How do I convert pdf to text through matlab?

Hello,

I just started to use matlab this year so Im new to this whole computer programming. Im trying to make a program where I can get a summary from a word document or pdf file without having to read the whole pdf file itself. So far I'm able to do this by putting in just plain text into matlab. I want to be able to take a pdf file and do the same without having to download a pdf to text converter. Is there any code that will allow matlab to save the pdf file then convert it to text directly?

Answer 1

[Joseph Cheng]

If you have to do this manually (creating your own pdf to text) then you'll have to read up on the PDF file structures (link for more info http://partners.adobe.com/public/developer/tips/topic_tip31.html . Otherwise if you look at the matlab file exchange there are user created programs that you can use to do this for you.

[Kriszti Novak]

Where do I go for the Matlab file exchange to find how other people done it?

[Joseph Cheng]

there is a link at the top of this page there is a link called File Exchange, right next to Answers. There is a search box where you can search for pdf.

[Joseph Cheng]

like this one http://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/fileexchange/19798-extract-text-from-a-pdf-document/content/pdfParseDemo.m

[Jan]

@Kriszti Novak: Do not hesitate to ask your favorite internet search engine for such questions. E.g. Google is able to find sufficient links, when you insert "Matlab file exchange" as term to search for.

[Kriszti Novak]

Yes I tried google and on here a couple of times but it doesn't really answer my question it has alot about how to convert to pdf through matlab but not really on how to convert pdf to text through matlab. Maybe just not looking at the right places or not understanding how some people have answered it if they have answered the question.