How can I extract images from a submitted PDF Form?

Question

Hi,I created a pdf form in Acrobat with various types of fields including "image fields". I can extract all the textual data that is filled in that form into for example csv format.But, I do not know how I can extract an "image" simply uploaded to the required form field.I am really looking forward for suggestions.Thank you!

Thom Parker · Accepted Answer

Say your image field is named "Image1" then this code will create an FDF file containing your image.

Notice the addition to the end of the name. This is something Acrobat does when you create an "Image" field.

this.exportAsFDF({aFields:["Image1_af_image"]});

Now you have an FDF file containing image data. And this is were it gets sticky. This is only good for transferring the image to another PDF. What is your ultimate goal for this image? Do you just want an image file on your desktop? One way to do this is to create another form that has one page and page size image field for each image field on your form. Then import the FDF into this file and save the file as an image. There are other things you can do but it gets more complicated.

There are lots of other methods for doing this. For example you can flatten the form and then use the "Edit PDF" tools to open the image in Photoshop and then save it from there. You could take a screen shot of the PDF. And there are 3rd party tools for extracting images from a PDF. Google "Extract Image from PDF".

Thom Parker · Answer

We actually, yes you can export an image. But how it's done depends on the type of form you have. Is this a LiveCycle form or an AcroForm

In an AcroForm it can only be exported to an FDF format, this is because images have a complex format. An image is much different than say a number entry, which is a single, simple value. So, there is no standard data format for representing an image a CSV. But there is for representing in image in an FDF file.

this can only be done with the JavaScript functions, doc.exportAsFDF() and doc.submitForm().

Both of these functions include an input named "aFields" which is a list of fields to export. Simply include the name of the image field in this list.

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