The problem is this:

        document     => \$real_path,  # path or ref to a doc
[download]

What is meant with "ref to a doc" is if you already have the contents of a PDF file loaded in a scalar. Then you would pass a reference to it. But you have a path, in which case you need to only pass the scalar, like so:

        document     => $real_path,  # path or ref to a doc
[download]

~Thomas~ 

"Excuse me for butting in, but I'm interrupt-driven..."