How to extract PDF file form data in Java

PDF files are not directly supported by Java. This tutorial shows you how to extract form data from a PDF file in simple steps using JPedal Java PDF library.

JPedal includes extensive support for Interactive Forms and Components which it converts into Java Object representations and also allows access to Forms names and the GUI representations. The data can be accessed with a single call on a page or document basis.

Why use a third party library to handle PDF files?

PDF files are a very complex binary/text hybrid data structure which is a subset of the even more complicated Postscript format. In this example, we will use our JPedal Java PDF library to make this task simple.

How to Extract PDF Form Data in Java

1. Create a File handle, InputStream or URL pointing to the PDF file

   PdfFormUtilities extract=new PdfFormUtilities(path);

2. Include a password if file password protected

   extract.setPassword("password");

3. Open the PDF file

   if (extract.openPDFFile()) {

4. Select the data type required

         //all formNames
         Object[] names=extract.getFormComponentsFromDocument(null, ReturnValues.FORM_NAMES);
               
         // all forms in document called Mabel
         Object[] PDFObjectsAsPoJos=extract.getFormComponentsFromDocument("Mabel", ReturnValues.FORMOBJECTS_FROM_NAME);
    
         //a form with PDF Reference 25 0 R
         Object[] PDFObjectsAsPoJos=extract.getFormComponentsFromDocument("25 0 R", ReturnValues.FORMOBJECTS_FROM_REF);
   
         //all Swing versions of the Form objects
         Object[] swingComponents=extract.getFormComponentsFromDocument(null, ReturnValues.GUI_FORMS_FROM_NAME);
   
         //all formNames on page 5
         Object[] names=extract.getFormComponentsFromPage(null, ReturnValues.FORM_NAMES,5);
               
         // all forms in document called Mabel on page 5
         Object[] PDFObjectsAsPoJos=extract.getFormComponentsFromPage("Mabel", ReturnValues.FORMOBJECTS_FROM_NAME,5);
    
         //a form with PDF Reference 25 0 R on page 5
         Object[] PDFObjectsAsPoJos=extract.getFormComponentsFromPage("25 0 R", ReturnValues.FORMOBJECTS_FROM_REF,5);
   
         //all Swing versions of the Form objects on page 5
         Object[] swingComponents=extract.getFormComponentsFromPage(null, ReturnValues.GUI_FORMS_FROM_NAME,5);
   }

5. Close the PDF file

    extract.closePDFfile();
   

The JPedal PDF library allows you to