QTP : Read PDF file even without buying PDF Writer or converting into text file

Often while automating manual test cases, we come across the scenarios of validating PDF data.

But we don't have any direct way of doing so.

The two  most common ways are :

1. Install PDF writer and use its API's to read data from PDF file.

    This would cost us the license for PDF writer

2. Convert the PDF file into text file using some tool and then do the validation .

    This would add a new layer of file conversion and also create dependency.

Considering the above shortcomings we were able to have a workaround for that.

This involves moving the PDF data into system clipboard and then extracting the value from clipboard..

''This Function takes file path as input and return the PDF data 

Function ReadPDF(Filename)

Set oShell = CreateObject("wscript.shell")

        'Open the PDF file

oShell.run Filename

wait(4)

        

        '' Select all data from PDF file using 'Control + a ' keys

oShell.Sendkeys "^a"

wait(2)

        '' Move data from PDF file to clipboard using 'Control + c ' keys

oShell.Sendkeys "^c"

wait(2)

       'Fetching data from clipboard

Set oClipboard = CreateObject("htmlfile")

strClipboard = objClipboard.ParentWindow.ClipboardData.GetData("Text")

       'Close the PDF File

Call terminateProcess("AcroRd32.exe")

       'Return the value of clipboard data

ReadPDF= strClipboard

End Function

'This function takes the name of the process to be terminated

Function terminateProcess(name)

   Dim objWMIService, objProcess, colProcess

Dim strComputer, strProcessKill 

strComputer = "."

Set objWMIService = GetObject("winMgmts:\\localhost") 

Set oNetwork =Createobject("Wscript.Network")

usrname = oNetwork.UserName

Set colProcess = objWMIService.ExecQuery _

("Select * from Win32_Process Where Name = '" & name &"'")

For Each objProcess in colProcess

objProcess.GetOwner strNameOfUser,strUserDomain

If  strNameOfUser=usrname Then

objProcess.Terminate()

End If 

Next 

End Function