How to use PHP to fill in existing pdf document

Greetings PHP gurus!

Does anyone know of a way to use PHP to fill in the form fields in an
existing pdf document residing on the server?

We want the end result to be the creation of a unique pdf document for
each visitor which can either be emailed or stored in a directory on the
server.

We prefer to do this without any server side dependencies, other than
files residing on the website.

Thanks in advance for your help.

- Ron

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Re: How to use PHP to fill in existing pdf document

--000e0cd1a9e25c2a50048587db3b
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

I am not sure if this works for your project but you can first ask user to
fill the form in PHP and then convert it into PDF. What say?

--000e0cd1a9e25c2a50048587db3b--

Re: How to use PHP to fill in existing pdf document

Yes, we can first ask the user to fill in a form, but then comes the
part I don't understand - how to covert it to pdf.

It would be best if we could just fill in the fields on an existing
form, but it would also work to print the printer friendly form to the
server's printer queue, which could really be a postscript file we could
then convert to pdf. In that case, I need to learn how to get PHP to
print to the server's printer...

- Ron

On 5/1/2010 7:53 AM, nagendra prasad wrote:
> I am not sure if this works for your project but you can first ask user to
> fill the form in PHP and then convert it into PDF. What say?
>
>


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Re: How to use PHP to fill in existing pdf document

Search for pdflib or fpdf. They help you with generating PDF files
from a php script.

Sent from my iPhone

On 02/05/2010, at 7:28 AM, listread wrote:

> Yes, we can first ask the user to fill in a form, but then comes the
> part I don't understand - how to covert it to pdf.
>
> It would be best if we could just fill in the fields on an existing
> form, but it would also work to print the printer friendly form to
> the server's printer queue, which could really be a postscript file
> we could then convert to pdf. In that case, I need to learn how to
> get PHP to print to the server's printer...
>
> - Ron
>
> On 5/1/2010 7:53 AM, nagendra prasad wrote:
>> I am not sure if this works for your project but you can first ask
>> user to
>> fill the form in PHP and then convert it into PDF. What say?
>>
>>
>
>
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> PHP Database Mailing List (http://www.php.net/)
> To unsubscribe, visit: http://www.php.net/unsub.php
>

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Re: How to use PHP to fill in existing pdf document

"listread" wrote in message
news:4BDC9CED.3060601@cze.com...
> Yes, we can first ask the user to fill in a form, but then comes the part
> I don't understand - how to covert it to pdf.
>
> It would be best if we could just fill in the fields on an existing form,
> but it would also work to print the printer friendly form to the server's
> printer queue, which could really be a postscript file we could then
> convert to pdf. In that case, I need to learn how to get PHP to print to
> the server's printer...
>
> - Ron
>
> On 5/1/2010 7:53 AM, nagendra prasad wrote:
>> I am not sure if this works for your project but you can first ask user
>> to
>> fill the form in PHP and then convert it into PDF. What say?
>>
>>
>
>
> __________ Information from ESET Smart Security, version of virus
> signature database 5078 (20100501) __________
>
> The message was checked by ESET Smart Security.
>
> http://www.eset.com
>
>
>
Ron

Take a peek at this

http://fpdf.org/

Writing to a pdf from php is very cumbersome, this seems to take some of the
sting out.

Gary



__________ Information from ESET Smart Security, version of virus signature database 5078 (20100501) __________

The message was checked by ESET Smart Security.

http://www.eset.com





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Re: How to use PHP to fill in existing pdf document

Yes, I've looked hard at fdpf and see how it is used to generate a new
pdf, but I need to simply fill in the form fields in an existing pdf.
If it can do that, I'm not finding the feature....

Thanks,

- Ron

On 5/1/2010 7:43 PM, Gary wrote:
> "listread" wrote in message
> news:4BDC9CED.3060601@cze.com...
>
>> Yes, we can first ask the user to fill in a form, but then comes the part
>> I don't understand - how to covert it to pdf.
>>
>> It would be best if we could just fill in the fields on an existing form,
>> but it would also work to print the printer friendly form to the server's
>> printer queue, which could really be a postscript file we could then
>> convert to pdf. In that case, I need to learn how to get PHP to print to
>> the server's printer...
>>
>> - Ron
>>
>> On 5/1/2010 7:53 AM, nagendra prasad wrote:
>>
>>> I am not sure if this works for your project but you can first ask user
>>> to
>>> fill the form in PHP and then convert it into PDF. What say?
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>> __________ Information from ESET Smart Security, version of virus
>> signature database 5078 (20100501) __________
>>
>> The message was checked by ESET Smart Security.
>>
>> http://www.eset.com
>>
>>
>>
>>
> Ron
>
> Take a peek at this
>
> http://fpdf.org/
>
> Writing to a pdf from php is very cumbersome, this seems to take some of the
> sting out.
>
> Gary
>
>
>
> __________ Information from ESET Smart Security, version of virus signature database 5078 (20100501) __________
>
> The message was checked by ESET Smart Security.
>
> http://www.eset.com
>
>
>
>
>
>


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Re: How to use PHP to fill in existing pdf document

Hi Ron,
I have done this once before and what I had to do was let the user
download the pdf that had the fields in it, they fill in the fields
and email the pdf back, right from acrobat.
In the pdf, you set the fields to lock after they finish and submit.
You can also have them sign the document virtually then lock the
whole document.
Then you set it up to email the pdf back to you. They will need a
email program for this on their computer of course. Like Eudora or
Mail or Outlook.
You can put a notice link in the PDF to an upload form on your site
if they do not have a mail program.

You will need Acrobat Professional to do this though. There may be
another one I don't know of.
HTH,

Karl


On May 1, 2010, at 10:36 PM, listread wrote:

> Yes, I've looked hard at fdpf and see how it is used to generate a
> new pdf, but I need to simply fill in the form fields in an
> existing pdf. If it can do that, I'm not finding the feature....
>
> Thanks,
>
> - Ron
>
> On 5/1/2010 7:43 PM, Gary wrote:
>> "listread" wrote in message
>> news:4BDC9CED.3060601@cze.com...
>>
>>> Yes, we can first ask the user to fill in a form, but then comes
>>> the part
>>> I don't understand - how to covert it to pdf.
>>>
>>> It would be best if we could just fill in the fields on an
>>> existing form,
>>> but it would also work to print the printer friendly form to the
>>> server's
>>> printer queue, which could really be a postscript file we could then
>>> convert to pdf. In that case, I need to learn how to get PHP to
>>> print to
>>> the server's printer...
>>>
>>> - Ron
>>>
>>> On 5/1/2010 7:53 AM, nagendra prasad wrote:
>>>
>>>> I am not sure if this works for your project but you can first
>>>> ask user
>>>> to
>>>> fill the form in PHP and then convert it into PDF. What say?
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>> __________ Information from ESET Smart Security, version of virus
>>> signature database 5078 (20100501) __________
>>>
>>> The message was checked by ESET Smart Security.
>>>
>>> http://www.eset.com
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>> Ron
>>
>> Take a peek at this
>>
>> http://fpdf.org/
>>
>> Writing to a pdf from php is very cumbersome, this seems to take
>> some of the
>> sting out.
>>
>> Gary
>>
>>
>>
>> __________ Information from ESET Smart Security, version of virus
>> signature database 5078 (20100501) __________
>>
>> The message was checked by ESET Smart Security.
>>
>> http://www.eset.com
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>
>
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> PHP Database Mailing List (http://www.php.net/)
> To unsubscribe, visit: http://www.php.net/unsub.php
>

Karl DeSaulniers
Design Drumm
http://designdrumm.com


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Re: How to use PHP to fill in existing pdf document

Just a thought,
You may be able to instead of having them download, just display it
as a html page
and the fields will be there, then attach a PHP mail script to it
somehow with a macro or something to that effect.
Have it call on this php script to send the message and/or store in
the database.
The php script will have to be attached to the basic pdf before its
uploaded, but I think that is possible.
Might be worth some investigating. Doesn't seem to difficult.

Karl


On May 2, 2010, at 12:18 AM, Karl DeSaulniers wrote:

> Hi Ron,
> I have done this once before and what I had to do was let the user
> download the pdf that had the fields in it, they fill in the fields
> and email the pdf back, right from acrobat.
> In the pdf, you set the fields to lock after they finish and
> submit. You can also have them sign the document virtually then
> lock the whole document.
> Then you set it up to email the pdf back to you. They will need a
> email program for this on their computer of course. Like Eudora or
> Mail or Outlook.
> You can put a notice link in the PDF to an upload form on your site
> if they do not have a mail program.
>
> You will need Acrobat Professional to do this though. There may be
> another one I don't know of.
> HTH,
>
> Karl
>
>
> On May 1, 2010, at 10:36 PM, listread wrote:
>
>> Yes, I've looked hard at fdpf and see how it is used to generate a
>> new pdf, but I need to simply fill in the form fields in an
>> existing pdf. If it can do that, I'm not finding the feature....
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> - Ron
>>
>> On 5/1/2010 7:43 PM, Gary wrote:
>>> "listread" wrote in message
>>> news:4BDC9CED.3060601@cze.com...
>>>
>>>> Yes, we can first ask the user to fill in a form, but then comes
>>>> the part
>>>> I don't understand - how to covert it to pdf.
>>>>
>>>> It would be best if we could just fill in the fields on an
>>>> existing form,
>>>> but it would also work to print the printer friendly form to the
>>>> server's
>>>> printer queue, which could really be a postscript file we could
>>>> then
>>>> convert to pdf. In that case, I need to learn how to get PHP to
>>>> print to
>>>> the server's printer...
>>>>
>>>> - Ron
>>>>
>>>> On 5/1/2010 7:53 AM, nagendra prasad wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> I am not sure if this works for your project but you can first
>>>>> ask user
>>>>> to
>>>>> fill the form in PHP and then convert it into PDF. What say?
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>> __________ Information from ESET Smart Security, version of virus
>>>> signature database 5078 (20100501) __________
>>>>
>>>> The message was checked by ESET Smart Security.
>>>>
>>>> http://www.eset.com
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>> Ron
>>>
>>> Take a peek at this
>>>
>>> http://fpdf.org/
>>>
>>> Writing to a pdf from php is very cumbersome, this seems to take
>>> some of the
>>> sting out.
>>>
>>> Gary
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> __________ Information from ESET Smart Security, version of virus
>>> signature database 5078 (20100501) __________
>>>
>>> The message was checked by ESET Smart Security.
>>>
>>> http://www.eset.com
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
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>> PHP Database Mailing List (http://www.php.net/)
>> To unsubscribe, visit: http://www.php.net/unsub.php
>>
>
> Karl DeSaulniers
> Design Drumm
> http://designdrumm.com
>
>
> --
> PHP Database Mailing List (http://www.php.net/)
> To unsubscribe, visit: http://www.php.net/unsub.php
>

Karl DeSaulniers
Design Drumm
http://designdrumm.com


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