SPUG: help with dynamic pdf forms

Terry Nightingale tnight at pobox.com
Tue Jul 15 12:27:58 CDT 2003


For what it's worth (FWIW), you could do the same thing using an XML 
document with XSL-FO transforming it into PDF.


Ashok Misra wrote:

> i apologize if this sounds totally ridiculous but if the structure of 
> the document is not very complex could you plonk the form on the file 
> system using sgml tags so it becomes an sgml document.
> then you could use jade to compile the sgml into pdf. a trigger could be 
> devised to fire the compiler.
> using the freeware jade compiler is very straightforward.
> 
> best regards
> Ashok Misra
> 206 427 5232
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>> From: Alan <alan at ufies.org>
>> To: spug-list at pm.org
>> Subject: Re: SPUG: help with dynamic pdf forms
>> Date: Tue, 15 Jul 2003 09:12:55 -0700
>>
>> I can't go into the details too much due to NDA, but they are wanting to
>> produce print quality items with user input in them.  I have talked to
>> some other people and they suggested using FDF files which may solve the
>> problem (from what I understand it's a text file with form field
>> contents and a link to the pdf itself, and that is displayed onscreen
>> with the fields filled out), but it does not allow people to save the
>> "final" pdf (with user input).  The design is all in PDF form (as artsy
>> types like) but I'll take a look at pdf->ps->[fill in fields]->pdf.  The
>> project is just in the planning research stage right now anyway.
>>
>> Thanks for the idea though.
>>
>> alan
>>
>> On Tue, Jul 15, 2003 at 08:52:51AM -0700, Jay Scherrer wrote:
>> > Alan,
>> > This is exactly how we produce our tax forms using Practical Tax.
>> > Can you use PostScript?
>> > We had found that if we were to convert the form from PDF to 
>> PostScript and
>> > anded our variables ($var) into the form entry point. If you play 
>> around with
>> > your PostScript you'll find that your entries will be contained 
>> within  a set
>> > of parenthisis "( )". Create a template that contains your variables 
>> within
>> > those parenthisis. Then all you have to do is assign values to those 
>> $vars
>> > and have Perl print the file.
>> > This enabled us to parse print the .ps page through Perl. Basicly 
>> replacing
>> > any ($var) with your inputed value. We had to extend it a little by 
>> creating
>> > an XML file for our records allowing us to traverse the hash and 
>> replacing
>> > the tagged entry with the matched $variable.
>> >
>> > Jay
>> > On Monday 14 July 2003 12:08 pm, Alan wrote:
>> > > Howdy folks.  I have a project coming up involving filling data 
>> into PDF
>> > > forms created by a design firm.  I'm pretty sure that this can be 
>> done,
>> > > and hopefully relatively easily.
>> > >
>> > > Basically what I need to do is take user input and insert it into a
>> > > pre-set position / form field in an already created static PDF.  
>> I'm not
>> > > all that familiar with acrobat, but it has a "form field" tool that
>> > > allows creation of text fields, checkboxes, etc.  All I need to do is
>> > > take user input and stick it into those form fields (I only care 
>> about
>> > > the text fields).
>> > >
>> > > Obviously creating the pdfs from scratch via PDF-Lib isn't an option.
>> > > Can anyone point me at whatever the in vogue tool / library for 
>> this is?
>> > >
>> > > Regards and thanks from up north
>> > >
>> > > alan
>> >
>> > --
>> > Personalized e-mail and domain names:
>> > <http://netidentity.com/BI3CCYFM
>>
>> -- 
>> Alan <alan at ufies.org> - http://arcterex.net
>> --------------------------------------------------------------------
>> "There are only 3 real sports: bull-fighting, car racing and mountain
>> climbing. All the others are mere games."                -- Hemingway
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-- 
Terry Nightingale <tnight at pobox.com>
Web Developer, Philosopher, Geek
"In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice. But, in
practice, there is." -- Jan L.A. van de Snepscheut




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