Tamas,

Tamas wrote:
> 
> *Originally I planned to implement full version history in only one pdf
> and certify the (any kind of) modifications with signatures. 
> I will search a work around but please confirm that statement the
> previously panned implementation (*) is impossible with itext (or with pdf
> at all).
> 

I'm afraid your description is a bit too vague to confirm anything.


Tamas wrote:
> 
> The generation number is still not clear for me. You mentioned:
> 
> "I'm afraid, iText does not itself generate objects with generation
> numbers greater than 1. Hardly any PDF tool does, by the way."
> 
> [...]
> 
> Page 41. about gereration number:
> "Except for object number 0, all objects in the cross-reference table
> shall initially have generation numbers of 0. When an indirect object is
> deleted, its cross-reference entry shall be marked free and it shall be
> added to the linked list of free entries. The entry’s generation number
> shall be incremented by 1 to indicate the generation number to be used the
> next time an object with that object number is created. Thus, each time
> the entry is reused, it is given a new generation number. The maximum
> generation number is 65,535; when a cross-reference entry reaches this
> value, it shall never be reused."
> 

There you are, everytime an entry is reused, it is given a new generation
number. But considering the range for object numbers there is no need for
reusing used object numbers, you can easily use a completely unused one.

Additionally, while changing a document in append mode hardly any software
cares to find out whether any indirect objects it removes a reference to now
is completely unreferenced. Therefore fairly often the list of free objects
is not used at all.


Tamas wrote:
> 
> From you:
> "The generation number does not reflect the document revision the object
> belongs to. The revision an object belongs to only depends on its position
> in the file. "
> 
> So what does it mean? Only the IText does not support the generation
> higher number than 1 or something else? What is the generation number is
> used for?
> 

Currently I hardly see a use for positive generation numbers. Adobe doesn't
seem to, either, as they did not even consider them when introducing cross
reference streams. I tend to see them as a historical relict which must be
supported for compatibility while reading a PDF; while writing, though, they
need not be used.

Regards,   Michael.
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