VBScript 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. VBScript

Dim fso, outFile
Set fso = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
'Create a Unicode (utf-16) output text file.
Set outFile = fso.CreateTextFile("output.txt", True, True)

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 is available at price_list.pdf

set pdf = CreateObject("Chilkat.Pdf")
success = pdf.LoadFile("qa_data/pdf/price_list.pdf")
If (success = 0) Then
    outFile.WriteLine(pdf.LastErrorText)
    WScript.Quit
End If

set json = CreateObject("Chilkat.JsonObject")
set jsonOut = CreateObject("Chilkat.JsonObject")

'  The "tables" operation returns the tables found on the selected pages.
'  Tables are recognized by their drawn cell borders.
success = pdf.ExtractText("tables",json,jsonOut)
If (success = 0) Then
    outFile.WriteLine(pdf.LastErrorText)
    WScript.Quit
End If

outFile.WriteLine("Number of tables: " & jsonOut.IntOf("count"))

'  Used to build each row of output.
set sbRow = CreateObject("Chilkat.StringBuilder")

i = 0
count_i = jsonOut.SizeOfArray("tables")
Do While i < count_i
    jsonOut.I = i
    outFile.WriteLine("Table on page " & jsonOut.IntOf("tables[i].page") & ": " & jsonOut.IntOf("tables[i].rows") & " rows x " & jsonOut.IntOf("tables[i].columns") _
         & " 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
    success = sbRow.SetString("")
    j = 0
    count_j = jsonOut.SizeOfArray("tables[i].cells")
    Do While j < count_j
        jsonOut.J = j
        row = jsonOut.IntOf("tables[i].cells[j].row")
        If (row <> currentRow) Then
            If (currentRow >= 0) Then
                outFile.WriteLine(sbRow.GetAsString())
            End If

            currentRow = row
            success = sbRow.SetString("  ")
        Else
            success = sbRow.Append(" | ")
        End If

        success = sbRow.Append(jsonOut.StringOf("tables[i].cells[j].text"))
        j = j + 1
    Loop
    outFile.WriteLine(sbRow.GetAsString())
    i = i + 1
Loop

'  The cells of the first table as JSON:
jsonOut.EmitCompact = 0
outFile.WriteLine(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",
'      ...
'    }
'  }

outFile.Close