Java Requires Chilkat v11.7.0+

Extract Tables from a PDF

See more PDF Text Extraction Examples

Demonstrates the "tables" operation, which returns the tables detected on the pages as rows and cells. Each cell has its row and column (counted from 0), its row and column span, and its text. Chilkat2 Java

import com.chilkatsoft.chilkat2.ChilkatException;
import com.chilkatsoft.chilkat2.JsonObject;
import com.chilkatsoft.chilkat2.Pdf;
import com.chilkatsoft.chilkat2.StringBuilder;

public class ChilkatExample {

    public static void main(String[] args) {
        // This example requires the Chilkat API to have been previously unlocked.
        // See Global Unlock Sample for sample code.

        // The PDF used in this example is available at price_list.pdf

        Pdf pdf = new Pdf();
        try {
            pdf.loadFile("qa_data/pdf/price_list.pdf");
        } catch (ChilkatException e) {
            System.out.println(e.getLastErrorText());
            return;
        }

        JsonObject json = new JsonObject();
        JsonObject jsonOut = new JsonObject();

        // The "tables" operation returns the tables found on the selected pages.
        // Tables are recognized by their drawn cell borders.
        try {
            pdf.extractText("tables", json, jsonOut);
        } catch (ChilkatException e) {
            System.out.println(e.getLastErrorText());
            return;
        }

        System.out.println("Number of tables: " + jsonOut.intOf("count"));

        // Used to build each row of output.
        StringBuilder sbRow = new StringBuilder();
        int currentRow = 0;
        int row = 0;
        int j = 0;
        int count_j = 0;

        int i = 0;
        int count_i = jsonOut.sizeOfArray("tables");
        while (i < count_i) {
            jsonOut.setI(i);
            System.out.println("Table on page " + jsonOut.intOf("tables[i].page") + ": " + jsonOut.intOf("tables[i].rows") + " rows x " + jsonOut.intOf("tables[i].columns") + " columns, detected by " + jsonOut.stringOf("tables[i].detectedBy"));

            // The cells are listed row by row.  Print each row as its cells separated by " | ".
            currentRow = -1;
            sbRow.setString("");
            j = 0;
            count_j = jsonOut.sizeOfArray("tables[i].cells");
            while (j < count_j) {
                jsonOut.setJ(j);
                row = jsonOut.intOf("tables[i].cells[j].row");
                if (row != currentRow) {
                    if (currentRow >= 0) {
                        System.out.println(sbRow.getAsString());
                    }

                    currentRow = row;
                    sbRow.setString("  ");
                } else {
                    sbRow.append(" | ");
                }

                sbRow.append(jsonOut.stringOf("tables[i].cells[j].text"));
                j = j + 1;
            }

            System.out.println(sbRow.getAsString());
            i = i + 1;
        }

        // The cells of the first table as JSON:
        jsonOut.setEmitCompact(false);
        System.out.println(jsonOut.emit());

        // Sample output:

        // Number of tables: 1
        // Table on page 1: 8 rows x 5 columns, detected by ruled
        //   Code | Product | Unit | Price | In Stock
        //   HT-101 | Claw hammer, 16 oz | each | $18.00 | 24
        //   HT-102 | Adjustable wrench, 10 in | each | $14.50 | 31
        //   HT-103 | Screwdriver set, 6 piece | set | $22.00 | 12
        //   HT-104 | Tape measure, 25 ft | each | $9.75 | 40
        //   HT-105 | Utility knife | each | $6.20 | 58
        //   HT-106 | Pliers, needle nose | each | $11.00 | 19
        //   HT-107 | Hand saw, 20 in | each | $21.40 | 8
        // {
        //   "count": 1,
        //   "tables": [
        //     {
        //       "page": 1,
        //       "detectedBy": "ruled",
        //       "rows": 8,
        //       "columns": 5,
        //       "cells": [
        //         {
        //           "row": 0,
        //           "col": 0,
        //           "rowSpan": 1,
        //           "colSpan": 1,
        //           "text": "Code"
        //         },
        //         {
        //           "row": 0,
        //           "col": 1,
        //           "rowSpan": 1,
        //           "colSpan": 1,
        //           "text": "Product"
        //         },
        //         ...
        //       ]
        //     }
        //   ],
        //   "quality": {
        //     "rating": "good",
        //     ...
        //   }
        // }
    }
}