CkPython Requires Chilkat v11.7.0+

Extract a PDF Table with Merged Cells

See more PDF Text Extraction Examples

Demonstrates how merged cells are reported by the "tables" operation: a header cell that spans several columns has colSpan greater than 1, and a row label that spans several rows has rowSpan greater than 1. Also shows the minRows and minColumns options. CkPython

import sys
import chilkat

success = False

#  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 spans_table.pdf

pdf = chilkat.CkPdf()
success = pdf.LoadFile("qa_data/pdf/spans_table.pdf")
if (success == False):
    print(pdf.lastErrorText())
    sys.exit()

json = chilkat.CkJsonObject()
jsonOut = chilkat.CkJsonObject()

#  Grids smaller than minRows x minColumns are not reported as tables.  The defaults are 2 and 2.
#  Setting them higher skips small boxes that are not really tables.
json.UpdateInt("minRows",3)
json.UpdateInt("minColumns",3)

success = pdf.ExtractText("tables",json,jsonOut)
if (success == False):
    print(pdf.lastErrorText())
    sys.exit()

print("Tables found: " + str(jsonOut.IntOf("count")))
print(str(jsonOut.IntOf("tables[0].rows")) + " rows x " + str(jsonOut.IntOf("tables[0].columns")) + " columns")

#  A merged cell is reported once, at its top-left position, with its spans.
#  The positions it covers have no cell of their own.

j = 0
count_j = jsonOut.SizeOfArray("tables[0].cells")
while j < count_j :
    jsonOut.put_J(j)
    rowSpan = jsonOut.IntOf("tables[0].cells[j].rowSpan")
    colSpan = jsonOut.IntOf("tables[0].cells[j].colSpan")
    if ((rowSpan > 1) or (colSpan > 1)):
        print("row " + str(jsonOut.IntOf("tables[0].cells[j].row")) + ", col " + str(jsonOut.IntOf("tables[0].cells[j].col")) + ": \"" + jsonOut.stringOf("tables[0].cells[j].text")\
             + "\" spans " + str(rowSpan) + " row(s) and " + str(colSpan) + " column(s)")

    j = j + 1

#  Sample output:

#  Tables found: 1
#  6 rows x 6 columns
#  row 0, col 0: "Area" spans 2 row(s) and 1 column(s)
#  row 0, col 1: "City" spans 2 row(s) and 1 column(s)
#  row 0, col 2: "First Half" spans 1 row(s) and 2 column(s)
#  row 0, col 4: "Second Half" spans 1 row(s) and 2 column(s)
#  row 2, col 0: "East" spans 2 row(s) and 1 column(s)
#  row 4, col 0: "West" spans 2 row(s) and 1 column(s)