PDF Formats and ExtractFilePageContentToStringA

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   Hi,
I am trying to merge two PDF files. One contains a certificate and the other contains the details of people getting the certificates. The people should overlay the certificate. I am using mergedocument. It works beautifully. However, when I use ExtractFilePageContentToStringA to look at a page and extract the hidden values it can't find them, even though you can see them through Adobe Reader in the PDF document. It appears to be the format that the resulting merge. I don't know if it is encrypted or what. Can anyone suggest how I can see the hidden values?
Here is the start of the merged file:

q 1 0 0 1 0 0 cm 1 0.95 0.33 0.3 k
/GS0 gs
0 0 595.275 841.389 re
f
q
0 0 595.276 841.89 re
W n
0 0 0 1 K
4 M 
/GS1 gs
-8.004 -8.004 611.283 849.394 re
S
Q
0 0 0 0 k
38.268 90.142 518.74 693.638 re
f
0.06 0.36 1 0 K
6 w 4 M 
45.52 101.052 504.236 675.476 re
S
q
0 0 595.276 841.89 re
W n
q
0 g
0 G
1 w 10 M 
/GS2 gs
/Fm0 Do
Q
Q
1 0.95 0.33 0.3 k
0 8.761 595.276 85.039 re
f
q
64.633 155.905 128.122 60.166 re
W n
q
128.1226196 0 0 60.1653442 64.6332855 155.9055176 cm
/Im0 Do
Q
Q
q
0 0 595.276 841.89 re
W n
q
0 g
0 G
1 w 10 M 
/GS3 gs
/Fm1 Do
Q
q
0 g
0 G
1 w 10 M 
/GS3 gs
/Fm2 Do
Q
0 0 0 0 k
q 1 0 0 1 34.9586 37.1911 cm
0 0 m
0 3.651 l
-2.958 3.651 l
-2.76 2.399 l
-1.594 2.399 l
-1.594 0.66 l
-1.847 0.527 -2.122 0.472 -2.463 0.472 c

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Grant Members Profile Find Members Posts Beginner Joined: 31 Oct 14 Status: Offline Points: 2	Post Options Post Reply Quote Grant Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: PDF Formats and ExtractFilePageContentToStringA Posted: 31 Oct 14 at 6:01AM
	Hi, I am trying to merge two PDF files. One contains a certificate and the other contains the details of people getting the certificates. The people should overlay the certificate. I am using mergedocument. It works beautifully. However, when I use ExtractFilePageContentToStringA to look at a page and extract the hidden values it can't find them, even though you can see them through Adobe Reader in the PDF document. It appears to be the format that the resulting merge. I don't know if it is encrypted or what. Can anyone suggest how I can see the hidden values? Here is the start of the merged file: q 1 0 0 1 0 0 cm 1 0.95 0.33 0.3 k /GS0 gs 0 0 595.275 841.389 re f q 0 0 595.276 841.89 re W n 0 0 0 1 K 4 M /GS1 gs -8.004 -8.004 611.283 849.394 re S Q 0 0 0 0 k 38.268 90.142 518.74 693.638 re f 0.06 0.36 1 0 K 6 w 4 M 45.52 101.052 504.236 675.476 re S q 0 0 595.276 841.89 re W n q 0 g 0 G 1 w 10 M /GS2 gs /Fm0 Do Q Q 1 0.95 0.33 0.3 k 0 8.761 595.276 85.039 re f q 64.633 155.905 128.122 60.166 re W n q 128.1226196 0 0 60.1653442 64.6332855 155.9055176 cm /Im0 Do Q Q q 0 0 595.276 841.89 re W n q 0 g 0 G 1 w 10 M /GS3 gs /Fm1 Do Q q 0 g 0 G 1 w 10 M /GS3 gs /Fm2 Do Q 0 0 0 0 k q 1 0 0 1 34.9586 37.1911 cm 0 0 m 0 3.651 l -2.958 3.651 l -2.76 2.399 l -1.594 2.399 l -1.594 0.66 l -1.847 0.527 -2.122 0.472 -2.463 0.472 c

AndrewC Members Profile Find Members Posts Moderator Group Joined: 08 Dec 10 Location: Geelong, Aust Status: Offline Points: 841	Post Options Post Reply Quote AndrewC Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 03 Nov 14 at 12:45PM
	Grant, It seems your PDF is using XObject forms which is why you cannot find the values. XObjects are basically like macros. eg /Fm0 Do There is currently no way in the library to extract XObject based form content streams. If you are using CapturePage/DrawCapturedPage then you may want to try to extract the data from the people page before merging it. Andrew.