How do you copy text from an image in LibreOffice or Foxit?

[John Connor]

I have a shipping label that I got through E-mail that was in the form of an image. I wanted to copy the tracking number, so I opened LibreOffice and past the image in writer. Then I converted to a PDF and opened it with Foxit. Usually I can copy text from PDFs, not so with an image as a PDF.

Is there a way that this can be done?

 

[mikeymikec]

Run the image through OCR software?

 

[pcgeek11]

No as the image you migrated to the PDF is a PDF Image and not text....

As mikeymikec said OCR Software.

 

[John Connor]

Nice! Thanks! I found FreeOCR http://www.paperfile.net/

That does the trick. I can't tell you how many times I wish I could have lifted the text from an image.

I did notice a caveat. In the tracking label image there is a 0 (zero) but FreeOCR copied it as an O.

 

[mikeymikec]

I did notice a caveat. In the tracking label image there is a 0 (zero) but FreeOCR copied it as an O.

To be expected.

 

[John Connor]

Ah! First time using OCR software. I actually never knew software existed like this, especially free. I mean, I knew there were hand held scanners that are used for project Gutenberg, but never knew you could use software that would extract content from an image on your own PC and be free!

 

[mikeymikec]

Ah! First time using OCR software. I actually never knew software existed like this, especially free. I mean, I knew there were hand held scanners that are used for project Gutenberg, but never knew you could use software that would extract content from an image on your own PC and be free!

Many all-in-one printers come with software that does this, these days.

 

[John Connor]

Yeah, I just install the driver and throw the disk in the desk drawer. LOL I actually have a All In One Brother of which model I can't remember. Bought it last year in fact. I have yet to use the WIFI printing option.

 

[dbcooper1]

While not free, Adobe Acrobat has an option that does this as well; I think it's called 'make text searchable' or something to that effect and I don't believe it's the default. It makes the resulting .pdf a bit larger but much more useful.