Undefined method with Composer library and CodeIgniter

Question

I'm working on a project and it's getting a little too hard for me... I explain.

I need to parse PDF files with PHP, to analyse the content of those files. To do that, I use pdfparser.org library. I firstly tried to include this library as usually, without any result. After having read all the Internet, since this library requires Composer to be installed (and on my web hosting I can't get Composer installed), I have applied the Composer process on my Windows PC. I got the "vendor" folder with the "autoload.php" file. Fine !!

Then, I have tried to include it properly in CodeIgniter. The solution I chose is :

1. Creating a file "Pdfparser.php" in application/libraries/

   class Pdfparser
   {
       public function __construct()
       {
           require_once APPPATH."/third_party/pdfparser.php";
       }
   }
   

2. Then, I add the PdfParser "Composer" application in application/third_party/, and in the /third_party/pdfparser.php I simply put :

   if (!defined('pdfparser')) {
       define('pdfparser', dirname(__FILE__) . '/');
       require(pdfparser . 'pdfparser/autoload.php');
   }
   

3. Then, I add this library to CodeIgniter /application/config/autoload.php as :

   $autoload['libraries'] = array('pagination', 'form_validation','email','upload','pdfparser');
   

4. Finally, I call it in my function in application/controllers/Admin.php :

   $parser = new Pdfparser();
           $pdf    = $parser->parseFile(myfile.pdf);
           $full_text = $pdf->getText();
   

   (This 4. block of code is directly taken from official Documentation here : http://www.pdfparser.org/documentation, and just adapted).

5. But now, I break the Internet... I have this error :

   PHP Fatal error:  Call to undefined method PdfParser::parseFile() in /path/application/controllers/Admin.php on line 3083
   

6. After having looked CodeIgniter documentation, I try to add the Composer autoloader to the core... in application/config/autoload.php I put :

   $config['composer_autoload'] = APPPATH . "/third_party/pdfparser/autoload.php";
   

7. Of course, it doest not work. And I'm lost...

Glaydsglaze

try like this...$config['composer_autoload'] = TRUE; – Mauricio

Hikmat : I tried it, but nothing more... Then, I tried to add my Composer library directly in application/vendor folder, with $config['composer_autoload'] = TRUE; But nothing better... – Glaydsglaze

Answer 1

Use composer properly. $config['composer_autoload'] = TRUE; and inside your application folder run composer install smalot/pdfparser . Then inside your controller it should run, if not use Use :)

use Smalot\PdfParser;
class My_controller extends CI_Controller {
}

Snuff

Here is the problem ! I can't do this on my web hosting... And for example if I do this on my local storage, and then upload the generated "vendor" folder, would it work ? – Glaydsglaze

i also don't have access throught ssh and it works, the way you've described – Snuff

Well it seems to work now since it finds the class and executes the code ! The only thing is that I get a "TCPDF_PARSER ERROR: Empty PDF data."... I'm checking where it comes from... Thanks ! – Glaydsglaze

I have solved all the problem !! Really thank you !! – Glaydsglaze

You dont have to build own library, use components. You're welcome ;) – Snuff

Answer 2

When using composer, to include a library in your project you do something like that :

composer install smalot/pdfparser

Then, to include the newly installed library, you only need to include the "autoload.php" file provided by composer :

<?php

include 'vendor/autoload.php';

$parser = new Pdfparser();
$pdf    = $parser->parseFile(myfile.pdf);
$full_text = $pdf->getText();

var_dump($full_text);

Nothing more.

Doner

cf this article to use composer autoload in code igniter context : https://mcmap.net/q/595418/-codeigniter-composer – Doner

Answer 3

Replace your code

class Pdfparser
{
    public function __construct()
    {
        require_once APPPATH."/third_party/pdfparser.php";
    }
}

with

   <?php

require_once APPPATH."/third_party/pdfparser.php";
class Pdfparser
{
    public function __construct()
    {
    }
}

Include outside of your class.

Rather than using autoloading you can load library like this...

$this->load->library('library_name');

Example:

 $this->load->library('pdfparser');

Mauricio

Thank you ! I have tried both solutions, and I get the same error... I'm loosing hope :'( – Glaydsglaze