The main reason that, for this specific case, that I would pick PDF over HTML or TEXT is simple - pagination!
As described by the user who posted the question, the information is clearly a collection of SEPARATE statements that are combined into a single document. As such, there needs to be a clear delineation between statements such as page break. Neither HTML or TEXT have that concept. Leonard -----Original Message----- From: Mike Marchywka [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Tuesday, November 10, 2009 9:29 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [iText-questions] Mission-critical pdf with thousands of statement of accounts / Design considerations to be verified by the experts <d23d6b9e57d654429a9ab6918caceaa97c695d8...@nambx02.corp.adobe.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable MIME-Version: 1.0 ---------------------------------------- > From > To: [email protected] > Date: Tue=2C 10 Nov 2009 06:01:17 -0800 > Subject: Re: [iText-questions] Mission-critical pdf with thousands of sta= tement of accounts / Design considerations to be verified by the experts > > I think you clearly have asked the right question=2C Mike - what is the p= urpose of the document? > > If it is to be printed (either now or some point in the future)=2C then t= here is no question that PDF is the correct format. If the format of the co= ntent is mandated by law (ala government forms)=2C then there is no questio= n that PDF is=20 If you don't mind=2C where is it mandated and are there any requirements on how it is used? As you have pointed out=2C it can be quite eh=2C er well= =2C "versatile"( meaning "PDF" could just include a collection of glorified and reformatted TIFF images or the underlying data=2C hard to know).=20 [>]the correct format. If the content is to be viewed by some unknown set o= f users on an unknown set of computers=2C then again=2C PDF is the correct = format. Well=2C I would take exception to this as a blanket statement. There are ma= ny very good alternatives that use fewer resources and are more versatile. Text and HTML being two examples. For straight text data=2C I'm still not sure what PDF brings to t= he table here and it can=2C if not used properly=2C really make resource re= quirements explode. Sure=2C if appearance is more important than informatio= n you may be able to make a case for pdf over html but I wouldn't let this = go without a little thought.=20 > > BUT if the data is for computer consumption at some point=2C then PDF may= not be proper - or at least PDF w/o the proper structure/tagging. I would have been in the former camp but you have convinced me that PDF is salvagable for automated data processing ( what computers are supposed to d= o LOL). > > So yes=2C it's clearly worth asking the question and would love to know m= ore. > > FYI - on a related note=2C Adobe sponsored a conference last week in DC a= bout "open government" as part of its work with the US Gov't on such initia= tives. You can read more at . A big part of this is working with folks on t= he proper production of PDFs containing rich=2C extractable content. Thanks=2C that maybe of interest! > > Leonard > > -----Original Message----- > From: Mike Marchywka [mailto:[email protected]] > Sent: Tuesday=2C November 10=2C 2009 8:47 AM > To: [email protected] > Subject: Re: [iText-questions] Mission-critical pdf with thousands of sta= tement of accounts / Design considerations to be verified by the experts > > > > > hoping to elicit input from Leonard but I have been fighting > a bunch of bloated web sites that impede automation lately and this > request sounds like it is headed down that path. Since I have > accused adobe of being a big offender in this regard=2C let me > supply some additional thoughts for comment for rebuttal. > > > =20 _________________________________________________________________ Windows 7: Unclutter your desktop. http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=3D9690331&ocid=3DPID24727::T:WLMTAGL:ON:WL:= en-US:WWL_WIN_evergreen:112009= ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Let Crystal Reports handle the reporting - Free Crystal Reports 2008 30-Day trial. Simplify your report design, integration and deployment - and focus on what you do best, core application coding. Discover what's new with Crystal Reports now. http://p.sf.net/sfu/bobj-july _______________________________________________ iText-questions mailing list [email protected] https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/itext-questions Buy the iText book: http://www.1t3xt.com/docs/book.php Check the site with examples before you ask questions: http://www.1t3xt.info/examples/ You can also search the keywords list: http://1t3xt.info/tutorials/keywords/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Let Crystal Reports handle the reporting - Free Crystal Reports 2008 30-Day trial. Simplify your report design, integration and deployment - and focus on what you do best, core application coding. Discover what's new with Crystal Reports now. http://p.sf.net/sfu/bobj-july _______________________________________________ iText-questions mailing list [email protected] https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/itext-questions Buy the iText book: http://www.1t3xt.com/docs/book.php Check the site with examples before you ask questions: http://www.1t3xt.info/examples/ You can also search the keywords list: http://1t3xt.info/tutorials/keywords/
