AWS Textract Multipage PDF Only Extract 1st Page For Form And Table Extraction

Introduction

AWS Textract is a powerful service offered by Amazon Web Services (AWS) that allows users to extract text and data from images and PDF documents. It is particularly useful for form and table extraction, making it a popular choice for businesses and organizations that need to automate data entry and processing. However, some users have reported issues with AWS Textract only extracting data from the first page of a multipage PDF document. In this article, we will discuss the issue and provide a solution using Python.

Problem Statement

When using AWS Textract for form and table extraction, some users have reported that the service only extracts data from the first page of a multipage PDF document. This can be frustrating, especially when working with large documents that contain multiple forms or tables. The issue is not specific to a particular type of PDF or document, and it can occur with both simple and complex documents.

Code Used for Form and Table Extraction

The following code is an example of how to use AWS Textract for form and table extraction using Python:

import boto3
textract = boto3.client('textract')
def extract_text_from_pdf(pdf_file):
response = textract.analyze_document(
Document='S3Object' {'Bucket': 'my-bucket', 'Name': pdf_file},
FeatureTypes=['FORMS', 'TABLES']
)
# Extract form and table data
forms = response['Blocks'][0]['Form']
tables = response['Blocks'][1]['Table']

# Process form and table data
for form in forms:
    # Extract form fields
    form_fields = form['Fields']
    for field in form_fields:
        # Extract field value
        field_value = field['Value']
        print(field_value)

for table in tables:
    # Extract table data
    table_data = table['Cells']
    for cell in table_data:
        # Extract cell value
        cell_value = cell['Value']
        print(cell_value)

pdf_file = 'example.pdf'
extract_text_from_pdf(pdf_file)

Issue with Multipage PDFs

As mentioned earlier, the issue with AWS Textract only extracting data from the first page of a multipage PDF document is a common problem. The code above is designed to extract form and table data from a single page, but it does not handle multipage documents.

Solution

To solve the issue, we need to modify the code to handle multipage documents. One way to do this is to use the textract.start_document_analysis method to start the analysis process, and then use the textract.get_document_analysis method to retrieve the analysis results for each page.

Here is an updated version of the code that handles multipage documents:

import boto3
textract = boto3.client('textract')
def extract_text_from_pdf(pdf_file):
# Start document analysis
response = textract.start_document_analysis(
Document='S3Object' {'Bucket': 'my-bucket', 'Name': pdf_file},
FeatureTypes=['FORMS', 'TABLES']
)
# Get document analysis ID
doc_id = response['DocumentMetadata']['DocumentID']

# Get analysis results for each page
pages = []
while True:
    response = textract.get_document_analysis(
        DocumentID=doc_id,
        FeatureTypes=['FORMS', 'TABLES']
    )
    pages.append(response['Blocks'])
    if 'NextToken' not in response:
        break

# Extract form and table data from each page
for page in pages:
    forms = page[0]['Form']
    tables = page[1]['Table']

    # Process form and table data
    for form in forms:
        # Extract form fields
        form_fields = form['Fields']
        for field in form_fields:
            # Extract field value
            field_value = field['Value']
            print(field_value)

    for table in tables:
        # Extract table data
        table_data = table['Cells']
        for cell in table_data:
            # Extract cell value
            cell_value = cell['Value']
            print(cell_value)


pdf_file = 'example.pdf'
extract_text_from_pdf(pdf_file)

Conclusion

In this article, we discussed the issue with AWS Textract only extracting data from the first page of a multipage PDF document. We provided a solution using Python, which involves modifying the code to handle multipage documents using the textract.start_document_analysis and textract.get_document_analysis methods. By following the steps outlined in this article, developers can ensure that their AWS Textract applications can extract form and table data from all pages of a multipage PDF document.

Future Work

In the future, we plan to explore other solutions for handling multipage documents, such as using the textract.batch_get_document_analysis method to retrieve analysis results for multiple documents in a single API call. We also plan to investigate the use of other AWS services, such as Amazon S3 and Amazon DynamoDB, to improve the performance and scalability of our applications.

References

• AWS Textract Developer Guide: https://docs.aws.amazon.com/textract/latest/dg/what-is-text.html
• AWS Textract API Reference: https://docs.aws.amazon.com/textract/latest/APIReference/API_Operations.html
• Python Boto3 Library: https://boto3.amazonaws.com/v1/documentation/api/latest/index.html
  AWS Textract Multipage PDF Only Extract 1st Page for Form and Table Extraction: Q&A =====================================================================================

Introduction

In our previous article, we discussed the issue with AWS Textract only extracting data from the first page of a multipage PDF document. We provided a solution using Python, which involves modifying the code to handle multipage documents using the textract.start_document_analysis and textract.get_document_analysis methods. In this article, we will answer some frequently asked questions (FAQs) related to this issue.

Q: What is the cause of the issue with AWS Textract only extracting data from the first page of a multipage PDF document?

A: The cause of the issue is due to the way AWS Textract processes multipage documents. By default, AWS Textract only extracts data from the first page of a multipage document. To extract data from all pages, you need to use the textract.start_document_analysis and textract.get_document_analysis methods to handle multipage documents.

Q: How do I modify my code to handle multipage documents using AWS Textract?

A: To modify your code to handle multipage documents using AWS Textract, you need to use the textract.start_document_analysis method to start the analysis process, and then use the textract.get_document_analysis method to retrieve the analysis results for each page. You can use the following code as a reference:

import boto3
textract = boto3.client('textract')
def extract_text_from_pdf(pdf_file):
# Start document analysis
response = textract.start_document_analysis(
Document='S3Object' {'Bucket': 'my-bucket', 'Name': pdf_file},
FeatureTypes=['FORMS', 'TABLES']
)
# Get document analysis ID
doc_id = response['DocumentMetadata']['DocumentID']

# Get analysis results for each page
pages = []
while True:
    response = textract.get_document_analysis(
        DocumentID=doc_id,
        FeatureTypes=['FORMS', 'TABLES']
    )
    pages.append(response['Blocks'])
    if 'NextToken' not in response:
        break

# Extract form and table data from each page
for page in pages:
    forms = page[0]['Form']
    tables = page[1]['Table']

    # Process form and table data
    for form in forms:
        # Extract form fields
        form_fields = form['Fields']
        for field in form_fields:
            # Extract field value
            field_value = field['Value']
            print(field_value)

    for table in tables:
        # Extract table data
        table_data = table['Cells']
        for cell in table_data:
            # Extract cell value
            cell_value = cell['Value']
            print(cell_value)


pdf_file = 'example.pdf'
extract_text_from_pdf(pdf_file)

Q: What are the benefits of using AWS Textract for form and table extraction?

A: The benefits of using AWS Textract for form and table extraction include:

• High accuracy: AWS Textract is highly accurate in extracting form and table data from documents.
• Fast processing: AWS Textract can process documents quickly, making it ideal for large-scale applications.
• Scalability: AWS Textract is scalable, making it easy to handle large volumes of documents.
• Security: AWS Textract is secure, ensuring that your documents are protected from unauthorized access.

Q: What are the limitations of using AWS Textract for form and table extraction?

A: The limitations of using AWS Textract for form and table extraction include:

• Cost: AWS Textract can be expensive, especially for large-scale applications.
• Complexity: AWS Textract can be complex to use, especially for developers who are new to the service.
• Limited support: AWS Textract may not support all document formats, making it difficult to use for certain applications.

Q: How do I troubleshoot issues with AWS Textract?

A: To troubleshoot issues with AWS Textract, you can use the following steps:

• Check the AWS Textract documentation: The AWS Textract documentation provides detailed information on how to use the service, including troubleshooting tips.
• Check the AWS Textract API: The AWS Textract API provides detailed information on the service's functionality, including error codes and messages.
• Contact AWS Support: If you are experiencing issues with AWS Textract, you can contact AWS Support for assistance.

Conclusion

In this article, we answered some frequently asked questions (FAQs) related to the issue with AWS Textract only extracting data from the first page of a multipage PDF document. We provided a solution using Python, which involves modifying the code to handle multipage documents using the textract.start_document_analysis and textract.get_document_analysis methods. We also discussed the benefits and limitations of using AWS Textract for form and table extraction, as well as how to troubleshoot issues with the service.