AttributeError: 'Document' object has no attribute 'get_doc_id'

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04-10-2024

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"AttributeError: 'Document' object has no attribute 'get_doc_id'" - Unlocking the Mystery in Python's Document Processing

You're working on a Python project involving document processing, and suddenly you encounter the cryptic error "AttributeError: 'Document' object has no attribute 'get_doc_id'". This message might leave you scratching your head, wondering what's going on and how to resolve it. Let's delve into the heart of this error and understand the reasons behind it.

The Scenario:

Imagine you're using a library like pdfplumber to extract text from a PDF file. You've successfully loaded the document and are ready to access its unique identifier (or document ID). However, when you try to use the get_doc_id() method, you're met with this error.

import pdfplumber

# Load the PDF
with pdfplumber.open('my_document.pdf') as pdf:
    first_page = pdf.pages[0]

    # Attempt to retrieve the document ID 
    doc_id = first_page.get_doc_id() 

    print(f"Document ID: {doc_id}") 

The Root of the Problem:

The error arises when you try to use a method or attribute that doesn't exist on the Document object you're working with. In this case, the get_doc_id() method is not a standard attribute of the Document object within pdfplumber or other document processing libraries.

Key Insights:

1. Library-Specific Methods: Document processing libraries often have their own unique methods for accessing document information. The get_doc_id() method might not be a universal standard across all libraries.

2. Document Metadata: Document IDs are typically found within document metadata. Metadata is additional information embedded within a document, such as the author, creation date, and other details.

3. Accessing Metadata: Instead of searching for a specific get_doc_id() method, you need to investigate the metadata retrieval capabilities of your chosen library.

Resolving the Error:

To resolve the error, you need to find the correct method for accessing the document ID within your chosen library. Here's a general approach:

1. Consult the Library's Documentation: Refer to the documentation of the document processing library you're using (e.g., pdfplumber, PyMuPDF, tika). Look for methods related to retrieving metadata or document information.

2. Explore Attributes: Many libraries provide attributes within the Document object that hold metadata. For example, pdfplumber offers attributes like pdf.metadata which contains a dictionary of document metadata.

Example with pdfplumber:

import pdfplumber

with pdfplumber.open('my_document.pdf') as pdf:
    # Access metadata dictionary 
    metadata = pdf.metadata 

    # Check if a document ID exists in the metadata
    if 'DocID' in metadata:
        doc_id = metadata['DocID'] 
        print(f"Document ID: {doc_id}")
    else:
        print("Document ID not found in metadata.") 

Key Takeaway:

Remember, libraries like pdfplumber provide a wide range of functionality for document processing. The key to resolving "AttributeError" errors is to understand how the library interacts with document metadata and find the appropriate methods for accessing the information you need.

Additional Resources:

• pdfplumber Documentation: https://pdfplumber.readthedocs.io/en/master/
• PyMuPDF Documentation: https://pypi.org/project/fitz/
• Tika Documentation: https://pypi.org/project/tika/