Python Requires Chilkat v11.7.0+

Search for Text in a PDF

See more PDF Text Extraction Examples

Demonstrates the "search" operation, which finds every occurrence of a string in a PDF and returns each match with its page number and the text around it. Matching ignores case unless caseSensitive is true. Chilkat2-Python

import sys
import chilkat2

success = False

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

# The three-page PDF used in this example is available at search_context.pdf

pdf = chilkat2.Pdf()
success = pdf.LoadFile("qa_data/pdf/search_context.pdf")
if (success == False):
    print(pdf.LastErrorText)
    sys.exit()

json = chilkat2.JsonObject()
jsonOut = chilkat2.JsonObject()

# The string to find.
json.UpdateString("query","chilkat")

# The number of characters returned before and after each match.  The default is 40.
json.UpdateInt("context",30)

success = pdf.ExtractText("search",json,jsonOut)
if (success == False):
    print(pdf.LastErrorText)
    sys.exit()

# "count" is the number of matches.  Each match has the page, the matched text as it appears
# in the PDF, and the text before and after it.
print("Matches: " + str(jsonOut.IntOf("count")))

i = 0
count_i = jsonOut.SizeOfArray("matches")
while i < count_i :
    jsonOut.I = i
    print("page " + str(jsonOut.IntOf("matches[i].page")) + ": ..." + jsonOut.StringOf("matches[i].before") + "[" + jsonOut.StringOf("matches[i].text") + "]" + jsonOut.StringOf("matches[i].after")\
         + "...")
    i = i + 1

# The search ignores case by default.  Set caseSensitive to find only the exact spelling.
json.UpdateBool("caseSensitive",True)
json.UpdateString("query","Chilkat")
success = pdf.ExtractText("search",json,jsonOut)
if (success == False):
    print(pdf.LastErrorText)
    sys.exit()

print("Case-sensitive matches for Chilkat: " + str(jsonOut.IntOf("count")))

# Sample output:

# Matches: 5
# page 1: ...[Chilkat] River Field Notes The Chilkat...
# page 1: ...Chilkat River Field Notes The [Chilkat] River runs for about fifty mi...
# page 2: ...DAY ONE: UPPER [CHILKAT] FLATS Clear and cold, minus e...
# page 2: ...he river is sometimes spelled [chilkat] in older records, and the val...
# page 3: ...y because the fish run on the [Chilkat] was thinning. Two tagged bird...
# Case-sensitive matches for Chilkat: 3