Objective-C 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. Objective-C

#import <CkoPdf.h>
#import <CkoJsonObject.h>
#import <CkoStringBuilder.h>

BOOL success = NO;

//  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

CkoPdf *pdf = [[CkoPdf alloc] init];
success = [pdf LoadFile: @"qa_data/pdf/price_list.pdf"];
if (success == NO) {
    NSLog(@"%@",pdf.LastErrorText);
    return;
}

CkoJsonObject *json = [[CkoJsonObject alloc] init];
CkoJsonObject *jsonOut = [[CkoJsonObject alloc] init];

//  The "tables" operation returns the tables found on the selected pages.
//  Tables are recognized by their drawn cell borders.
success = [pdf ExtractText: @"tables" jsonIn: json jsonOut: jsonOut];
if (success == NO) {
    NSLog(@"%@",pdf.LastErrorText);
    return;
}

NSLog(@"%@%d",@"Number of tables: ",[[jsonOut IntOf: @"count"] intValue]);

//  Used to build each row of output.
CkoStringBuilder *sbRow = [[CkoStringBuilder alloc] init];
int currentRow;
int row;
int j;
int count_j;

int i = 0;
int count_i = [[jsonOut SizeOfArray: @"tables"] intValue];
while (i < count_i) {
    jsonOut.I = [NSNumber numberWithInt: i];
    NSLog(@"%@%d%@%d%@%d%@%@",@"Table on page ",[[jsonOut IntOf: @"tables[i].page"] intValue],@": ",[[jsonOut IntOf: @"tables[i].rows"] intValue],@" rows x ",[[jsonOut IntOf: @"tables[i].columns"] intValue]
        ,@" 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"] intValue];
    while (j < count_j) {
        jsonOut.J = [NSNumber numberWithInt: j];
        row = [[jsonOut IntOf: @"tables[i].cells[j].row"] intValue];
        if (row != currentRow) {
            if (currentRow >= 0) {
                NSLog(@"%@",[sbRow GetAsString]);
            }

            currentRow = row;
            [sbRow SetString: @"  "];
        }
        else {
            [sbRow Append: @" | "];
        }

        [sbRow Append: [jsonOut StringOf: @"tables[i].cells[j].text"]];
        j = j + 1;
    }

    NSLog(@"%@",[sbRow GetAsString]);
    i = i + 1;
}

//  The cells of the first table as JSON:
jsonOut.EmitCompact = NO;
NSLog(@"%@",[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",
//      ...
//    }
//  }