Re: How to extract TABULAR data from a PDF document?

[Richard Owlett]

On 4/17/25 10:09 PM, jeremy ardley wrote:

On 15/4/25 22:19, Richard Owlett wrote:

I don't know how to approach the problem.

What I would like to end up with is a CSV formatted file containing the two left columns of Table A4.14 (pages 106&107) of [ https://fns-prod.azureedge.us/sites/default/files/resource-files/TFP2021.pdf ].

Suggestions?

TIA

I'm not sure if it is mentioned but just take a picture of each page and ask a good Large Language Model to give you a table.

I could not find 4.14 but converted table 4.12 instead into markdown and csv using Claude 3.7 Sonata

Synaptic finds neither "Claude" nor "Sonata" in the Debian repository.
I'll not pursue this track further for the current project.
Thank you.

# Table A4.12. Thrifty Food Plan Market Basket for males age 51–70, June 2021: quantities, costs, and cost shares of Market Basket Categories in weekly amounts

| Market Basket Categories | Quantity of each Market Basket Category (lbs) | Cost of each Market Basket Category ($) | Cost share of each Market Basket Category (%) | |--------------------------|---------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------|

| Vegetables | 10.65 | 12.09 | 23.05 |
| Dark-green vegetables | 1.02 | 1.06 | 15.41 |
| Red and orange vegetables | 2.26 | 3.14 | 25.97 |
| Beans, peas, lentils | 1.79 | 1.59 | 13.17 |
| Starchy vegetables | 3.68 | 2.97 | 24.56 |
| Other vegetables | 1.91 | 2.52 | 20.88 |
| Fruits | 7.10 | 6.62 | 12.64 |
| Whole fruit | 3.16 | 3.46 | 52.30 |
| 100% fruit juice | 3.94 | 3.16 | 47.70 |
| Grains | 4.38 | 8.93 | 17.03 |

| Whole-grain staple grains (e.g., rice, pasta, breads, tortillas) | 2.32 | 5.61 | 62.78 | | Whole-grain cereals (e.g., oatmeal, ready-to-eat cereal) | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | | Refined-grain staple grains (e.g., rice, pasta, breads, tortillas) | 1.96 | 3.04 | 34.09 | | Refined-grain other (e.g., cereals, crackers, snacks) | 0.10 | 0.28 | 3.14 |

| Dairy | 11.76 | 7.00 | 13.34 |
| Low- and non-fat milk, yogurt, soy alternatives | 11.67 | 6.87 | 98.22 |
| Higher fat milk, yogurt, soy alternatives | 0.088 | 0.12 | 1.72 |
| Cheese | <0.01 | <0.01 | 0.07 |
| Protein foods | 4.90 | 14.27 | 27.21 |
| Meats | 0.79 | 3.24 | 22.71 |
| Poultry | 1.54 | 3.88 | 27.17 |
| Eggs | 0.85 | 1.32 | 9.24 |
| Seafood | 0.79 | 3.44 | 24.10 |
| Nuts, seeds, soy products | 0.93 | 2.40 | 16.79 |
| Miscellaneous | 1.45 | 3.52 | 6.72 |

| Pre-prepared entrees and side dishes (e.g., soups, frozen entrees, pizza) | 0.24 | 0.51 | 14.377 |

| Coffee and tea | 0.17 | 0.87 | 24.80 |
| Table fats and oils | 0.67 | 1.61 | 45.71 |
| Sauces, condiments, jams, honey, sugars, spices | 0.28 | 0.36 | 10.12 |

| Other foods and beverages (e.g., soft drinks, fruit drinks, ice cream, pudding, cookies, candy bars) | 0.09 | 0.18 | 5.01 | | Total (Vegetables, Fruits, Grains, Dairy, Protein Foods, Miscellaneous) | 40.24 | 52.43 | 100.00 |

Market Basket Categories,Quantity of each Market Basket Category (lbs),Cost of each Market Basket Category ($),Cost share of each Market Basket Category (%)

Vegetables,10.65,12.09,23.05
Dark-green vegetables,1.02,1.06,15.41
Red and orange vegetables,2.26,3.14,25.97
Beans peas lentils,1.79,1.59,13.17
Starchy vegetables,3.68,2.97,24.56
Other vegetables,1.91,2.52,20.88
Fruits,7.10,6.62,12.64
Whole fruit,3.16,3.46,52.30
100% fruit juice,3.94,3.16,47.70
Grains,4.38,8.93,17.03

Whole-grain staple grains (e.g. rice pasta breads tortillas),2.32,5.61,62.78

Whole-grain cereals (e.g. oatmeal ready-to-eat cereal),0.00,0.00,0.00

Refined-grain staple grains (e.g. rice pasta breads tortillas),1.96,3.04,34.09

Refined-grain other (e.g. cereals crackers snacks),0.10,0.28,3.14
Dairy,11.76,7.00,13.34
Low- and non-fat milk yogurt soy alternatives,11.67,6.87,98.22
Higher fat milk yogurt soy alternatives,0.088,0.12,1.72
Cheese,<0.01,<0.01,0.07
Protein foods,4.90,14.27,27.21
Meats,0.79,3.24,22.71
Poultry,1.54,3.88,27.17
Eggs,0.85,1.32,9.24
Seafood,0.79,3.44,24.10
Nuts seeds soy products,0.93,2.40,16.79
Miscellaneous,1.45,3.52,6.72

Pre-prepared entrees and side dishes (e.g. soups frozen entrees pizza),0.24,0.51,14.377

Coffee and tea,0.17,0.87,24.80
Table fats and oils,0.67,1.61,45.71
Sauces condiments jams honey sugars spices,0.28,0.36,10.12

Other foods and beverages (e.g. soft drinks fruit drinks ice cream pudding cookies candy bars),0.09,0.18,5.01 Total (Vegetables Fruits Grains Dairy Protein Foods Miscellaneous),40.24,52.43,100.00