PowerBuilder Requires Chilkat v11.7.0+

Extract the Values of PDF Form Fields

See more PDF Text Extraction Examples

Demonstrates the "formFields" filter. The values of AcroForm fields (text fields, choices, check boxes) are not part of the page's text and are left out by default; "include" places each value at its field's position in the reading order, where a label capture can pick it up. PowerBuilder

integer li_rc
long li_Success
oleobject loo_Pdf
oleobject loo_Json
oleobject loo_JsonOut

li_Success = 0

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

//  The filled-in form used in this example is available at filled_form.pdf

loo_Pdf = create oleobject
li_rc = loo_Pdf.ConnectToNewObject("Chilkat.Pdf")
if li_rc < 0 then
    destroy loo_Pdf
    MessageBox("Error","Connecting to COM object failed")
    return
end if
li_Success = loo_Pdf.LoadFile("qa_data/pdf/filled_form.pdf")
if li_Success = 0 then
    Write-Debug loo_Pdf.LastErrorText
    destroy loo_Pdf
    return
end if

loo_Json = create oleobject
li_rc = loo_Json.ConnectToNewObject("Chilkat.JsonObject")

loo_JsonOut = create oleobject
li_rc = loo_JsonOut.ConnectToNewObject("Chilkat.JsonObject")

//  By default only the page's own text is returned: the captions, without the values typed into the fields.
loo_Json.UpdateString("layout","lines")
li_Success = loo_Pdf.ExtractText("text",loo_Json,loo_JsonOut)
if li_Success = 0 then
    Write-Debug loo_Pdf.LastErrorText
    destroy loo_Pdf
    destroy loo_Json
    destroy loo_JsonOut
    return
end if

Write-Debug "---- default ----"
Write-Debug loo_JsonOut.StringOf("text")

//  With formFields included, each field's value appears where the field is on the page.
//  A checked check box appears as [x]; an unchecked one has no value.
loo_Json.UpdateString("formFields","include")
li_Success = loo_Pdf.ExtractText("text",loo_Json,loo_JsonOut)
if li_Success = 0 then
    Write-Debug loo_Pdf.LastErrorText
    destroy loo_Pdf
    destroy loo_Json
    destroy loo_JsonOut
    return
end if

Write-Debug "---- formFields: include ----"
Write-Debug loo_JsonOut.StringOf("text")

//  A field value can be captured by the caption beside it, as for any other text.
loo_Json.UpdateString("label","Email")
li_Success = loo_Pdf.ExtractText("text",loo_Json,loo_JsonOut)
if li_Success = 0 then
    Write-Debug loo_Pdf.LastErrorText
    destroy loo_Pdf
    destroy loo_Json
    destroy loo_JsonOut
    return
end if

Write-Debug "Email: " + loo_JsonOut.StringOf("text")

//  Sample output:

//  ---- default ----
//  Membership Application
//  Name:
//  Email:
//  Phone:
//  Newsletter: Yes, send me the monthly newsletter
//  Volunteer: I am willing to volunteer
//  ---- formFields: include ----
//  Membership Application
//  Name: Dana Whitfield
//  Email: dana.whitfield@example.com
//  Phone: 555-0142
//  Newsletter: [x] Yes, send me the monthly newsletter
//  Volunteer: I am willing to volunteer
//  Email: dana.whitfield@example.com


destroy loo_Pdf
destroy loo_Json
destroy loo_JsonOut