PureBasic 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. PureBasic

IncludeFile "CkPdf.pb"
IncludeFile "CkJsonObject.pb"

Procedure ChilkatExample()

    success.i = 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

    pdf.i = CkPdf::ckCreate()
    If pdf.i = 0
        Debug "Failed to create object."
        ProcedureReturn
    EndIf

    success = CkPdf::ckLoadFile(pdf,"qa_data/pdf/running_header.pdf")
    If success = 0
        Debug CkPdf::ckLastErrorText(pdf)
        CkPdf::ckDispose(pdf)
        ProcedureReturn
    EndIf

    json.i = CkJsonObject::ckCreate()
    If json.i = 0
        Debug "Failed to create object."
        ProcedureReturn
    EndIf

    jsonOut.i = CkJsonObject::ckCreate()
    If jsonOut.i = 0
        Debug "Failed to create object."
        ProcedureReturn
    EndIf

    ;  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.
    CkJsonObject::ckUpdateString(json,"pages","2")
    success = CkPdf::ckExtractText(pdf,"text",json,jsonOut)
    If success = 0
        Debug CkPdf::ckLastErrorText(pdf)
        CkPdf::ckDispose(pdf)
        CkJsonObject::ckDispose(json)
        CkJsonObject::ckDispose(jsonOut)
        ProcedureReturn
    EndIf

    Debug "---- default (repeated headers and footers excluded) ----"
    Debug CkJsonObject::ckStringOf(jsonOut,"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.
    CkJsonObject::ckUpdateString(json,"repeatedHeadersFooters","include")
    success = CkPdf::ckExtractText(pdf,"text",json,jsonOut)
    If success = 0
        Debug CkPdf::ckLastErrorText(pdf)
        CkPdf::ckDispose(pdf)
        CkJsonObject::ckDispose(json)
        CkJsonObject::ckDispose(jsonOut)
        ProcedureReturn
    EndIf

    Debug "---- repeatedHeadersFooters: include ----"
    Debug CkJsonObject::ckStringOf(jsonOut,"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


    CkPdf::ckDispose(pdf)
    CkJsonObject::ckDispose(json)
    CkJsonObject::ckDispose(jsonOut)


    ProcedureReturn
EndProcedure