[FX.php List] PDF Template? (for use with FPDF/FPDI)

[Dale Bengston]

Hi David,

Thanks for the Windows tip!

FPDI does not require anything special about the condition or source  
of PDF templates. I've used everything from client-generated  
letterhead, documents scanned directly to PDF, complex multi-megabyte  
publication layouts, Mac/Windows sources - you name it. Basically,  
you use FPDI's capability to "import" the template (more like a  
layer, as you said) and then use FPDF's tools to write your dynamic  
content on top of it.

I'm also using GhostScript and/or ImageMagick to create real-time  
screen proof JPEGs of the PDF just created. You can see a crude  
version of all this working in concert at:
	http://www.streamline-studio.com/studio.php?cat=demos&loc=stationery

Dale

On Jan 31, 2007, at 7:20 AM, David Ness wrote:

> I haven't used FPDI, but am a user of FPDF.
> Assuming that FPDI can use any standard pdf as a template file  
> (although
> my understanding is that using FPDI the pdf it acts more like a  
> 'layer'
> than a template); On Macs, the ability to create PDF's from any
> printable document is built into the OS, so that should work. On a
> Windows PC, I use a freeware product called PDFCreator. Please post  
> back
> if FPDI requires something special about the template PDF file, as I'm
> about to start a project that will utilize FPDI.
>
> http://sourceforge.net/projects/pdfcreator/
>
> Hope this helps.
>
>
> --
> David Ness,
> Database Systems Programmer
>
> Bonded Builders Warranty Group
> 1500 Kings Highway
> Port Charlotte, FL 33980
> 800.749.0381 x3123 (National Toll Free)
> 941.255.3274 x3123 (Local)
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: fx.php_list-bounces at mail.iviking.org
> [mailto:fx.php_list-bounces at mail.iviking.org] On Behalf Of Joel  
> Shapiro
> Sent: Wednesday, January 31, 2007 1:26 AM
> To: FX.php Discussion List
> Subject: [FX.php List] PDF Template? (for use with FPDF/FPDI)
>
> Hi all
>
> When using FPDF & FPDI -- as in Dale's post below -- is a "PDF  
> template"
> something that has to be created with a tool like Adobe Acrobat
> Professional, or are there other ways to create such a PDF template?
>
> TIA,
> -Joel
>
>
> On Dec 24, 2006, at 11:48 AM, Dale Bengston wrote:
>
>> 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
>
>
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