Extract raw JPEG images from a PDF file

It is actually possible to extract some raw images from the PDF file. In general images do not exist inside a PDF file – TIFFs and PNGs are ripped apart and the data stored in separate objects. The data is compressed using various compression formats (JBIG2, CCITT, FLATE, LZW). However, one of the formats used for image data, is the DCT format. This is actually a JPEG, and if you take the binary data out and save it in a file with a .jpeg format, you can open it. It includes not just the pixel data but also the JPEG header at the start – it is a complete file.

If you open a PDF file, the stored JPEG data will appear in the XObject image. Here is an example.

14 0 obj
<<
/Intent/RelativeColorimetric
/Type/XObject
/ColorSpace/DeviceGray
/Subtype/Image
/Name/X
/Width 2988
/BitsPerComponent 8
/Length 134030
/Height 2286
/Filter/DCTDecode
>>
stream (binary data) endstream

The /Type shows that this is an image. The key section is the /Filter value – DCTDecode indicates a JPEG (JPX shows a JPEG2000) which also works. The data is between stream and endstream. You need to extract the raw data (cut and paste of text is unlikely to work) for the jpeg file. The /Length value shows how long it is.

Lastly, the /Colorspace is important because it shows the color coding used in the JPEG. If it is DeviceRGB, it will look exactly as it is in the PDF display. Not many viewers understand types like DeviceCMYK – you may need a heavyweight package like Photoshop to see it correctly.

If the image is clipped, you may find you can see background details not in the PDF display and the image may also be a different size or even upside down. But you have extracted the raw image data!

This post is part of our “Understanding the PDF File Format” series. In each article, we discuss a PDF feature, bug, gotcha or tip. If you wish to learn more about PDF, we have 13 years worth of PDF knowledge and tips, so click here to visit our series index!

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Mark Stephens

Mark Stephens has been working with Java and PDF since 1999 and has diversified into HTML5, SVG and JavaFX. He also enjoys speaking at conferences and has been a Speaker at user groups, Business of Software, Seybold and JavaOne conferences. He has a very dry sense of humor and an MA in Medieval History for which he has not yet found a practical use.

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