AutoIt Requires Chilkat v11.7.0+

Extract Text from a Password-Protected PDF

See more PDF Text Extraction Examples

Demonstrates extracting text from a PDF that requires a password to open. The PDF loads without the password (its structure can be read), but the "text" operation fails because the content cannot be decrypted; "assess" reports that a password is required. With the UserPassword property set before loading, extraction works normally. AutoIt

Local $bSuccess = False

;  This example requires the Chilkat API to have been previously unlocked.
;  See Global Unlock Sample for sample code.

;  The PDF used in this example (user password: secret) is available at encrypted_user_password.pdf

$oPdf = ObjCreate("Chilkat.Pdf")
$oJson = ObjCreate("Chilkat.JsonObject")
$oJsonOut = ObjCreate("Chilkat.JsonObject")

;  The PDF loads without its password: the file's structure is readable, so properties such as
;  NumPages and the security settings are available...
$bSuccess = $oPdf.LoadFile("qa_data/pdf/encrypted_user_password.pdf")
If ($bSuccess = False) Then
    ConsoleWrite($oPdf.LastErrorText & @CRLF)
    Exit
EndIf

;  ...but the content cannot be decrypted, so extracting text fails.
$bSuccess = $oPdf.ExtractText("text",$oJson,$oJsonOut)
If ($bSuccess = False) Then
    ConsoleWrite("Cannot extract: " & $oPdf.LastErrorText & @CRLF)
EndIf

;  "assess" still works: it reports that a password is required and nothing else.
$bSuccess = $oPdf.ExtractText("assess",$oJson,$oJsonOut)
If ($bSuccess = False) Then
    ConsoleWrite($oPdf.LastErrorText & @CRLF)
    Exit
EndIf

ConsoleWrite("passwordRequired: " & $oJsonOut.BoolOf("quality.passwordRequired") & @CRLF)
ConsoleWrite("rating: " & $oJsonOut.StringOf("quality.rating") & @CRLF)

;  Set the password and load again.
$oPdf.UserPassword = "secret"
$bSuccess = $oPdf.LoadFile("qa_data/pdf/encrypted_user_password.pdf")
If ($bSuccess = False) Then
    ConsoleWrite($oPdf.LastErrorText & @CRLF)
    Exit
EndIf

$bSuccess = $oPdf.ExtractText("text",$oJson,$oJsonOut)
If ($bSuccess = False) Then
    ConsoleWrite($oPdf.LastErrorText & @CRLF)
    Exit
EndIf

ConsoleWrite($oJsonOut.StringOf("text") & @CRLF)

;  Sample output:

;  Cannot extract: ChilkatLog:
;    ExtractText:
;      ...
;        The PDF is encrypted and could not be opened (wrong or missing password); its text cannot be read.
;      ...
;  passwordRequired: true
;  rating: none
;  Board Minutes (Confidential)
;  
;  The board met on 3 November 2026. Present: the chair, the treasurer and four members. The treasurer reported that spending for the season came in under budget.
;  
;  The meeting closed at 8.45 p.m.