PHP Requires Chilkat v11.7.0+

Extract Text from a Two-Column PDF

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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. Chilkat2 PHP

<?php

use Chilkat2\JsonObject;
use Chilkat2\Pdf;

// 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 = new Pdf();
try {
    $pdf->LoadFile('qa_data/pdf/two_column_article.pdf');

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

    // With the default options the columns are detected, and the text of the left column
    // comes before the text of the right column.
    $pdf->ExtractText('text', $json, $jsonOut);
} catch (\Chilkat2\Exception $e) {
    echo $e->getMessage(), "\n";
    exit;
}

echo 'Columns detected: ', $jsonOut->IntOf('quality.pages[0].columns'), "\n";
echo 'Reading order: ', $jsonOut->StringOf('quality.pages[0].readingOrderSource'), "\n";
echo $jsonOut->StringOf('text'), "\n";

// "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');
try {
    $pdf->ExtractText('text', $json, $jsonOut);
} catch (\Chilkat2\Exception $e) {
    echo $e->getMessage(), "\n";
    exit;
}

echo "---- columns: none ----\n";
echo $jsonOut->StringOf('text'), "\n";

// 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
// ...