PDF to Text PHP Examples

This page contains various examples of using the PDF to Text API in PHP. The examples are complete and fully functional. Read more about how to convert PDF to Text in PHP.

Basic examples
PHP website examples
Laravel examples
Symfony examples

Basic examples

PDF file to text file

<?php
require "pdfcrowd.php";

try
{
    // create the API client instance
    $client = new \Pdfcrowd\PdfToTextClient("demo", "ce544b6ea52a5621fb9d55f8b542d14d");

    // run the conversion and write the result to a file
    $client->convertFileToFile("/path/to/invoice.pdf", "invoice.txt");
}
catch(\Pdfcrowd\Error $why)
{
    error_log("Pdfcrowd Error: {$why}\n");
    throw $why;
}

?>

PDF file to in-memory text

<?php
require "pdfcrowd.php";

try
{
    // create the API client instance
    $client = new \Pdfcrowd\PdfToTextClient("demo", "ce544b6ea52a5621fb9d55f8b542d14d");

    // run the conversion and store the result into the "txt" variable
    $txt = $client->convertFile("/path/to/invoice.pdf");

    // at this point the "txt" variable contains TXT raw data and
    // can be sent in an HTTP response, saved to a file, etc.
}
catch(\Pdfcrowd\Error $why)
{
    error_log("Pdfcrowd Error: {$why}\n");
    throw $why;
}

?>

PDF file to text stream

<?php
require "pdfcrowd.php";

try
{
    // create the API client instance
    $client = new \Pdfcrowd\PdfToTextClient("demo", "ce544b6ea52a5621fb9d55f8b542d14d");

    // create an output stream for the conversion result
    $output_stream = fopen("invoice.txt", "wb");

    // check for a file creation error
    if (!$output_stream)
        throw new \Exception(error_get_last()['message']);

    // run the conversion and write the result into the output stream
    $client->convertFileToStream("/path/to/invoice.pdf", $output_stream);

    // close the output stream
    fclose($output_stream);
}
catch(\Pdfcrowd\Error $why)
{
    error_log("Pdfcrowd Error: {$why}\n");
    throw $why;
}

?>

PDF url to text file

<?php
require "pdfcrowd.php";

try
{
    // create the API client instance
    $client = new \Pdfcrowd\PdfToTextClient("demo", "ce544b6ea52a5621fb9d55f8b542d14d");

    // run the conversion and write the result to a file
    $client->convertUrlToFile("https://pdfcrowd.com/static/pdf/apisamples/invoice.pdf", "invoice.txt");
}
catch(\Pdfcrowd\Error $why)
{
    error_log("Pdfcrowd Error: {$why}\n");
    throw $why;
}

?>

PDF url to in-memory text

<?php
require "pdfcrowd.php";

try
{
    // create the API client instance
    $client = new \Pdfcrowd\PdfToTextClient("demo", "ce544b6ea52a5621fb9d55f8b542d14d");

    // run the conversion and store the result into the "txt" variable
    $txt = $client->convertUrl("https://pdfcrowd.com/static/pdf/apisamples/invoice.pdf");

    // at this point the "txt" variable contains TXT raw data and
    // can be sent in an HTTP response, saved to a file, etc.
}
catch(\Pdfcrowd\Error $why)
{
    error_log("Pdfcrowd Error: {$why}\n");
    throw $why;
}

?>

PDF url to text stream

<?php
require "pdfcrowd.php";

try
{
    // create the API client instance
    $client = new \Pdfcrowd\PdfToTextClient("demo", "ce544b6ea52a5621fb9d55f8b542d14d");

    // create an output stream for the conversion result
    $output_stream = fopen("invoice.txt", "wb");

    // check for a file creation error
    if (!$output_stream)
        throw new \Exception(error_get_last()['message']);

    // run the conversion and write the result into the output stream
    $client->convertUrlToStream("https://pdfcrowd.com/static/pdf/apisamples/invoice.pdf", $output_stream);

    // close the output stream
    fclose($output_stream);
}
catch(\Pdfcrowd\Error $why)
{
    error_log("Pdfcrowd Error: {$why}\n");
    throw $why;
}

?>

In-memory PDF to text file

<?php
require "pdfcrowd.php";

try
{
    // create the API client instance
    $client = new \Pdfcrowd\PdfToTextClient("demo", "ce544b6ea52a5621fb9d55f8b542d14d");

    // run the conversion and write the result to a file
    $client->convertRawDataToFile(file_get_contents("/path/to/hello_world.pdf"), "invoice.txt");
}
catch(\Pdfcrowd\Error $why)
{
    error_log("Pdfcrowd Error: {$why}\n");
    throw $why;
}

?>

In-memory PDF to in-memory text

<?php
require "pdfcrowd.php";

try
{
    // create the API client instance
    $client = new \Pdfcrowd\PdfToTextClient("demo", "ce544b6ea52a5621fb9d55f8b542d14d");

    // run the conversion and store the result into the "txt" variable
    $txt = $client->convertRawData(file_get_contents("/path/to/hello_world.pdf"));

    // at this point the "txt" variable contains TXT raw data and
    // can be sent in an HTTP response, saved to a file, etc.
}
catch(\Pdfcrowd\Error $why)
{
    error_log("Pdfcrowd Error: {$why}\n");
    throw $why;
}

?>

In-memory PDF to text stream

<?php
require "pdfcrowd.php";

try
{
    // create the API client instance
    $client = new \Pdfcrowd\PdfToTextClient("demo", "ce544b6ea52a5621fb9d55f8b542d14d");

    // create an output stream for the conversion result
    $output_stream = fopen("invoice.txt", "wb");

    // check for a file creation error
    if (!$output_stream)
        throw new \Exception(error_get_last()['message']);

    // run the conversion and write the result into the output stream
    $client->convertRawDataToStream(file_get_contents("/path/to/hello_world.pdf"), $output_stream);

    // close the output stream
    fclose($output_stream);
}
catch(\Pdfcrowd\Error $why)
{
    error_log("Pdfcrowd Error: {$why}\n");
    throw $why;
}

?>

Get info about the current conversion

<?php
require "pdfcrowd.php";

try
{
    // create the API client instance
    $client = new \Pdfcrowd\PdfToTextClient("demo", "ce544b6ea52a5621fb9d55f8b542d14d");

    // configure the conversion
    $client->setDebugLog(true);
    $client->setPageBreakMode("default");

    // run the conversion and write the result to a file
    $client->convertFileToFile("/path/to/invoice.pdf", "invoice.txt");
    
    // print URL to the debug log
    echo "Debug log url: " . $client->getDebugLogUrl() . "\n";
    
    // print the number of available conversion credits in your account
    echo "Remaining credit count: " . $client->getRemainingCreditCount() . "\n";
    
    // print the number of credits consumed by the conversion
    echo "Consumed credit count: " . $client->getConsumedCreditCount() . "\n";
    
    // print the unique ID of the conversion
    echo "Job id: " . $client->getJobId() . "\n";
    
    // print the total number of pages in the output document
    echo "Page count: " . $client->getPageCount() . "\n";
    
    // print the size of the output in bytes
    echo "Output size: " . $client->getOutputSize() . "\n";
}
catch(\Pdfcrowd\Error $why)
{
    error_log("Pdfcrowd Error: {$why}\n");
    throw $why;
}

?>

PHP website examples

PDF file to text in PHP website

<?php
require 'pdfcrowd.php';

// the recommended method is POST
if($_SERVER['REQUEST_METHOD'] == 'POST') {
    try {
        // create the API client instance
        $client = new \Pdfcrowd\PdfToTextClient("demo", "ce544b6ea52a5621fb9d55f8b542d14d");

        // run the conversion
        $txt = $client->convertFile("/path/to/invoice.pdf");

        // set HTTP response headers
        header("Content-Type: text/plain");
        header("Cache-Control: no-cache");
        header("Accept-Ranges: none");
        header("Content-Disposition: attachment; filename*=UTF-8''" . rawurlencode("invoice.txt"));

        echo $txt;
    }
    catch(\Pdfcrowd\Error $why) {
        // report the error
        header("Content-Type: text/plain");
        http_response_code($why->getCode());
        echo "Pdfcrowd Error: {$why}";
    }
}

?>

PDF url to text in PHP website

<?php
require 'pdfcrowd.php';

// the recommended method is POST
if($_SERVER['REQUEST_METHOD'] == 'POST') {
    try {
        // create the API client instance
        $client = new \Pdfcrowd\PdfToTextClient("demo", "ce544b6ea52a5621fb9d55f8b542d14d");

        // run the conversion
        $txt = $client->convertUrl("https://pdfcrowd.com/static/pdf/apisamples/invoice.pdf");

        // set HTTP response headers
        header("Content-Type: text/plain");
        header("Cache-Control: no-cache");
        header("Accept-Ranges: none");
        header("Content-Disposition: attachment; filename*=UTF-8''" . rawurlencode("invoice.txt"));

        echo $txt;
    }
    catch(\Pdfcrowd\Error $why) {
        // report the error
        header("Content-Type: text/plain");
        http_response_code($why->getCode());
        echo "Pdfcrowd Error: {$why}";
    }
}

?>

In-memory PDF to text in PHP website

<?php
require 'pdfcrowd.php';

// the recommended method is POST
if($_SERVER['REQUEST_METHOD'] == 'POST') {
    try {
        // create the API client instance
        $client = new \Pdfcrowd\PdfToTextClient("demo", "ce544b6ea52a5621fb9d55f8b542d14d");

        // run the conversion
        $txt = $client->convertRawData(file_get_contents("/path/to/hello_world.pdf"));

        // set HTTP response headers
        header("Content-Type: text/plain");
        header("Cache-Control: no-cache");
        header("Accept-Ranges: none");
        header("Content-Disposition: attachment; filename*=UTF-8''" . rawurlencode("invoice.txt"));

        echo $txt;
    }
    catch(\Pdfcrowd\Error $why) {
        // report the error
        header("Content-Type: text/plain");
        http_response_code($why->getCode());
        echo "Pdfcrowd Error: {$why}";
    }
}

?>

Laravel examples

PDF file to text in Laravel

<?php

// the recommended method is POST
Route::post('/', function () {
    try {
        // create the API client instance
        $client = new \Pdfcrowd\PdfToTextClient("demo", "ce544b6ea52a5621fb9d55f8b542d14d");

        // run the conversion and store the result into the "txt" variable
        $txt = $client->convertFile("/path/to/invoice.pdf");

        // send the result and set HTTP response headers
        return response($txt)
            ->header("Content-Type", "text/plain")
            ->header("Cache-Control", "no-cache")
            ->header("Accept-Ranges", "none")
            ->header("Content-Disposition",
                     "attachment; filename*=UTF-8''" . rawurlencode("invoice.txt"));
    }
    catch(\Pdfcrowd\Error $why) {
        // send the error in the HTTP response
        return response($why->getMessage(), $why->getCode())
            ->header("Content-Type", "text/plain");
    }
});

?>

PDF url to text in Laravel

<?php

// the recommended method is POST
Route::post('/', function () {
    try {
        // create the API client instance
        $client = new \Pdfcrowd\PdfToTextClient("demo", "ce544b6ea52a5621fb9d55f8b542d14d");

        // run the conversion and store the result into the "txt" variable
        $txt = $client->convertUrl("https://pdfcrowd.com/static/pdf/apisamples/invoice.pdf");

        // send the result and set HTTP response headers
        return response($txt)
            ->header("Content-Type", "text/plain")
            ->header("Cache-Control", "no-cache")
            ->header("Accept-Ranges", "none")
            ->header("Content-Disposition",
                     "attachment; filename*=UTF-8''" . rawurlencode("invoice.txt"));
    }
    catch(\Pdfcrowd\Error $why) {
        // send the error in the HTTP response
        return response($why->getMessage(), $why->getCode())
            ->header("Content-Type", "text/plain");
    }
});

?>

In-memory PDF to text in Laravel

<?php

// the recommended method is POST
Route::post('/', function () {
    try {
        // create the API client instance
        $client = new \Pdfcrowd\PdfToTextClient("demo", "ce544b6ea52a5621fb9d55f8b542d14d");

        // run the conversion and store the result into the "txt" variable
        $txt = $client->convertRawData(file_get_contents("/path/to/hello_world.pdf"));

        // send the result and set HTTP response headers
        return response($txt)
            ->header("Content-Type", "text/plain")
            ->header("Cache-Control", "no-cache")
            ->header("Accept-Ranges", "none")
            ->header("Content-Disposition",
                     "attachment; filename*=UTF-8''" . rawurlencode("invoice.txt"));
    }
    catch(\Pdfcrowd\Error $why) {
        // send the error in the HTTP response
        return response($why->getMessage(), $why->getCode())
            ->header("Content-Type", "text/plain");
    }
});

?>

Symfony examples

PDF file to text in Symfony

<?php
namespace App\Controller;

use Symfony\Component\Routing\Annotation\Route;
use Symfony\Component\HttpFoundation\Response;

class DemoController
{
    /**
     * @Route("/", methods={"POST"})
     * the recommended method is POST
     */
    public function convert()
    {
        try {
            // create the API client instance
            $client = new \Pdfcrowd\PdfToTextClient("demo", "ce544b6ea52a5621fb9d55f8b542d14d");

            // run the conversion and store the result into the "txt" variable
            $txt = $client->convertFile("/path/to/invoice.pdf");

            // send the result and set HTTP response headers
            return new Response(
                $txt,
                Response::HTTP_OK,
                ["Content-Type" => "text/plain",
                 "Cache-Control" => "no-cache",
                 "Accept-Ranges" => "none",
                 "Content-Disposition" => "attachment; filename*=UTF-8''" . rawurlencode("invoice.txt")]);
        }
        catch(\Pdfcrowd\Error $why) {
            // send the error in the HTTP response
            return new Response($why->getMessage(),
                                $why->getCode(),
                                ["Content-Type" => "text/plain"]);
        }
    }
}

PDF url to text in Symfony

<?php
namespace App\Controller;

use Symfony\Component\Routing\Annotation\Route;
use Symfony\Component\HttpFoundation\Response;

class DemoController
{
    /**
     * @Route("/", methods={"POST"})
     * the recommended method is POST
     */
    public function convert()
    {
        try {
            // create the API client instance
            $client = new \Pdfcrowd\PdfToTextClient("demo", "ce544b6ea52a5621fb9d55f8b542d14d");

            // run the conversion and store the result into the "txt" variable
            $txt = $client->convertUrl("https://pdfcrowd.com/static/pdf/apisamples/invoice.pdf");

            // send the result and set HTTP response headers
            return new Response(
                $txt,
                Response::HTTP_OK,
                ["Content-Type" => "text/plain",
                 "Cache-Control" => "no-cache",
                 "Accept-Ranges" => "none",
                 "Content-Disposition" => "attachment; filename*=UTF-8''" . rawurlencode("invoice.txt")]);
        }
        catch(\Pdfcrowd\Error $why) {
            // send the error in the HTTP response
            return new Response($why->getMessage(),
                                $why->getCode(),
                                ["Content-Type" => "text/plain"]);
        }
    }
}

In-memory PDF to text in Symfony

<?php
namespace App\Controller;

use Symfony\Component\Routing\Annotation\Route;
use Symfony\Component\HttpFoundation\Response;

class DemoController
{
    /**
     * @Route("/", methods={"POST"})
     * the recommended method is POST
     */
    public function convert()
    {
        try {
            // create the API client instance
            $client = new \Pdfcrowd\PdfToTextClient("demo", "ce544b6ea52a5621fb9d55f8b542d14d");

            // run the conversion and store the result into the "txt" variable
            $txt = $client->convertRawData(file_get_contents("/path/to/hello_world.pdf"));

            // send the result and set HTTP response headers
            return new Response(
                $txt,
                Response::HTTP_OK,
                ["Content-Type" => "text/plain",
                 "Cache-Control" => "no-cache",
                 "Accept-Ranges" => "none",
                 "Content-Disposition" => "attachment; filename*=UTF-8''" . rawurlencode("invoice.txt")]);
        }
        catch(\Pdfcrowd\Error $why) {
            // send the error in the HTTP response
            return new Response($why->getMessage(),
                                $why->getCode(),
                                ["Content-Type" => "text/plain"]);
        }
    }
}