How PDF tools extract file information ? The smallest unit of information in a PDF file is called an “object”, such as arrays, booleans, integers, names, characters and streams. When PDF readers and online editors implement viewing and editing functions, they must read the basic objects in PDF. This article takes 3 online tools of the AbcdPDF platform as examples to explain the methods of extracting file information (objects).
What is an Object?
Characters, figures (paths), images, external objects, etc. are objects corresponding to characters and images displayed or printed on the screen. Such content information is the raison d’être of PDF files. Therefore, it goes without saying that among programs for PDF files, the need to retrieve and edit PDF content information is the greatest.
How PDF Tools Extract File Information ?
Convert pdf to word, pdf to excel, and online pdf editor are three online tools on the AbcdPDF platform. The functions are PDF conversion to Word, online editing of PDF files, and merging of PDF files. If developers want to use the program to realize various editing, merging, and converting functions, they must first extract various objects, which is the first task of extracting information.
Methods of Extracting Objects
In order to complete the task efficiently, there is no need to transmit the annotation of each object to the user through a web service, the developer can extract the required information from the existing PDF file, or edit and write it, without the need for their own Read and write basic objects.
Various PDF tools and software development kits (SDKs) for developers, such as Antenna House’s PDF Tools API, allow developers to process and work with PDFs programmatically. These tools (SDKs) are primarily used to read and write high-level objects , referred to in this article as “abstract objects” rather than basic objects.
| object name | illustrate |
| path object | Shapes in PDFs are represented by path objects. Path objects are arbitrary shapes composed of lines, rectangles, and cubic Bezier curves. |
| text object | Text operators display text, position text, determine the state of text, and have other parameters. |
| external object | A set of data that is considered a named resource is collectively called an external object (XObject), and there are several types of XObject. |
| embedded image | If you embed an image file in a PDF, it will be an Image XObject. Inline image objects, on the other hand, use special syntax to represent small image data directly within the PDF content. |
| coloring object | Shading objects are functions that represent color as a position within a geometric shape. |
You don’t have to write your own programs from scratch to retrieve or set PDF content or other information. For example , AbcdPDF ‘s online PDF tool can easily process information about the main content abstract object.
The Following is an Introduction to the main online tools of the AbcdPDF Platform:
| tool name | Function | Is it free |
| convert pdf to word | Format conversion, PDF to Word, the converted Word can be edited freely. | Yes |
| pdf to excel | Format conversion, PDF to Excel, the converted Excel can be edited freely. | Yes |
| online pdf editor | PDF online editor, full-featured, edit, delete, comment, sign, watermark, backlight, etc. | Yes |
Summarize
How PDF tools extract file information ? The above article explained how to extract information such as PDF objects through three online tools: convert pdf to word, pdf to excel, and online pdf editor. I hope it will be helpful to you.
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