Go Requires Chilkat v11.7.0+

Extract Text from a Two-Column PDF

See more PDF Text Extraction Examples

Demonstrates how multi-column pages are read. By default the columns are detected and each column is read top to bottom before the next ("columns": "auto"); "columns": "none" reads the full page width line by line, which interleaves the columns. The quality report tells how many columns were found. Go

    success := false

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

    //  The two-column PDF used in this example is available at two_column_article.pdf

    pdf := chilkat.NewPdf()
    success = pdf.LoadFile("qa_data/pdf/two_column_article.pdf")
    if success == false {
        fmt.Println(pdf.LastErrorText())
        pdf.DisposePdf()
        return
    }

    json := chilkat.NewJsonObject()
    jsonOut := chilkat.NewJsonObject()

    //  With the default options the columns are detected, and the text of the left column
    //  comes before the text of the right column.
    success = pdf.ExtractText("text",json,jsonOut)
    if success == false {
        fmt.Println(pdf.LastErrorText())
        pdf.DisposePdf()
        json.DisposeJsonObject()
        jsonOut.DisposeJsonObject()
        return
    }

    fmt.Println("Columns detected: ", jsonOut.IntOf("quality.pages[0].columns"))
    fmt.Println("Reading order: ", *jsonOut.StringOf("quality.pages[0].readingOrderSource"))
    fmt.Println(*jsonOut.StringOf("text"))

    //  "none" switches column detection off: the page is read across its full width, line by line,
    //  so each output line holds a line of the left column followed by a line of the right column.
    //  This is rarely wanted, but it shows what the detection does.
    json.UpdateString("columns","none")
    json.UpdateString("layout","lines")
    success = pdf.ExtractText("text",json,jsonOut)
    if success == false {
        fmt.Println(pdf.LastErrorText())
        pdf.DisposePdf()
        json.DisposeJsonObject()
        jsonOut.DisposeJsonObject()
        return
    }

    fmt.Println("---- columns: none ----")
    fmt.Println(*jsonOut.StringOf("text"))

    //  Sample output (abbreviated):

    //  Columns detected: 2
    //  Reading order: visual
    //  The Harbor Lighthouse, Season Two
    //  
    //  The harbor lighthouse was built in 1874 to mark the entrance to the inner channel. It operated continuously until 1968, ...
    //  
    //  The restoration society took ownership in 2021 with three goals: ...
    //  ...
    //  The lantern room frame was stripped, primed and repainted in the original dark green. ...
    //  ...
    //  ---- columns: none ----
    //  The Harbor Lighthouse, Season Two
    //  The harbor lighthouse was built in 1874 to The lantern room frame was stripped, primed
    //  mark the entrance to the inner channel. It and repainted in the original dark green. New
    //  ...

    pdf.DisposePdf()
    json.DisposeJsonObject()
    jsonOut.DisposeJsonObject()