[FX.php List] fpdi/fpdf

[Dale Bengston]

FPDI allows you to take an existing PDF template and then build on  
top of it with FPDF. The simplest example is of a letter created with  
FileMaker data, where the art for your letterhead (header and footer,  
for example) is in a template. FPDI lifts up the template and makes  
it available as a "bed" to FPDF, so it can draw your dynamic letter  
content. FPDF then saves the composited PDF to the location you specify.

Note that FPDF does not support templates by itself. You can build an  
entire PDF from scratch with FPDF, but unless you extend it with  
FPDI, you will not be able to use a pre-made template.

Hope this helps,
Dale

On Dec 24, 2006, at 10:09 AM, Jonathan Schwartz wrote:

> Hi Folks,
>
> I've started to get acquainted with fpdf to create PDF files.  
> However, I'm not exactly sure what fpdi does.
>
> My understanding:
>
> fpdi allows the creation of a template that is loaded by fpdf in  
> the background by fpdf whenever a new pdf is created.  The template  
> saves the trouble of recreating standard/reusable layouts in fpdf,  
> both in the developer time to create new fpdf pages and also the  
> time for fpdf to create the pages on the fly....which can sometimes  
> be a lengthy delay.  fpdi creates a new pdf that combines the  
> background of the template plus the foreground of fpdf.
>
> Is this right?
>
> J
> -- 
>
> Jonathan Schwartz
> FileMaker 8 Certified  Developer
> Associate Member, FileMaker Solutions Alliance
> Schwartz & Company
> jonathan at eschwartz.com
> http://www.eschwartz.com
> http://www.exit445.com
> 415-381-1852
>
> _______________________________________________
> FX.php_List mailing list
> FX.php_List at mail.iviking.org
> http://www.iviking.org/mailman/listinfo/fx.php_list