Xbase++ Requires Chilkat v11.7.0+

Exclude or Include Running Headers and Page Numbers

See more PDF Text Extraction Examples

Demonstrates the "repeatedHeadersFooters" filter. Text repeated at the same position on most pages, such as a running header and "Page N of 4" footers, is left out by default; set the filter to "include" to keep it. Xbase++

LOCAL nSuccess
LOCAL oPdf
LOCAL oJson
LOCAL oJsonOut

nSuccess := 0

//  This example requires the Chilkat API to have been previously unlocked.
//  See Global Unlock Sample for sample code.

//  The four-page PDF used in this example is available at running_header.pdf

oPdf := CreateObject("Chilkat.Pdf")
nSuccess := oPdf:LoadFile("qa_data/pdf/running_header.pdf")
IF (nSuccess == 0)
    ? oPdf:LastErrorText
    oPdf:destroy()
    RETURN
ENDIF

oJson := CreateObject("Chilkat.JsonObject")
oJsonOut := CreateObject("Chilkat.JsonObject")

//  Every page has the header "Harbor Lighthouse Society - Annual Report 2026" at the top right
//  and "Page N of 4" at the bottom.  By default both are excluded, so the text of page 2 is just
//  its heading and paragraphs.
oJson:UpdateString("pages", "2")
nSuccess := oPdf:ExtractText("text", oJson, oJsonOut)
IF (nSuccess == 0)
    ? oPdf:LastErrorText
    oPdf:destroy()
    oJson:destroy()
    oJsonOut:destroy()
    RETURN
ENDIF

? "---- default (repeated headers and footers excluded) ----"
? oJsonOut:StringOf("text")

//  Include them.  The detection looks at the neighbouring pages even when only one page is
//  selected, so a single page extracted on its own still loses its running head by default.
oJson:UpdateString("repeatedHeadersFooters", "include")
nSuccess := oPdf:ExtractText("text", oJson, oJsonOut)
IF (nSuccess == 0)
    ? oPdf:LastErrorText
    oPdf:destroy()
    oJson:destroy()
    oJsonOut:destroy()
    RETURN
ENDIF

? "---- repeatedHeadersFooters: include ----"
? oJsonOut:StringOf("text")

//  Sample output:

//  ---- default (repeated headers and footers excluded) ----
//  The Work
//  
//  The restoration society took ownership in 2021 with three goals: make the structure watertight, return the tower to public access, and relight the lantern with a historically accurate lens. The first two were met in the second season, and the lens arrived on loan in November.
//  
//  The spiral stair is original and is the most fragile part of the building. Twelve of the ninety-one treads were cracked or missing, and the central column had corroded badly at the second landing. The treads were cast from patterns taken off an intact tread.
//  ---- repeatedHeadersFooters: include ----
//  Harbor Lighthouse Society - Annual Report 2026
//  
//  The Work
//  
//  The restoration society took ownership in 2021 with three goals: ...
//  
//  The spiral stair is original and is the most fragile part of the building. ...
//  
//  Page 2 of 4

oPdf:destroy()
oJson:destroy()
oJsonOut:destroy()