linux-il  

Re: Providing precompleted PDF forms in Linux

Meir Kriheli
Tue, 18 Sep 2007 04:55:44 -0700

Gadi Cohen wrote:
> Hi Guys
> 
> 
> IN SHORT: I need to take an existing PDF file, mark it as a form (never
> done this before but assuming it won't be hard to do this using Adobe
> Acrobat; this step can be done in Windows), and ultimately have the form
> completed in Linux/PHP so that the end user can downloaded a
> precompleted form which they can simply print and sign.
> 
> 
> FULL EXPLANATION: One of the websites I develop is for a large youth
> movement hosting regular events for both existing and new members.  At
> present for any event, both such groups complete a printed form which is
> then submitted and hand processed by the movement offices (through a
> intuitive web interface, of course, but it is still time consuming).
> 
> 
> The goal is that existing users will not only NOT need to re-enter their
> information on the form, but also preprocess the form into our database
> (without movement staff needing to do it by hand) and of course having a
> hard copy of the form and signatures for legal reasons.  The goal is
> minimal impact on the movement and its members, such that we would like
> to use the existing PDF files available for download (looks the same to
> chaverim and staff).
> 
> 
> Doing this via COM calls to a Windows server is not an option.  I want
> the form completion to be done exclusively in Linux unless this is
> absolutely impossible.
> 
> 
> Any help appreciated :)
> 
> 
> Thanks
> 
> Gadi

PDF has the notion of forms, FDF[1].

Linux.com published few months ago an article about pdftk[2]. In that
article, under "Filling out forms", pdftk is used to fill the form fields.

[1] http://www.planetpdf.com/developer/article.asp?ContentID=6623
[2] http://www.linux.com/articles/53701

Cheers
--
Meir Kriheli

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