Manipulating data in PDF Files with a program

[schrodingerscat11]

Homework Statement

I am currently doing my thesis, and the gravimetric analysis data I receive from a partner laboratory is in the form of tables in PDF Files. I need to plot the data. It would be tedious if I copy and paste every cell manually, so I decided to automate it using a program.

Here's the instructions I want to implement:
1. Open the PDF File.
2. Save it as a TXT file.
3. Open the data in TXT file (since it has delimeters already.)
4. Sort the data needed.
5. Plot the data.

My question is what is the best programming language that I can use for this task?

Homework Equations

The Attempt at a Solution

I decided to use MATLAB since it can open PDF files, it can manipulate data in TXT files, and it can easily plot that data.

However, I do not know how can MATLAB "instruct" Adobe Reader to save the file as TXT file. Is it even possible with MATLAB or other programming language?

 

[LCKurtz]

Not a direct answer to your question, but why don't you arrange for the partner lab to send you the data tables in whatever format they were before they were written to a pdf file?

 

[schrodingerscat11]

Thanks for the reply. I would do that in case I don't figure this out. I am just hoping to push my programming skills a little further. Anyway, I did not understand this part of your message:

Handy symbols: α β γ δ ε ζ η θ ι κ λ μ ν ξ ο ° π ρ ς σ τ υ φ χ ψ ω Ω ~ ≈ ≠ ≡ ± ≤ ≥ Δ ∇ Σ ∂ ∫ ∏ → ∞

Put them in your signature file and they will be there for your use when you preview your posts.

I'm sorry; it's my first time to subscribe to forums. What is a signature file?

 

[schrodingerscat11]

Thanks for the reply. I would do that in case I don't figure this out. I am just hoping to push my programming skills a little further. Anyway, I did not understand this part of your message:

Handy symbols: α β γ δ ε ζ η θ ι κ λ μ ν ξ ο ° π ρ ς σ τ υ φ χ ψ ω Ω ~ ≈ ≠ ≡ ± ≤ ≥ Δ ∇ Σ ∂ ∫ ∏ → ∞

Put them in your signature file and they will be there for your use when you preview your posts.

I'm sorry; it's my first time to subscribe to forums. What is a signature file? :shy:

 

[LCKurtz]

Thanks for the reply. I would do that in case I don't figure this out. I am just hoping to push my programming skills a little further. Anyway, I did not understand this part of your message:

Handy symbols: α β γ δ ε ζ η θ ι κ λ μ ν ξ ο ° π ρ ς σ τ υ φ χ ψ ω Ω ~ ≈ ≠ ≡ ± ≤ ≥ Δ ∇ Σ ∂ ∫ ∏ → ∞

Put them in your signature file and they will be there for your use when you preview your posts.

I'm sorry; it's my first time to subscribe to forums. What is a signature file? :shy:

It looks like you have figured it out.