> **Template** \> **Template files**). *Only available on Types page.*
  2. To change the configuration for a specific publication type, click **create** under **PDF Export** column in the row for that type. *The Member publish configurations page only has one row and applies to all types.*


> **Note:** When editing this configuration file in PageSeeder, pressing **ctrl-space** displays autocomplete options to make editing easier.