PHP ActiveX 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. PHP ActiveX

<?php

$success = 0;

//  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 COM("Chilkat.Pdf");
$success = $pdf->LoadFile('qa_data/pdf/two_column_article.pdf');
if ($success == 0) {
    print $pdf->LastErrorText . "\n";
    exit;
}

$json = new COM("Chilkat.JsonObject");
$jsonOut = new COM("Chilkat.JsonObject");

//  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 == 0) {
    print $pdf->LastErrorText . "\n";
    exit;
}

print 'Columns detected: ' . $jsonOut->IntOf('quality.pages[0].columns') . "\n";
print 'Reading order: ' . $jsonOut->stringOf('quality.pages[0].readingOrderSource') . "\n";
print $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');
$success = $pdf->ExtractText('text',$json,$jsonOut);
if ($success == 0) {
    print $pdf->LastErrorText . "\n";
    exit;
}

print '---- columns: none ----' . "\n";
print $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
//  ...

?>