Split a PDF vertically, used for scanned double sided PDF pages

split-page.py

# Source http://stackoverflow.com/a/15741856/1301753

import copy
import sys
import math
import pyPdf

def split_pages(src, dst):
    src_f = file(src, 'r+b')
    dst_f = file(dst, 'w+b')

    input = pyPdf.PdfFileReader(src_f)
    output = pyPdf.PdfFileWriter()

    for i in range(input.getNumPages()):
        p = input.getPage(i)
        q = copy.copy(p)
        q.mediaBox = copy.copy(p.mediaBox)

        x1, x2 = p.mediaBox.lowerLeft
        x3, x4 = p.mediaBox.upperRight

        x1, x2 = math.floor(x1), math.floor(x2)
        x3, x4 = math.floor(x3), math.floor(x4)
        x5, x6 = math.floor(x3/2), math.floor(x4/2)

        if x3 > x4:
            # horizontal
            p.mediaBox.upperRight = (x5, x4)
            p.mediaBox.lowerLeft = (x1, x2)

            q.mediaBox.upperRight = (x3, x4)
            q.mediaBox.lowerLeft = (x5, x2)
        else:
            # vertical
            p.mediaBox.upperRight = (x3, x4)
            p.mediaBox.lowerLeft = (x1, x6)

            q.mediaBox.upperRight = (x3, x6)
            q.mediaBox.lowerLeft = (x1, x2)

        output.addPage(p)
        output.addPage(q)

    output.write(dst_f)
    src_f.close()
    dst_f.close()

input_file=raw_input("Enter the original PDF file name :")
output_file=raw_input("Enter the splitted PDF file name :")

split_pages(input_file,output_file)

src_f = file(src, 'r+b')

Where do I get this function from "file"? What is this "file" referencing to?

Can anyone help me how to do this on linux? I have no idea how to use it. I have installed pdf module and pyPDF module

Hacked up a 2024 update that uses python3 and newer library conventions:
https://gist.github.com/breedx2/60409d2179508dba28c4159b81f26fc2
Thanks for the original! Cheers.