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

Joel Shapiro jsfmp at earthlink.net
Wed Jan 31 11:26:35 MST 2007


Thanks everybody.  That's great that a PDF "template" for FPDI is  
just a regular PDF file.

I've already played a bit with FPDF.  In order to use FPDI, I'm  
guessing I'll need to manually position every item (by pixel) that  
will "layer" on top of the template, is that correct?  Are there any  
tools to help with that?  The project I'm considering this for prints  
report cards in a grid format, with each line getting an "x" in one  
of three columns.  I'd need to position each "x" exactly, is that right?

Also:
Does the OS makes a difference in PDF creation?  I know things print  
differently on Mac vs. Windows -- in particular fonts/leading/etc.;   
Will I have to take this into consideration when using FPDF/FPDI if I  
have a very exacting form to print?  If so, would the version of font  
used be that of the Server or that of the User?  (i.e. on which OS 
(es?) would I need to create my template and/or FPDF positioning?)

& Dale:
So you're creating a PDF using your MEGA FIRM template, and then  
using GhostScript and/or ImageMagick to convert that PDF into a JPEG,  
which you can then display within the web page (without the user  
having to open a PDF), right?  That's very cool.

Thanks,
-Joel


On Jan 31, 2007, at 7:05 AM, Dale Bengston wrote:

> 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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