[FX.php List] Precision Printing alternatives

Tue Oct 2 10:55:25 MDT 2007

Thanks Dale,

This was a hard lesson learned while I started to learn FPDF the past 
day or two: You need to follow/direct the cursor each step of the 
way.  Once I learned that, I stopped tearing my hair out....until I 
got to word wrap at the end of cell.  ;-)

I am sort of where I first was with fx.php: I can recreate a single 
function from the tutorial, but combining the functions to get what 
you want is the real trick.

J

At 11:43 AM -0500 10/2/07, Dale Bengston wrote:
>Jonathan,
>
>One thing that helps me when I'm using FPDF/FPDI to fine tune 
>content to fit specific places on a template is to put a nice red 
>border on my cells and text blocks, so I can see their complete 
>"footprint" on the page, regardless of the content I'm drawing 
>within them. (If you're already drawing cell borders with FPDF, you 
>may not need to do this everywhere.) Then take the borders off when 
>you're ready to go live.
>
>Other things that trip me up:
>* Losing track of the x/y location of the "cursor" while I'm 
>creating the page.
>* Mixing inches and points and having content land in the wrong 
>spot, or completely off the page.
>
>If you are building a PDF with a tight layout, you may generate 
>literally hundreds of sample PDFs while you fine tune the piece.
>
>Dale
>
>
>On Oct 2, 2007, at 11:16 AM, Steve Winter wrote:
>
>>The other thing which occurred to me while I was off on a run was, 
>>have you considered using FPDI, and creating a pdf template which 
>>has the actual form in it, ie the template that the teachers would 
>>have written on with a pen, and then using FPDF to overlay the FMP 
>>content onto that form...??...might be easier than creating the 
>>form on the fly as well (for one thing then you don't have to worry 
>>about boxes lining up exactly ;-)
>>
>>Cheers
>>
>>Steve
>>
>>
>>From: fx.php_list-bounces at mail.iviking.org 
>>[<mailto:fx.php_list-bounces at mail.iviking.org>mailto:fx.php_list-bounces at mail.iviking.org] 
>>On Behalf Of Steve Winter
>>Sent: Tuesday, 2 October 2007 4:28 p.m.
>>To: 'FX.php Discussion List'
>>Subject: RE: [FX.php List] Precision Printing alternatives
>>
>>Hi Jonathan,
>>
>>In my view FPDF really is your best bet, and based on the 
>>alternatives you've come up with, your only bet...
>>
>>This has been the answer to every web-based printing problem that 
>>I've come across because it doesn't matter what OS or what printer 
>>the end user has, the outcome is still the same... I've used it for 
>>reports, letters, certificates, filling in forms (where the output 
>>from FMP has to go onto a government issued form) etc etc
>>
>>You are however correct that establishing the template can be time 
>>consuming, that said, once it's done, it's done and will work 
>>flawlessly on every system...
>>
>>Someone mentioned the other day that part of the issue with FPDF 
>>was that you have to specify everything based on XY co-ordinates, 
>>however I personally believe that is one of its strengths since it 
>>allows you to put content precisely where you want it... in a job 
>>that I've just been working on for a commercial printer we're using 
>>it in combination with a Flash application to create print-ready 
>>files from data which is manipulated in flash, the content output 
>>to php and the pdf generated pixel perfect...
>>
>>In answer to your FPDF question, to get text to wrap in a field use 
>>Multicell see 
>><http://www.fpdf.org/en/doc/multicell.htm>http://www.fpdf.org/en/doc/multicell.htm 
>>for details...
>>
>>Cheers
>>
>>Steve
>>
>>-----Original Message-----
>>From: fx.php_list-bounces at mail.iviking.org 
>>[<mailto:fx.php_list-bounces at mail.iviking.org>mailto:fx.php_list-bounces at mail.iviking.org] 
>>On Behalf Of Jonathan Schwartz
>>Sent: Tuesday, 2 October 2007 4:10 p.m.
>>To: FX.php Discussion List
>>Subject: [FX.php List] Precision Printing alternatives
>>
>>Hi Folks,
>>
>>(There's a question at the end of this long email recap)
>>
>>I'm still going in circles on my school progress report project.
>>
>>The problem goes back to printing report cards after teachers enter
>>
>>student data. There are 200+ teachers in 6 schools. The input side
>>
>>has been intended to be web based using fx.php. No problems there.
>>
>>The output side is the real challenge. I didn't originally think so,
>>
>>but I do now.
>>
>>Earlier on this list, I inquired about using FPDF and I received good
>>
>>reviews for that method. However, in attempting to set that up, I
>>
>>now see the expertise in FPDF required and time involved in getting
>>
>>the template set up. It could take 100 hours...or more....just for
>>
>>the template.
>>
>>If you'd like to see the test, it appears below. I have placed the
>>
>>same simplified sample "cell module" in 4 places on a page. Have not
>>
>>figured out how to wrap text inside a cell. That's what the 4th
>>
>>example was trying to do, and where I gave up...
>>
>><http://www.exit445.com/mvll/fpdf/tutorial/test5.php>http://www.exit445.com/mvll/fpdf/tutorial/test5.php
>>
>>The SECOND alternative is to distribute a runtime FMP file that
>>
>>allows teachers to import data from the server and then use it to
>>
>>print the Progress Reports. (You can't use a runtime to connect to
>>
>>the server).. I guess I could use the Excell spreadsheet php class
>>
>>to do the export. This alternative is lousy in that it involves
>>
>>input in one place and output in another....with steps in between.
>>
>>I thought of a THIRD alternative. I believe that all the school's
>>
>>printers are networked and visible on the network across the
>>
>>district. Perhaps if I used a single FMP CLIENT connected to the
>>
>>Server at headquarters. and then script the printing of progress
>>
>>reports from the FMP client to the remote printers. There's a recipe
>>
>>for disaster.
>>
>>Of course, a FOURTH alternative is to purchase 200 copies of
>>
>>FileMaker. There's not budget for that.
>>
>>THE QUESTION:
>>
>>That being said...how do php and mysql systems print data to paper?
>>
>>I must be missing some huge piece of the puzzle. Without better
>>
>>alternatives, I'm thinking of walking away from this "opportunity".
>>
>>J
>>
>>--
>>
>>Jonathan Schwartz
>>
>>Exit 445 Group
>>
>><mailto:jonathan at exit445.com>jonathan at exit445.com
>>
>><http://www.exit445.com>http://www.exit445.com
>>
>>415-381-1852
>>
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-- 
Jonathan Schwartz
Exit 445 Group
jonathan at exit445.com
http://www.exit445.com
415-381-1852
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