Comparison of two pdf files

Question

I need to compare the contents of two almost similar files and highlight the dissimilar portions in the corresponding pdf file. Am using pdfbox. Please help me atleast with

Answer 1

I have come up with a jar using apache pdfbox to compare pdf files - this can compare pixel by pixel & highlight the differences.

Check my blog : http://www.testautomationguru.com/introducing-pdfutil-to-compare-pdf-files-extract-resources/ for example & download.

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To get page count

import com.taguru.utility.PDFUtil;

PDFUtil pdfUtil = new PDFUtil();
pdfUtil.getPageCount("c:/sample.pdf"); //returns the page count

To get page content as plain text

//returns the pdf content - all pages
pdfUtil.getText("c:/sample.pdf");

// returns the pdf content from page number 2
pdfUtil.getText("c:/sample.pdf",2);

// returns the pdf content from page number 5 to 8
pdfUtil.getText("c:/sample.pdf", 5, 8);

To extract attached images from PDF

//set the path where we need to store the images
 pdfUtil.setImageDestinationPath("c:/imgpath");
 pdfUtil.extractImages("c:/sample.pdf");

// extracts & saves the pdf content from page number 3
pdfUtil.extractImages("c:/sample.pdf", 3);

// extracts & saves the pdf content from page 2
pdfUtil.extractImages("c:/sample.pdf", 2, 2);

To store PDF pages as images

//set the path where we need to store the images
 pdfUtil.setImageDestinationPath("c:/imgpath");
 pdfUtil.savePdfAsImage("c:/sample.pdf");

To compare PDF files in text mode (faster – But it does not compare the format, images etc in the PDF)

String file1="c:/files/doc1.pdf";
String file1="c:/files/doc2.pdf";

// compares the pdf documents & returns a boolean
// true if both files have same content. false otherwise.
pdfUtil.comparePdfFilesTextMode(file1, file2);

// compare the 3rd page alone
pdfUtil.comparePdfFilesTextMode(file1, file2, 3, 3);

// compare the pages from 1 to 5
pdfUtil.comparePdfFilesTextMode(file1, file2, 1, 5);

To compare PDF files in Binary mode (slower – compares PDF documents pixel by pixel – highlights pdf difference & store the result as image)

String file1="c:/files/doc1.pdf";
String file1="c:/files/doc2.pdf";

// compares the pdf documents & returns a boolean
// true if both files have same content. false otherwise.
pdfUtil.comparePdfFilesBinaryMode(file1, file2);

// compare the 3rd page alone
pdfUtil.comparePdfFilesBinaryMode(file1, file2, 3, 3);

// compare the pages from 1 to 5
pdfUtil.comparePdfFilesBinaryMode(file1, file2, 1, 5);

//if you need to store the result
pdfUtil.highlightPdfDifference(true);
pdfUtil.setImageDestinationPath("c:/imgpath");
pdfUtil.comparePdfFilesBinaryMode(file1, file2);