PowerBuilder 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. 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 four-page PDF used in this example is available at running_header.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/running_header.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")

//  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.
loo_Json.UpdateString("pages","2")
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 (repeated headers and footers excluded) ----"
Write-Debug loo_JsonOut.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.
loo_Json.UpdateString("repeatedHeadersFooters","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 "---- repeatedHeadersFooters: include ----"
Write-Debug loo_JsonOut.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


destroy loo_Pdf
destroy loo_Json
destroy loo_JsonOut