How to Parse PDF File in VB.NET

Introduction

Adobe developed the Portable Document Format (PDF) to exchange documents with text line and graphic formatting. Viewing such file requires a separate program both in C# and VB.NET. Today's civilization relies heavily on PDF documents. For tasks like creating documents and invoices, many various kinds of businesses use PDF files. Developers create and save documents in the PDF format to meet customer demands. The creation of PDFs is now easier than ever. Thanks to libraries. To choose the best library available, one must consider features like build, read PDF file, unicode text, serial key and conversion skills when using these type of libraries in a .NET project.

IronPDF

Features

Efficient PDF conversion. Almost anything a machine can do, IronPDF can as well. Thanks to this PDF library, developers can quickly create, read text content, write, load and manipulate PDF.

IronPDF converts HTML into a PDF record with the aid of using the Chrome engine. Along with Windows Forms, HTML, ASPX, Razor HTML, .NET Core, ASP.NET, Windows Forms, and WPF, IronPDF also supports Xamarin, Blazor, Unity, and HoloLense applications. IronPDF supports both Microsoft.NET and .NET Core applications (Both ASP.NET Web packages and conventional Windows packages). IronPDF can be used to make PDFs that are aesthetically appealing.

IronPDF can create a PDF using HTML5, JavaScript, CSS, and images. A header and footer may also be present in the right to left text files. It can also make PDFs easy for us to understand. IronPDF also has a powerful HTML to PDF converter that integrates with PDF. A strong PDF conversion mechanism is present in IronPDF. It is also unconnected to any outside sources.

  • A PDF image can be created from a variety of sources, including HTML, HTML5, ASPX, and Razor/MVC View. Both HTML and image assets can be converted to PDF by our team.
  • Tools that can be used to work with interactive PDF include those that let you create interactive PDF, fill out and submit interactive forms, merge and divide PDFs, extract text and pictures from PDF files, search text in PDF files, rasterize PDFs to images, change font size and convert PDF files.
  • Make connection the basis of your essay. Additionally, it allows for the verification of HTML login forms using user-agents, proxies, cookies, HTTP headers, and form variables.
  • Our ability to access secured documents is made possible by IronPDF by giving user names and passwords.
  • IronPDF is a program that reads text in PDF and completes the gaps.
  • It has the capacity to take photos out of documents.
  • In addition to headers and footers, it allows us to add text, images, bookmarks, watermarks, and more to papers.
  • In a new or current text, we can divide and combine pages using this tool.
  • Text can be converted into PDF documents without the aid of Acrobat Reader.
  • You can create a PDF file from a CSS file.
  • CSS media assets can be made into papers.
  • While adding new ones, complete the existing PDF applications.

For more details about free limited key and professional version, visit link here.

How to Parse PDF File in VB.NET: Figure 2 - IronPDF- Font formatting

Extract text from PDF file

We can also read PDF file with the help of the IronPDF libraries. Extracting text is made easy with the IronPDF. We have a choice between many methods for text extraction. The first method involves getting all of the page's data as a singular string. The second method is to read the material page by page from first page.

The IronPDF API library allows us to examine existing PDF. Below is a pattern of IronPDF code that may be used to examine present PDF files.

Extract Text From All Pages

The code example below demonstrates the first method to acquire all the PDF content as a string with just a few lines.


    Imports IronPdf
    Module Program
        Sub Main(args As String())
            Dim AllText As String
            Dim pdfdoc = PdfDocument.FromFile("result.pdf")
            AllText = pdfdoc.ExtractAllText()
            Console.WriteLine(AllText)
        End Sub
    End Module

    Imports IronPdf
    Module Program
        Sub Main(args As String())
            Dim AllText As String
            Dim pdfdoc = PdfDocument.FromFile("result.pdf")
            AllText = pdfdoc.ExtractAllText()
            Console.WriteLine(AllText)
        End Sub
    End Module
VB.NET

The sample code above demonstrates how to use the FromFile method to read a PDF from an existing file and convert it into a PDF document object. Using this object, we can see the text and pictures that are on the PDF as an answer. The object provides a method called ExtractAllText that will extract plain text from the PDF and turn it into a string.

Extract Text by Page Number

Below sample code shows how we can extract data from PDF file using the page number.


    Imports IronPdf
    Module Program
        Sub Main(args As String())
            Dim AllText As String
            Dim pdfdoc = PdfDocument.FromFile("result.pdf")
            AllText = pdfdoc.ExtractTextFromPage(0)
            Console.WriteLine(AllText)
        End Sub
    End Module

    Imports IronPdf
    Module Program
        Sub Main(args As String())
            Dim AllText As String
            Dim pdfdoc = PdfDocument.FromFile("result.pdf")
            AllText = pdfdoc.ExtractTextFromPage(0)
            Console.WriteLine(AllText)
        End Sub
    End Module
VB.NET

The code above shows how to read a PDF from an existing file and turn it into a PDF document object using the FromFile function. We can view the text and images on the PDF using this object. The object offers a method called ExtractTextFromPage that lets us send a page number as a parameter to get a string that contains every word that was on the page of the PDF.

3.3 Extract Text Between Pages

Below code shows how we can extract the data between multiple pages.


     Imports IronPdf
     Module Program
         Sub Main(args As String())
             Dim Pages As List(Of Integer) = New List(Of Integer)
             Pages.Add(3)
             Pages.Add(5)
             Pages.Add(7)
             Dim AllText As String
             Dim pdfdoc = PdfDocument.FromFile("result.pdf")
             AllText = pdfdoc.ExtractTextFromPages(Pages)
             Console.WriteLine(AllText)

         End Sub
     End Module

     Imports IronPdf
     Module Program
         Sub Main(args As String())
             Dim Pages As List(Of Integer) = New List(Of Integer)
             Pages.Add(3)
             Pages.Add(5)
             Pages.Add(7)
             Dim AllText As String
             Dim pdfdoc = PdfDocument.FromFile("result.pdf")
             AllText = pdfdoc.ExtractTextFromPages(Pages)
             Console.WriteLine(AllText)

         End Sub
     End Module
VB.NET

The code above demonstrates how to use the FromFile method to read a PDF from an existing file and convert it into a PDF document object. This object allows us to examine the text and images on PDF. The object has a method called ExtractTextFromPages that we can use to get a string that includes all the text content on a given page of the document by passing a list of page numbers as a parameter. Below left side is the source PDF and right side is the data from PDF.

How to Parse PDF File in VB.NET: Figure 3 - Extract text between pages output

Extract Image from PDF file

We can also extract images available in the PDF file. IronPDF provides list of methods to extract image such as:

  • ExtractBitmapsFromPage
  • ExtractBitmapsFromPages
  • ExtractImagesFromPage
  • ExtractImagesFromPages
  • ExtractRawImagesFromPage
  • ExtractRawImagesFromPages

Each method allows to extract images from a page or from multiple pages of the document.


    Dim pdfdoc = PdfDocument.FromFile("result.pdf")        
    Dim images = pdfdoc.ExtractRawImagesFromPage(1)
            For Each  As Byte() In images
                Dim ms As New IO.MemoryStream(CType(, Byte()))
                Dim image = New Bitmap(ms)
                image.Save("output//test.jpg")
            Next

    Dim pdfdoc = PdfDocument.FromFile("result.pdf")        
    Dim images = pdfdoc.ExtractRawImagesFromPage(1)
            For Each  As Byte() In images
                Dim ms As New IO.MemoryStream(CType(, Byte()))
                Dim image = New Bitmap(ms)
                image.Save("output//test.jpg")
            Next
VB.NET

The code above shows how to read a document from an existing file and turn it into a PDF document object using the FromFile function. This object enables us to look at the document pictures. By passing a list of page numbers to the object's ExtractRawImagesFromPage method, we can use it to obtain a list of bytes that contains every picture that was present on a given page of the document. Using a for each loop, we handle each byte and turn it into a memory stream. Then into a bitmap, which aids in picture saving. Below image shows the output from the above code.

How to Parse PDF File in VB.NET: Figure 4 - Extract Image from PDF output

To know more about the IronPDF API code tutorial, refer the article here. We can also parse PDF txt using C#. For more info, click here.

Conclusion

The development license for the library IronPDF is gratis. If using IronPDF in a production environment, different licenses can be bought depending on the developer's needs. The Lite plan starts at $499 and has no ongoing costs. SaaS and OEM redistribution alternatives are also provided. All licenses include updates, a year of product support and a permanent license. They are also useful for manufacturing, staging, and development. It is a one-time purchase. There are additional free, time-limited licenses accessible. Click here to read the complete pricing and licensing details for IronPDF. IronPDF also provides free licenses for copy protection.