Extract text from specific regions in a PDF

[michalt1]

Looking for a solution to extract text from 3 zones in PDF files (2 in header and 1 in footer). I built a cloud flow using Encodian which works but I will need a paid subscription to use this on a large scale which I am trying to avoid if possible. I am struggling a bit with the PAD flow and keep getting the below error:

Microsoft.Flow.RPA.Desktop.Modules.SDK.ActionException: Can't rename file ---> System.ArgumentException: Illegal characters in path.
at System.IO.Path.CheckInvalidPathChars(String path, Boolean checkAdditional)
at System.IO.Path.GetExtension(String path)
at Microsoft.Flow.RPA.Desktop.Modules.File.Actions.RenameFilesAction.<>c__DisplayClass106_0.<GetNewFileNameResolver>b__0(FileObject file)
at Microsoft.Flow.RPA.Desktop.Modules.File.Actions.RenameFilesAction.Execute(ActionContext context)
--- End of inner exception stack trace ---
at Microsoft.Flow.RPA.Desktop.Modules.File.Actions.RenameFilesAction.Execute(ActionContext context)
at Microsoft.Flow.RPA.Desktop.Robin.Engine.Execution.ActionRunner.Run(IActionStatement statement, Dictionary`2 inputArguments, Dictionary`2 outputArguments)

The text I am trying to extract is English and nothing complex, what am I missing?

[Nived_Nambiar]

Hi @michalt1 

Issue is at renaming file, just check whether you have passed any illegal characters to filename which prevents its naming 

[michalt1]

Thanks but the text is nothing illegal. It is what I would have manually renamed my PDF file to.

Example:

SMITH, John - H-1B Filing.pdf

[Nived_Nambiar]

Hi @michalt1 

Could you show Rename file action you have used to see what is the issue ?

[michalt1]

[Nived_Nambiar]

Hi @michalt1 

%Files% is a list of filepath values inside it. so why you are passing an extra N:\Copier\TEST2\ before that ?

You can just pass %Files% itself in the field right ??

[michalt1]

Thanks you're right about that! Modified that and says flow was successful but the file name did not change to the text OCR should have extracted.

Maybe I am not setting my regional parameters correctly? Can someone help guide on that maybe??

[Nived_Nambiar]

Hi @michalt1 

As per the current code it will rename all file with the value present in %OcrText% , so may i know how file name looked like ?

[michalt1]

The original file name is:  doc00382220230406103.pdf

The intended file name is OCR Text that is found in the footer of the first page of the PDF (where the region should be pointing to):   SMITH, John - H-1B Filing.pdf

[Nived_Nambiar]

What result u are getting when using the above action, is only file is renamed or not any files are renamed ?

[michalt1]

It says the flow has run successfully but nothing happens. The file name does not change.

[Nived_Nambiar]

Hi @michalt1 

does the file with replaced name exists already there ?

[michalt1]

Not sure I understand the question. Here is the PDF (redacted, below) that is in my folder. The flow should extract that line of text in the footer (starts with RODRIGUEZ...) and rename the file to what that text says.

When I run my flow, the file name stays the same as when it started.

[Nived_Nambiar]

Hi @michalt1 

Actually My question is, let's say at footer text was data_footer, so renamed file should be data_footer.pdf, so to confirm whether there is any file named data_footer.pdf exists in the same folder before you started the flow, the reason why i asked you this is, in rename action, you have chosen Do Nothing in file exists field.

Let me know 🙂 

[michalt1]

Understood. The folder only has this one file in it while I am testing. 

[Nived_Nambiar]

Did you meant that that file is having same name as footer text?

[michalt1]

No. The original file name is:  doc00382220230406103.pdf

The intended file name is OCR Text that is found in the footer of the first page of the PDF (so in this example above, that would be "RODRIGUEZ, [redacted] - I-140 and I-485 Filing.pdf")

The file name after the flow runs remains:  doc00382220230406103.pdf

[Nived_Nambiar]

Hi @michalt1 

Just to confirm, is file path correct ?

[michalt1]

Yes it is

[Nived_Nambiar]

Hi @michalt1 

Change the highlighted option to overwrite and see what's happening.