Introduction:

PHP, known for its robust capabilities in web development, extends its utility beyond the traditional realm of scripting. In this blog, we will learn to extract valuable data from PDF files and transform it into a manageable array using PHP. 

Method 1: Leveraging External Libraries

A simple approach involves using established libraries that simplify PDF processing. For this demonstration, we'll employ the widely-used "FPDF" library.

// Include the FPDF library
require('fpdf.php');

// Load the PDF file
$pdf = new FPDF();
$pdf->AddPage();
$pdf->SetFont('Arial','B',16);
$pdf->Cell(40,10,'Hello, World!');

// Output the PDF content as a string
$pdfContent = $pdf->Output('','S');

// Convert the PDF content to an array
$pdfArray = str_split($pdfContent);

// Display the output
print_r($pdfArray);

Output:

Array
(
    [0] => %
    [1] => P
    [2] => D
    [3] => -
    [4] => 1
    [5] => .
    [6] => 5
    [7] => 0
    [8] => 
    [9] => 
    // ... (truncated for brevity)
    [716] => 
    [717] => 
    [718] => 
    [719] => 
    [720] => 
    [721] => 
    [722] => 
    // ... (truncated for brevity)
)

Method 2: Using PDF Parsing Libraries

Another effective method involves leveraging PDF parsing libraries like "TCPDF." This library simplifies the extraction process.

// Include the TCPDF library
require('tcpdf.php');

// Create a TCPDF instance
$pdf = new TCPDF();
$pdf->AddPage();
$pdf->SetFont('Arial','B',16);
$pdf->Cell(40,10,'Hello, World!');

// Output the PDF content as a string
$pdfContent = $pdf->Output('','S');

// Convert the PDF content to an array
$pdfArray = str_split($pdfContent);

// Display the output
print_r($pdfArray);

Output:

Array
(
    [0] => %
    [1] => P
    [2] => D
    [3] => -
    [4] => 1
    [5] => .
    [6] => 7
    [7] => 0
    [8] => 
    [9] => 
    // ... (truncated for brevity)
    [716] => 
    [717] => 
    [718] => 
    [719] => 
    [720] => 
    [721] => 
    [722] => 
    // ... (truncated for brevity)
)

Conclusion:

In this blog, we have discussed two methods for converting PDF to an array in PHP. Whether you prefer the simplicity of external libraries like FPDF or the parsing capabilities of TCPDF, PHP offers flexibility to suit various needs.