Error importing PDF

[Doodle]

My first time trying to import PDF data into PQ and I am getting this error. 

The error I get:

ExceptionResultMessage:
The type initializer for 'Microsoft.ProgramSynthesis.Extraction.Pdf.IngestionEngines.Office.PdfParser' threw an exception.

Tried googling this error but haven't found anything useful. Any ideas?

[v-lid-msft]

Hi @Doodle ,

Sorry for that, but we cannot reproduce this issue on my side, could you please try to reproduce this on the latest version of Power BI Desktop? Can you see the content if you open this pdf file using edge?

Best regards,

[Doodle]

Hi,

Thanks for looking into this.

Opened the PDF in edge. 

Confirmed using December version of Power BI.

Tried to open the file in Power BI. Same error again.

Here is the beginning portion of the error notes (can't post whole thing becoz of character limit):

Feedback Type:
Frown (Error)

Error Message:
Error

Stack Trace:
Microsoft.Mashup.Evaluator.Interface.ErrorException: The type initializer for 'Microsoft.ProgramSynthesis.Extraction.Pdf.IngestionEngines.Office.PdfParser' threw an exception. ---> Microsoft.Mashup.Evaluator.Interface.ErrorException: The type initializer for 'Microsoft.ProgramSynthesis.Extraction.Pdf.IngestionEngines.Office.PdfParser' threw an exception. ---> Microsoft.Mashup.Evaluator.Interface.ErrorException: The type initializer for 'Microsoft.ProgramSynthesis.Extraction.Pdf.IngestionEngines.Office.PdfParser' threw an exception. ---> Microsoft.Mashup.Evaluator.Interface.ErrorException: The type initializer for 'Microsoft.ProgramSynthesis.Extraction.Pdf.IngestionEngines.Office.PdfParser' threw an exception. ---> Microsoft.Mashup.Evaluator.Interface.ErrorException: The type initializer for 'Microsoft.ProgramSynthesis.Extraction.Pdf.IngestionEngines.Office.PdfParser' threw an exception. ---> System.TypeInitializationException: The type initializer for 'Microsoft.ProgramSynthesis.Extraction.Pdf.IngestionEngines.Office.PdfParser' threw an exception. ---> System.TypeInitializationException: The type initializer for 'Microsoft.ProgramSynthesis.Extraction.Pdf.IngestionEngines.Office.PdfParser' threw an exception. ---> System.DllNotFoundException: Unable to load DLL 'pdf2text.dll': The specified module could not be found. (Exception from HRESULT: 0x8007007E)
at Microsoft.ProgramSynthesis.Extraction.Pdf.IngestionEngines.Office.PdfParser.GetPdf2TextVersion()
at Microsoft.ProgramSynthesis.Extraction.Pdf.IngestionEngines.Office.PdfParser..cctor()
--- End of inner exception stack trace ---

Is the issue due to pdf2text.dll? What is that and how do I get it? Please advise. Thanks!

[v-lid-msft · Accepted solution]

Hi @Doodle ,

Could you please check if this dll file exist in your installation folder of Power BI Desktop? The Default location should be "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Power BI Desktop\bin"

If it is missing it your Power BI, Please try to reinstall the December version or upgrade to the February version of Power BI Desktop.

Best regards,

[Doodle]

Hi Dong,

Yes it turns out the dll file was missing. It is strange that Power BI is installed on my machine the same way it is installed on my other colleagues machines and yet the file was only missing on my machine. 

To resolve the issue, I did not reinstall Power BI as suggested. Rather, i just had my collueage send me the dll file and once i put that in the bin folder, the importing of PDFs worked.