Spacing between collumns is converted to 1 space

[EntiusGJ]

Good day,
I am new to PdfPlumber but got one application working. Started on the next but this one is tabular text but the space between the columns is only 1 space. The text in the one of the columns contains also spaces and therefore impossible to distinct the separate columns.
Is PDFPlumber recognizing tabular formatted lines? Or can I enable this. Is there a option to separate the columns by a Tab character or other non printable one?
This is an example of the body of an invoice:

This is the text:
04015400264613 PAMPERS ACTIVE JUMBO PACK MINI 94'S 02 185.00 185.00 2 321.74 370.00
06009900265322 MOSTRA DI CAFE C/BEAN 1KG, FORZA 11 162.88 162.88 2 141.63 162.88

any suggestions are welcome :-)
Thanks in advance,
Gerard

[samkit-jain]

Hi @EntiusGJ Appreciate your interest in the library. Request you to share the PDF so that I can look into this in more detail. Before sharing the PDF, please ensure that you redact any sensitive information from it.

Looking at the screenshot, I will recommend 2 options:

1. Use the table extraction strategy as

   {
       "horizontal_strategy": "lines",
       "vertical_strategy": "text"
   }

   You may also try with "vertical_strategy": "lines" in case there are any hidden vertical separators in the table.
2. Use the table extraction strategy as

   {
       "horizontal_strategy": "lines",
       "vertical_strategy": "explicit",
       "explicit_vertical_lines": []  # < List of X coordinates of the vertical separators
   }

   in case the position of the vertical separators in the table never changes.

Have a look at https://github.com/jsvine/pdfplumber#table-extraction-methods to know more on how to use pdfplumber for table extraction.

[EntiusGJ]

Good day to you all 😊 Sorry for the delay but been busy lately. I am fairly new to Python and not into the syntax, I am asking help again. My simple program is this and try to incorporate the suggested strategy. ts = {"vertical_strategy": "lines", "horizontal_strategy": "text"} PdfFilename = os.path.basename(InFilename) (file, ext) = os.path.splitext(PdfFilename) #username = input("Hit any key......") with open(OutFilename, 'w') as f: f.write('....... \n' ) f.write('') with pdfplumber.open(InFilename) as pdf : pages = pdf.pages for page in pdf.pages: #print(page.number) text = page.extract_text (table_settings=ts) #print (text) f.write(text) # end for pdf.Pages #end with PDF file When adding the ‘ts’ variable the program executes the 2 f.write commands and bails out. Any suggestions how to tackle this? Thanks in advance and stay healthy. Met vriendelijke groet / With kind regards Gerard Entius Versterstraat 36 | 9301 Bloemfontein | * +27 (0) 798 723 122 From: Samkit Jain ***@***.***> Sent: 18 April, 2021 15:20 To: jsvine/pdfplumber ***@***.***> Cc: Gerard Entius ***@***.***>; Mention ***@***.***> Subject: Re: [jsvine/pdfplumber] Spacing between collumns is converted to 1 space (#417) Hi @EntiusGJ <https://github.com/EntiusGJ> Appreciate your interest in the library. Request you to share the PDF so that I can look into this in more detail. Before sharing the PDF, please ensure that you redact any sensitive information from it. Looking at the screenshot, I will recommend 2 options: 1. Use the table extraction strategy as 2. { 3. "horizontal_strategy": "lines", 4. "vertical_strategy": "text" } You may also try with "vertical_strategy": "lines" in case there are any hidden vertical separators in the table. 5. Use the table extraction strategy as 6. { 7. "horizontal_strategy": "lines", 8. "vertical_strategy": "explicit", 9. "explicit_vertical_lines": [] # < List of X coordinates of the vertical separators } in case the position of the vertical separators in the table never changes. Have a look at https://github.com/jsvine/pdfplumber#table-extraction-methods to know more on how to use pdfplumber for table extraction. — You are receiving this because you were mentioned. Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#417 (comment)> , or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AL4MRA7JDIYWSZVB24DGKDTTJLMANANCNFSM43EDYZBQ> . <https://github.com/notifications/beacon/AL4MRA23K6MEQALYCQ33ICLTJLMANA5CNFSM43EDYZB2YY3PNVWWK3TUL52HS4DFWFCGS43DOVZXG2LPNZBW63LNMVXHJKTDN5WW2ZLOORPWSZGOAAEY52Q.gif>

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[samkit-jain]

Hi Gerard, congrats to you and wish you good luck on your journey with Python. In order to help you further, request you to share the PDF in question. Please ensure that you redact any sensitive information from it.

[EntiusGJ]

Hi, Sorry fort his late reply, but it is project with no high priority. Attached is the PDF I want to decode and store the data in a database. I Also attached the text as I can retrieve is now. The first and last line I added for testing purposes and the personal info is masked with “?”. Thanks for your help and please let me know hot to get a improved ( TAB separated? ) output. Stay healthy 😊 Met vriendelijke groet / With kind regards Gerard Entius Versterstraat 36 | 9301 Bloemfontein | * +27 (0) 798 723 122 From: Samkit Jain ***@***.***> Sent: 18 April, 2021 15:20 To: jsvine/pdfplumber ***@***.***> Cc: Gerard Entius ***@***.***>; Mention ***@***.***> Subject: Re: [jsvine/pdfplumber] Spacing between collumns is converted to 1 space (#417) Hi @EntiusGJ <https://github.com/EntiusGJ> Appreciate your interest in the library. Request you to share the PDF so that I can look into this in more detail. Before sharing the PDF, please ensure that you redact any sensitive information from it. Looking at the screenshot, I will recommend 2 options: 1. Use the table extraction strategy as 2. { 3. "horizontal_strategy": "lines", 4. "vertical_strategy": "text" } You may also try with "vertical_strategy": "lines" in case there are any hidden vertical separators in the table. 5. Use the table extraction strategy as 6. { 7. "horizontal_strategy": "lines", 8. "vertical_strategy": "explicit", 9. "explicit_vertical_lines": [] # < List of X coordinates of the vertical separators } in case the position of the vertical separators in the table never changes. Have a look at https://github.com/jsvine/pdfplumber#table-extraction-methods to know more on how to use pdfplumber for table extraction. — You are receiving this because you were mentioned. Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#417 (comment)> , or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AL4MRA7JDIYWSZVB24DGKDTTJLMANANCNFSM43EDYZBQ> . <https://github.com/notifications/beacon/AL4MRA23K6MEQALYCQ33ICLTJLMANA5CNFSM43EDYZB2YY3PNVWWK3TUL52HS4DFWFCGS43DOVZXG2LPNZBW63LNMVXHJKTDN5WW2ZLOORPWSZGOAAEY52Q.gif>

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-- This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. https://www.avast.com/antivirus ....... Makro SA / A Division of Masstores (Pty) Ltd Corner Eland Str & N8,Kwagga Fontein,Bloemfontein, Company Reg No: 1991/006805/07 VAT Reg No : 4300119155 NLA Reg No : RG0000488 Reprint Date : Mon 19/10/2020 Registered Status : Distributor Reprint Time : 19:33 Liquor Store Lic : FSGL 02/10/28/12 Reprint Store : 23 MAKRO Grocers Wine Lic : FSGL 02/12/10/12 Page : 1 of 2 COPY TAX INVOICE ????????? POS No : 59 ????????? Invoice No : 24 Sales Date : Mon 19/10/2020 Sales Str : 23 MAKRO BLOEMFONTEIN VAT Reg No : NOT APPLICABLE Cashier ID : 30 Unique Ref : 0590242319102020 ????????? Cust. Ref : ????????? Order ID : ????????? ????????? Orig Inv Ref : QTY UNIT/PK WEIGHT (Kg) BARCODE DESCRIPTION DIS SGL INC PK INC VAT CD TOTAL EXC TOTAL INC 2 1 06001241006862 ILLOVO WHITE SUGAR 10KG 02 284.00 284.00 2 493.92 568.00 1 1 06009900265322 MOSTRA DI CAFE C/BEAN 1KG, FORZA 11 162.88 162.88 2 141.63 162.88 1 1 06001069036096 BOBTAIL DOG FD 7KG PUPPY MIN CHNK 02 134.00 134.00 2 116.52 134.00 1 1 06001156920550 BOKOMO PRONUTRO 1.5KG, 104.95 104.95 2 91.26 104.95 1 1 06001019000252 BABYSOFT TOILET ROLLS 2-PLY 18'S 02 99.95 99.95 2 86.91 99.95 1 1 06004612001008 SUPABAKE CAKE FLOUR 10KG 11 87.07 87.07 0 87.07 87.07 1 1 06001324011189 BROOKES OROS ORANGE SQUASH 5LT 11 85.45 85.45 2 74.31 85.45 1 1 07613033677724 NESCAFE CLASSIC COFFEE 200G 02 70.00 70.00 2 60.87 70.00 1 1 06001087004695 SUNLIGHT AUTO WASH PWD 2KG, 11 56.00 56.00 2 48.70 56.00 3 1 06009629660347 DENNY MUSHROOM WHTE 250G 02 15.00 15.00 0 45.00 45.00 1 1 06009606260324 NUTRIFIC CEREAL 900G 11 38.71 38.71 2 33.66 38.71 2 1 06009682952595 ROYCO REG PASTA SAUCE 45G, SOUR 11 15.63 15.63 2 27.18 31.26 1 1 06009522301262 C&B MAYONNAISE 750G, REGULAR 11 30.16 30.16 2 26.23 30.16 2 1 06001571126155 PASTA GRANDE SCREWS 500G 11 13.25 13.25 2 23.04 26.50 2 1 06009880412587 TWIZZA 2LT, LEMON/LIME 11 10.40 10.40 2 18.10 20.80 Please Note : This is a copy of your original invoice and is for record keeping purposes only.Makro SA / A Division of Masstores (Pty) Ltd Corner Eland Str & N8,Kwagga Fontein,Bloemfontein, Company Reg No: 1991/006805/07 VAT Reg No : 4300119155 NLA Reg No : RG0000488 Reprint Date : Mon 19/10/2020 Registered Status : Distributor Reprint Time : 19:33 Liquor Store Lic : FSGL 02/10/28/12 Reprint Store : 23 MAKRO Grocers Wine Lic : FSGL 02/12/10/12 Page : 2 of 2 COPY TAX INVOICE ??????????? POS No : 59 ??????????? Invoice No : 24 Sales Date : Mon 19/10/2020 Sales Str : 23 MAKRO BLOEMFONTEIN VAT Reg No : NOT APPLICABLE Cashier ID : 30 Unique Ref : 0590242319102020 ???????????? Cust. Ref ???????????? Order ID : ???????????? ???????????? Orig Inv Ref : QTY UNIT/PK WEIGHT (Kg) BARCODE DESCRIPTION DIS SGL INC PK INC VAT CD TOTAL EXC TOTAL INC TOTALS Total VAT 186.33 1 374.37 1 560.70 21 ARTICLES ON THIS INVOICE Including invoice rounding of -0.03 VAT SUMMARY Vat Code Vat % Goods Amount Vat Amount 0 0.00 132.07 0.00 2 15.00 1 242.30 186.33 PAYMENT SUMMARY CARD PAYMENT 528497******3294 CREDIT CARD 1 560.70 You Saved 96.32 Please Note : This is a copy of your original invoice and is for record keeping purposes only. Converter 1.0<->OK<->0<->no-error