Detect fields

This documentation provides an example of how to use the FileforgeClient to detect form fields in a PDF document. This endpoint returns a list of form fields detected in the PDF document, along with their location, options and requirements.

Prerequisites

Ensure you have the following:

  • An API key for Fileforge as an environment variable: process.env.FILEFORGE_API_KEY
  • Node.js and npm installed.
  • The Fileforge Client installed.

Guide

1

Lets look into our PDF file with a form

For this example, we will use the following PDF file with form fields:

sample pdf file

2

Extract form fields from the PDF as object

1import { FileforgeClient } from "@fileforge/client";
2import * as fs from "fs";
3
4(async () => {
5    const ff = new FileforgeClient({
6      apiKey: process.env.FILEFORGE_API_KEY,
7    });
8
9    try {
10      const resultObject = await ff.pdf.form.detect(
11        new File(
12          [fs.readFileSync(__dirname + "/samples/form.pdf")],
13          "form.pdf",
14          {
15            type: "application/pdf",
16          },
17        ),
18        { options: {} },
19      );
20
21      console.log(resultObject);
22    } catch (error) {
23      console.error("Error during PDF form detect:", error);
24      throw error;
25    }
26  })();
3

Get all form field descriptions and locations from the response as follows

The reponse is a list of field descriptions and locations you can use to build a mapping with your data or to fill the document.

1[
2    {
3    "name":"Producer Name",
4    "required":false,
5    "readOnly":false,
6    "locations":[
7        {
8            "x":78.6,
9            "y":660.36,
10            "width":120.96000000000001,
11            "height":13.559999999999945
12        }
13    ],
14    "type":"PDFTextField",
15    "defaultValue":"",
16    "isPassword":false,
17    "isRichFormatted":false,
18    "isScrollable":true,
19    "isCombed":false,
20    "isMultiline":false,
21    "isFileSelector":false
22    },
23    {
24    "name":"Insured Name",
25    "required":false,
26    "readOnly":false,
27    "locations":[
28        {
29            "x":300.96,
30            "y":660.36,
31            "width":125.16000000000003,
32            "height":13.559999999999945
33        }
34    ],
35    "type":"PDFTextField",
36    "defaultValue":"",
37    "isPassword":false,
38    "isRichFormatted":false,
39    "isScrollable":true,
40    "isCombed":false,
41    "isMultiline":false,
42    "isFileSelector":false
43    },
44    {
45    "name":"Desired Effective Date",
46    "required":false,
47    "readOnly":false,
48    "locations":[
49        {
50            "x":555.72,
51            "y":660.36,
52            "width":45.83999999999992,
53            "height":13.559999999999945
54        }
55    ],
56    "type":"PDFTextField",
57    "defaultValue":"",
58    "isPassword":false,
59    "isRichFormatted":false,
60    "isScrollable":true,
61    "isCombed":false,
62    "isMultiline":false,
63    "isFileSelector":false
64    },
65    {
66    "name":"Producer Email",
67    "required":false,
68    "readOnly":false,
69    "locations":[
70        {
71            "x":79.32,
72            "y":646.32,
73            "width":120.96000000000001,
74            "height":13.559999999999945
75        }
76    ],
77    "type":"PDFTextField",
78    "defaultValue":"titouan.launay@fileforge.com",
79    "isPassword":false,
80    "isRichFormatted":false,
81    "isScrollable":true,
82    "isCombed":false,
83    "isMultiline":false,
84    "isFileSelector":false
85    },
86    {
87    "name":"Insured Phone",
88    "required":false,
89    "readOnly":false,
90    "locations":[
91        {
92            "x":300.72,
93            "y":646.32,
94            "width":125.15999999999997,
95            "height":13.559999999999945
96        }
97    ],
98    "type":"PDFTextField",
99    "defaultValue":"+1 (415) 999-9999",
100    "isPassword":false,
101    "isRichFormatted":false,
102    "isScrollable":true,
103    "isCombed":false,
104    "isMultiline":false,
105    "isFileSelector":false
106    }
107...
108]