What are some best practices for analyzing the data structure of a PDF file before attempting to extract information using PHP?

Analyzing the data structure of a PDF file before attempting to extract information using PHP is crucial to ensure that the extraction process goes smoothly. One best practice is to use a library like `TCPDF` or `FPDI` to parse the PDF file and understand its structure before attempting to extract any data. This will help in identifying the location of the data you want to extract and the format in which it is stored within the PDF.

// Include the TCPDF library
require_once('tcpdf.php');

// Create a new instance of TCPDF
$pdf = new TCPDF();

// Set the path to the PDF file
$pdfFile = 'example.pdf';

// Parse the PDF file to understand its structure
$pdf->setSourceFile($pdfFile);

// Get the number of pages in the PDF file
$numPages = $pdf->getNumPages();

// Display the number of pages
echo "Number of pages in the PDF file: " . $numPages;