PerlSufi has asked for the wisdom of the Perl Monks concerning the following question:

Hello monks, I have used the super search to try to find an example of how to extract text from a pdf file and attach it to another pdf file, but haven't found any good examples. Any help would be greatly appreciated! here is my code so far: 
 
use PDF::API2;
use PDF::Extract;
use CAM::PDF;
use constant mm => 25.4 / 72;
use constant in => 1 / 72;
use constant pt => 1;

#create pdf file and page
my $pdf = PDF::API2->new(-file => "$0.pdf");
my $page = $pdf->page;
$font = $pdf->corefont('Helvetica-Bold');

#create a header
my $header_text = $page->text;
$header_text->font($font, 24);
$header_text->translate(105/mm, 250/mm);
$header_text->fillcolor('black');
$header_text->text_center('Thank you for your business!');



$pdf-> save();

[download]
I added the CAM::PDF modules and PDF::Extract modules because that is what I found. I just haven't figured out to use them yet.. I want to open a file in the working folder called pdfone.pdf and write it to file I created in the code I posted

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Re: PDF extract
by tangent (Parson) on Apr 01, 2013 at 02:52 UTC
    You are getting the error "Can't call method "getRootDict" on an undefined value" because 'new.pdf' doesn't exist.

    Manipulating PDF files is quite complex and I found that I had to use both modules to achieve what you are trying to do as PDF::API2 doesn't seem to have any way of extracting text and CAM::PDF doesn't seem to have any way of adding an empty page.

    Hopefully this will help you on your way: 

    use strict;
use warnings;

use CAM::PDF; 
use PDF::API2;

my $pdfone = CAM::PDF->new('input.pdf');
my $pdftwo = PDF::API2->open('output.pdf');

my $font = $pdftwo->corefont('Helvetica-Bold');

for my $pagenum (1 .. $pdfone->numPages() ) {
    my $text = $pdfone->getPageText($pagenum) or next;
    my $page = $pdftwo->page(); # add a new page
    my $pdf_text = $page->text();
    $pdf_text->font($font,12);
    my @lines = split("\n",$text);
    my ($x,$y) = (50,700);
    for my $line (@lines) {
        $pdf_text->translate($x,$y);
        $pdf_text->text($line);
        $y = $y - 20;
    }
}
$pdftwo->saveas('output.pdf');

    [download]
[reply]
[d/l]
      Thank you tangent!! You're a life saver! I was banging my head against the wall all day yesterday on how to do this. I saw that CAM::PDF couldn't create a new page so I knew I had to combine them, I just didn't see how yet. Is there a GIVE MONEY$$ option on here for monks?! :P
[reply]
        Glad to be of help.
[reply]
Re: PDF extract
by jms53 (Monk) on Mar 31, 2013 at 10:40 UTC
    Line 9,
    my $pdf = PDF::API2->new(-file => "$0.pdf");


    If your script is called awesomedoodles.pl, you will be making a pdf called awesomedoodles.pl.pdf . $0 contains the script's name. While not wrong, it reduces the usefulness of your script, as you would have to rename the script each time you want to use it.

    I also can't help but notice you only open one pdf file.

    J -
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[d/l]
      Thanks J, I meant to change that. I'll continue to try and figure out extracting PDF text..
[reply]
        Here is what I have so far. When I tried to run it I got the error message Can't call method "getRootDict" on an undefined value..." 
        use CAM::PDF; 
use PDF::API2;


my $file_name = shift;


my $pdfone = CAM::PDF->new('pdfone.pdf');

for my $page (1 .. $pdfone->numPages()) {

my $text = $pdfone->getPageText($page);
@lines = split (/\n/, $text);

foreach (@lines) {
my $pdf = CAM::PDF->new('new.pdf');
$pdfone->appendPDF($pdf);
}
}

        [download]
[reply]
[d/l]

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