Visual Basic 6.0 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. Visual Basic 6.0

Dim success As Long
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

Dim pdf As New ChilkatPdf
success = pdf.LoadFile("qa_data/pdf/price_list.pdf")
If (success = 0) Then
    Debug.Print pdf.LastErrorText
    Exit Sub
End If

Dim json As New ChilkatJsonObject
Dim jsonOut As New ChilkatJsonObject

'  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
    Debug.Print pdf.LastErrorText
    Exit Sub
End If

Debug.Print "Number of tables: " & jsonOut.IntOf("count")

'  Used to build each row of output.
Dim sbRow As New ChilkatStringBuilder
Dim currentRow As Long
Dim row As Long
Dim j As Long
Dim count_j As Long

Dim i As Long
i = 0
Dim count_i As Long
count_i = jsonOut.SizeOfArray("tables")
Do While i < count_i
    jsonOut.I = i
    Debug.Print "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
                Debug.Print 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
    Debug.Print sbRow.GetAsString()
    i = i + 1
Loop

'  The cells of the first table as JSON:
jsonOut.EmitCompact = 0
Debug.Print 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",
'      ...
'    }
'  }