File Content Extraction 26.1
Filter SDK Python Programming Guide

# Start Using the Filter API

Begin your Python program by importing the `keyview.filter` module that you installed in Install the Filter Python Module.

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    import keyview.filter as kv

## Create a Session

To use the Filter API, first create a session:

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    bin_directory_path = 'C:\\KeyviewFilterSDK\\WINDOWS_X86_64\\bin\\'
    license = 'YOUR_LICENSE_KEY'
    with kv.FilterSession(bin_directory_path, license) as session:
        # Configure the session and open a document

`bin_directory_path` should describe the path of the Filter SDK binaries, and `license` should be your license key.

The `FilterSession` class is a context manager, so you can use the `with` statement to ensure that resources are automatically freed when no longer required.

To use the Filter API in a multi-threaded application, create a unique session on each thread and do not share a session or document between threads.

## Open a Document

A `Document` object provides access to the data within a file, including the file format, text, metadata, and any subfiles. Obtain a `Document` object from a file or stream by calling the `open()` method on your `FilterSession`. For example:

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    with session.open(file_path) as doc:
        # Use the document object to detect the file format, filter text
        # access metadata, and extract subfiles

## Determine the Format of a Document

You can find the format of a document by using the `info` property on the `Document` object. For example:

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    with session.open(file_path) as doc:
        # Print information about the document
        print(f"Format Name:  \t {doc.info.doc_format.name}")
        print(f"Version:      \t {doc.info.version}")
        print(f"Category Name:\t {doc.info.doc_class.name}")
        print(f"Encrypted:    \t {doc.info.encrypted}")

## Filter a Document

To filter a document and write the text to a file or stream, call the `filter()` method on a `Document` object. For example:

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    with session.open(file_path) as doc:
        try:
            # Filter to a file
            doc.filter(output_file_path)

        except kv.KeyViewError as e:
            print(e)

## Access Metadata

You can access document metadata through the `metadata` property on a `Document` object. For example:

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    for element in doc.metadata:

        # Process standardized elements where possible but also process
        # non-standard elements that have no standardized alternative
        # Ignore duplicate elements output for backwards compatibility.

        if not element.has_standard_alternative and not element.is_superseded:
            if element.standard_key != kv.MetadataKey.Other:
                print (f"[Standardized] {element.standard_key}: {element.value}")
            else:
                print (f"[Non-standard] {element.key}: {element.value}")

## Extract Subfiles

The `subfiles` property on a `Document` object provides access to the document's subfiles. Each element returned by the iterator contains information about the subfile, and a method that you can use to extract it:

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    for file in doc.subfiles:
        print(f"Subfile: {file.index}, Size: {file.size}")

        if file.type != kv.SubfileType.Folder:
            file.extract(generate_output_path(file))

In this example, `generate_output_path` is a function that you would write, which returns a suitable path for writing the extracted subfile.

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Version 26.1 | Last updated January 2026

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Product: File Content Extraction 26.1

Topic Title: Start Using the Filter API