Perl 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. Perl

use chilkat();

$success = 0;

#  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

$pdf = chilkat::CkPdf->new();
$json = chilkat::CkJsonObject->new();
$jsonOut = chilkat::CkJsonObject->new();

#  The PDF loads without its password: the file's structure is readable, so properties such as
#  NumPages and the security settings are available...
$success = $pdf->LoadFile("qa_data/pdf/encrypted_user_password.pdf");
if ($success == 0) {
    print $pdf->lastErrorText() . "\r\n";
    exit;
}

#  ...but the content cannot be decrypted, so extracting text fails.
$success = $pdf->ExtractText("text",$json,$jsonOut);
if ($success == 0) {
    print "Cannot extract: " . $pdf->lastErrorText() . "\r\n";
}

#  "assess" still works: it reports that a password is required and nothing else.
$success = $pdf->ExtractText("assess",$json,$jsonOut);
if ($success == 0) {
    print $pdf->lastErrorText() . "\r\n";
    exit;
}

print "passwordRequired: " . $jsonOut->BoolOf("quality.passwordRequired") . "\r\n";
print "rating: " . $jsonOut->stringOf("quality.rating") . "\r\n";

#  Set the password and load again.
$pdf->put_UserPassword("secret");
$success = $pdf->LoadFile("qa_data/pdf/encrypted_user_password.pdf");
if ($success == 0) {
    print $pdf->lastErrorText() . "\r\n";
    exit;
}

$success = $pdf->ExtractText("text",$json,$jsonOut);
if ($success == 0) {
    print $pdf->lastErrorText() . "\r\n";
    exit;
}

print $jsonOut->stringOf("text") . "\r\n";

#  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.