barcode reader API in C# using PDF.co Web API
PDF.co Web API: the Rest API that provides set of data extraction functions, tools for documents manipulation, splitting and merging of pdf files. Includes built-in OCR, images recognition, can generate and read barcodes from images, scans and pdf.
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ByteScoutWebApiExample.csproj
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<Project ToolsVersion="12.0" DefaultTargets="Build" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/developer/msbuild/2003">
<Import Project="$(MSBuildExtensionsPath)\$(MSBuildToolsVersion)\Microsoft.Common.props" Condition="Exists('$(MSBuildExtensionsPath)\$(MSBuildToolsVersion)\Microsoft.Common.props')" />
<PropertyGroup>
<Configuration Condition=" '$(Configuration)' == '' ">Debug</Configuration>
<Platform Condition=" '$(Platform)' == '' ">AnyCPU</Platform>
<ProjectGuid>{1E1C2C34-017E-4605-AE2B-55EA3313BE51}</ProjectGuid>
<OutputType>Exe</OutputType>
<AppDesignerFolder>Properties</AppDesignerFolder>
<RootNamespace>ByteScoutWebApiExample</RootNamespace>
<AssemblyName>ByteScoutWebApiExample</AssemblyName>
<TargetFrameworkVersion>v4.0</TargetFrameworkVersion>
<FileAlignment>512</FileAlignment>
</PropertyGroup>
<PropertyGroup Condition=" '$(Configuration)|$(Platform)' == 'Debug|AnyCPU' ">
<PlatformTarget>AnyCPU</PlatformTarget>
<DebugSymbols>true</DebugSymbols>
<DebugType>full</DebugType>
<Optimize>false</Optimize>
<OutputPath>bin\Debug\</OutputPath>
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<PlatformTarget>AnyCPU</PlatformTarget>
<DebugType>pdbonly</DebugType>
<Optimize>true</Optimize>
<OutputPath>bin\Release\</OutputPath>
<DefineConstants>TRACE</DefineConstants>
<ErrorReport>prompt</ErrorReport>
<WarningLevel>4</WarningLevel>
</PropertyGroup>
<ItemGroup>
<Reference Include="Newtonsoft.Json, Version=10.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=30ad4fe6b2a6aeed, processorArchitecture=MSIL">
<HintPath>packages\Newtonsoft.Json.10.0.3\lib\net40\Newtonsoft.Json.dll</HintPath>
<Private>True</Private>
</Reference>
<Reference Include="System" />
<Reference Include="System.Core" />
<Reference Include="System.Xml.Linq" />
<Reference Include="System.Data" />
<Reference Include="System.Xml" />
</ItemGroup>
<ItemGroup>
<Compile Include="Program.cs" />
<Compile Include="Properties\AssemblyInfo.cs" />
</ItemGroup>
<ItemGroup>
<None Include="packages.config" />
<Content Include="sample.pdf">
<CopyToOutputDirectory>Always</CopyToOutputDirectory>
</Content>
</ItemGroup>
<Import Project="$(MSBuildToolsPath)\Microsoft.CSharp.targets" />
<!-- To modify your build process, add your task inside one of the targets below and uncomment it.
Other similar extension points exist, see Microsoft.Common.targets.
<Target Name="BeforeBuild">
</Target>
<Target Name="AfterBuild">
</Target>
-->
</Project>
ByteScoutWebApiExample.sln
Microsoft Visual Studio Solution File, Format Version 12.00
# Visual Studio 2013
VisualStudioVersion = 12.0.40629.0
MinimumVisualStudioVersion = 10.0.40219.1
Project("{FAE04EC0-301F-11D3-BF4B-00C04F79EFBC}") = "ByteScoutWebApiExample", "ByteScoutWebApiExample.csproj", "{1E1C2C34-017E-4605-AE2B-55EA3313BE51}"
EndProject
Global
GlobalSection(SolutionConfigurationPlatforms) = preSolution
Debug|Any CPU = Debug|Any CPU
Release|Any CPU = Release|Any CPU
EndGlobalSection
GlobalSection(ProjectConfigurationPlatforms) = postSolution
{1E1C2C34-017E-4605-AE2B-55EA3313BE51}.Debug|Any CPU.ActiveCfg = Debug|Any CPU
{1E1C2C34-017E-4605-AE2B-55EA3313BE51}.Debug|Any CPU.Build.0 = Debug|Any CPU
{1E1C2C34-017E-4605-AE2B-55EA3313BE51}.Release|Any CPU.ActiveCfg = Release|Any CPU
{1E1C2C34-017E-4605-AE2B-55EA3313BE51}.Release|Any CPU.Build.0 = Release|Any CPU
EndGlobalSection
GlobalSection(SolutionProperties) = preSolution
HideSolutionNode = FALSE
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EndGlobal
Program.cs
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.IO;
using System.Net;
using System.Threading;
using Newtonsoft.Json;
using Newtonsoft.Json.Linq;
namespace ByteScoutWebApiExample
{
class Program
{
// The authentication key (API Key).
// Get your own by registering at https://app.pdf.co/documentation/api
const String API_KEY = "***********************************";
// Source file
const string SourceFile = @".\sample.pdf";
// Comma-separated list of barcode types to decode.
// See the documentation: https://apidocs.pdf.co/?#barcode-reader
const string BarcodeTypes = "Code39,Code128,Interleaved2of5,EAN13";
// Comma-separated list of page indices (or ranges) to process. Leave empty for all pages. Example: '0,2-5,7-'.
const string Pages = "";
// (!) Make asynchronous job
const bool Async = true;
static void Main(string[] args)
{
// Create standard .NET web client instance
WebClient webClient = new WebClient();
// Set API Key
webClient.Headers.Add("x-api-key", API_KEY);
// Upload file to the cloud
string uploadedFileUrl = UploadFile(SourceFile);
if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(uploadedFileUrl))
{
Console.WriteLine("File upload error.");
return;
}
// * READ BARCODES FROM UPLOADED FILE *
// Prepare requests params as JSON
// See documentation: https://apidocs.pdf.co/?#barcode-reader
Dictionary<string, string> parameters = new Dictionary<string, string>();
parameters.Add("url", uploadedFileUrl);
parameters.Add("type", BarcodeTypes);
parameters.Add("pages", Pages);
parameters.Add("async", Async.ToString());
// Convert dictionary of params to JSON
string jsonPayload = JsonConvert.SerializeObject(parameters);
try
{
// URL of "Barcode Reader" endpoint
string url = "https://api.pdf.co/v1/barcode/read/from/url";
// Execute POST request with JSON payload
string response = webClient.UploadString(url, jsonPayload);
// Parse JSON response
JObject json = JObject.Parse(response);
if (json["error"].ToObject<bool>() == false)
{
// Asynchronous job ID
string jobId = json["jobId"].ToString();
// URL of generated JSON file with decoded barcodes that will available after the job completion
string resultFileUrl = json["url"].ToString();
// Check the job status in a loop.
// If you don't want to pause the main thread you can rework the code
// to use a separate thread for the status checking and completion.
do
{
string status = CheckJobStatus(jobId); // Possible statuses: "working", "failed", "aborted", "success".
// Display timestamp and status (for demo purposes)
Console.WriteLine(DateTime.Now.ToLongTimeString() + ": " + status);
if (status == "success")
{
// Download JSON results file as string
string jsonFileString = webClient.DownloadString(resultFileUrl);
JArray jsonFoundBarcodes = JArray.Parse(jsonFileString);
// Display found barcodes in console
foreach (JToken token in jsonFoundBarcodes)
{
Console.WriteLine("Found barcode:");
Console.WriteLine(" Type: " + token["TypeName"]);
Console.WriteLine(" Value: " + token["Value"]);
Console.WriteLine(" Document Page Index: " + token["Page"]);
Console.WriteLine(" Rectangle: " + token["Rect"]);
Console.WriteLine(" Confidence: " + token["Confidence"]);
Console.WriteLine();
}
break;
}
else if (status == "working")
{
// Pause for a few seconds
Thread.Sleep(3000);
}
else
{
Console.WriteLine(status);
break;
}
}
while (true);
}
else
{
// Display service reported error
Console.WriteLine(json["message"].ToString());
}
}
catch (WebException e)
{
// Display request error
Console.WriteLine(e.ToString());
}
finally
{
webClient.Dispose();
}
Console.WriteLine();
Console.WriteLine("Press any key...");
Console.ReadKey();
}
/// <summary>
/// Uploads file to the cloud and return URL of uploaded file to use in further API calls.
/// </summary>
/// <param name="file">Source file name (path).</param>
/// <returns>URL of uploaded file</returns>
static string UploadFile(string file)
{
// Create standard .NET web client instance
WebClient webClient = new WebClient();
// Set API Key
webClient.Headers.Add("x-api-key", API_KEY);
try
{
// 1. RETRIEVE THE PRESIGNED URL TO UPLOAD THE FILE.
// * If you already have a direct file URL, skip to the step 3.
// Prepare URL for `Get Presigned URL` API call
string query = Uri.EscapeUriString(string.Format(
"https://api.pdf.co/v1/file/upload/get-presigned-url?contenttype=application/octet-stream&name={0}",
Path.GetFileName(file)));
// Execute request
string response = webClient.DownloadString(query);
// Parse JSON response
JObject json = JObject.Parse(response);
if (json["error"].ToObject<bool>() == false)
{
// Get URL to use for the file upload
string uploadUrl = json["presignedUrl"].ToString();
// Get URL of uploaded file to use with later API calls
string uploadedFileUrl = json["url"].ToString();
// 2. UPLOAD THE FILE TO CLOUD.
webClient.Headers.Add("content-type", "application/octet-stream");
webClient.UploadFile(uploadUrl, "PUT", file); // You can use UploadData() instead if your file is byte[] or Stream
return uploadedFileUrl;
}
else
{
// Display service reported error
Console.WriteLine(json["message"].ToString());
}
}
catch (Exception e)
{
Console.WriteLine(e);
throw;
}
finally
{
webClient.Dispose();
}
return null;
}
/// <summary>
/// Check Job Status
/// </summary>
static string CheckJobStatus(string jobId)
{
using (WebClient webClient = new WebClient())
{
// Set API Key
webClient.Headers.Add("x-api-key", API_KEY);
string url = "https://api.pdf.co/v1/job/check?jobid=" + jobId;
string response = webClient.DownloadString(url);
JObject json = JObject.Parse(response);
return Convert.ToString(json["status"]);
}
}
}
}
packages.config
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<packages>
<package id="Newtonsoft.Json" version="10.0.3" targetFramework="net40" />
</packages>
VIDEO
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See also:
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See also:
printable version:
PDF-co-Web-API-C-sharp-Async-file-upload-and-async-barcode-reading.pdf
PDF-co-Web-API-C-sharp-Async-file-upload-and-async-barcode-reading.pdf
