Apply a page plan to a PDF: reorder, rotate, and delete pages in one pass. Pages not listed in page_order are excluded (deleted). Writes a new file — original is never modified. All paths must be absolute.
AI agents use apply_page_plan to create or update resources in PDF Tools — usually the action step of a workflow, after the agent has gathered context. Every call changes real data in your PDF Tools environment.
This tool modifies PDF structure reversibly by creating a new file. While pages are 'deleted' from the output, the original is preserved and the operation can be undone by keeping both versions or re-running with different parameters. The blast radius is medium: an agent could produce incorrect page orderings or accidentally exclude important pages from a workflow, but the original file safety mitigates severity.
From the tool's definition Tool description states it 'Writes a new file' and 'Reorder, rotate, and delete pages in one pass.' The operation creates modified output, which is reversible (original preserved).
Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access apply_page_plan gives an agent:
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and PDF Tools, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for apply_page_plan:
{
"version": "1",
"default": "deny",
"tools": {
"apply_page_plan": {
"limits": [
{
"counter": "apply_page_plan_rate",
"window": "minute",
"max": 30,
"scope": "grant"
}
]
}
}
}apply_page_plan stays usable, but capped — an agent stuck in a loop can't make hundreds of changes a minute. Everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.
Free to start. No card required.
Apply a page plan to a PDF: reorder, rotate, and delete pages in one pass. Pages not listed in page_order are excluded (deleted). Writes a new file — original is never modified. All paths must be absolute. It is categorised as a Write tool in the PDF Tools MCP Server, which means it can create or modify data. Consider rate limits to prevent runaway writes.
Register the PDF Tools MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for apply_page_plan: allow, deny, rate-limit, or require approval. Point your MCP client at the PolicyLayer proxy URL and the rule is enforced on every call, before it reaches PDF Tools. Nothing to install.
apply_page_plan is a Write tool with medium risk. Write tools should be rate-limited to prevent accidental bulk modifications.
Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the apply_page_plan rule in your PolicyLayer policy. For example, setting max: 10 and window: 60 limits the tool to 10 calls per minute. Rate limits are tracked per agent session and reset automatically.
Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for apply_page_plan. The AI agent will receive a policy violation error and cannot call the tool. You can also include a reason field to explain why the tool is blocked.
apply_page_plan is provided by the PDF Tools MCP server (open-document-alliance/pdf-tools). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
Deterministic rules across all 36 PDF Tools tools. Per-identity grants. Full audit log. Live in minutes. Nothing to install.
Free to start. No card required.
36 PDF Tools tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 42,500+ MCP servers.