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Node.js Requires Chilkat v11.7.0+

Get a PDF Field Value by its Label (Value to the Right)

See more PDF Text Extraction Examples

Demonstrates the "label" option, which captures the text that belongs to a caption such as "Invoice Number:" without needing coordinates. With labelValue "right", the value is the rest of the label's line. Label matching ignores case, extra spaces and a trailing colon.

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Node.js
NODEJS_PRELUDE

function chilkatExample() {

    var success = false;

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

    //  The invoice used in this example is available at invoice_labels.pdf

    var pdf = new chilkat.Pdf();
    success = pdf.LoadFile("qa_data/pdf/invoice_labels.pdf");
    if (success == false) {
        console.log(pdf.LastErrorText);
        return;
    }

    var json = new chilkat.JsonObject();
    var jsonOut = new chilkat.JsonObject();

    //  The invoice has lines such as "Invoice Number:   INV-2026-0412".
    //  The label option restricts the "text" operation to the text belonging to the label.
    json.UpdateString("label","Invoice Number");

    //  "right" means the value is the rest of the label's line.
    //  (The default, "auto", uses the rest of the line if there is text there, otherwise the block below.)
    json.UpdateString("labelValue","right");

    success = pdf.ExtractText("text",json,jsonOut);
    if (success == false) {
        console.log(pdf.LastErrorText);
        return;
    }

    //  The value is returned as the text.
    console.log("Invoice Number: " + jsonOut.StringOf("text"));

    //  The labelMatches array tells where the label was found and how it appeared in the PDF.
    console.log("Found on page " + jsonOut.IntOf("labelMatches[0].page") + " as \"" + jsonOut.StringOf("labelMatches[0].label") + "\"");

    //  Matching ignores case and the trailing colon, so these all work:
    json.UpdateString("label","CUSTOMER:");
    success = pdf.ExtractText("text",json,jsonOut);
    if (success == false) {
        console.log(pdf.LastErrorText);
        return;
    }

    console.log("Customer: " + jsonOut.StringOf("text"));

    json.UpdateString("label","due date");
    success = pdf.ExtractText("text",json,jsonOut);
    if (success == false) {
        console.log(pdf.LastErrorText);
        return;
    }

    console.log("Due Date: " + jsonOut.StringOf("text"));

    //  The totals at the foot of the invoice are right-aligned labels with the amount beside them.
    json.UpdateString("label","Total Due");
    success = pdf.ExtractText("text",json,jsonOut);
    if (success == false) {
        console.log(pdf.LastErrorText);
        return;
    }

    console.log("Total Due: " + jsonOut.StringOf("text"));

    //  A label that is not found is not an error.  The text is empty, labelMatches is empty,
    //  and the quality report has an issue with the code "labelNotFound".
    json.UpdateString("label","Tracking Number");
    success = pdf.ExtractText("text",json,jsonOut);
    if (success == false) {
        console.log(pdf.LastErrorText);
        return;
    }

    if (jsonOut.SizeOfArray("labelMatches") == 0) {
        console.log("Tracking Number: (not found) " + jsonOut.StringOf("quality.pages[0].issues[0].code"));
    }

    //  Sample output:

    //  Invoice Number: INV-2026-0412
    //  Found on page 1 as "Invoice Number:"
    //  Customer: Northwind Traders
    //  Due Date: April 13, 2026
    //  Total Due: $1,234.53
    //  Tracking Number: (not found) labelNotFound

}

chilkatExample();