Thanks for the answer.
I didn't want to go into the details and if every single feature is
supported because reading through the PDF spec gives me a headache and
that's why I asked here in the first place :)

The reason for my question is that we use iText to automatically sign PDF
files (mostly designed for electronic bills/invoices) and wanted some degree
of assurance that "normal" PDFs created by the "usual" software (eg. Acrobat
6) can be parsed and signed with iText.

So far we haven't had any problems but we also can't test every single
theoretically possible PDF gimmick so I was hoping someone here would know
how far iText's compatibility (especially parsing) goes when it comes to the
most common PDF features.

So for now I'll assume that iText can handle pretty much anything the
distiller can throw at me when it comes to 1.5, does that sound about right?

-Robert

-----Urspr�ngliche Nachricht-----
Von: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Im Auftrag von Leonard
Rosenthol
Gesendet: Donnerstag, 9. Juni 2005 15:39
An: Robert Esterer; [email protected]
Betreff: Re: [iText-questions] PDF Version compatibility

At 02:34 AM 6/9/2005, Robert Esterer wrote:
>I've got a quick question for anyone who might know this: how much of the
>different PDF versions (especially 1.4 - 1.6) does iText support?
>I've read about some problems with Acro 7 form fields and was wondering how
>compatible iText is to the different PDF versions.
>Also, to keep it simple: Is it safe to say iText is fully PDF 1.5
>compatible?

         What's your definition of "fully"?   If you are asking if iText 
can read & write EVERY SINGLE FEATURE of PDF 1.5 - the answer is no, it 
can't - but then neither can Adobe Acrobat or the Adobe PDFLibrary.

         iText (and the Adobe PDFLibrary) provide you access to read & 
write the internal PDF structures - BUT there are a variety of external 
data structures (XML, Font & image formats, etc.) that are permitted for 
inclusion/integration with PDF that those libraries don't provide "support" 
for (other than as a generic blob).

         This is the situation with XFA forms (which also existed in PDF 
1.5, btw) - iText can read & write the XML as a blob.  It simply doesn't do 
XML parsing/manipulation for it...Same, again, is true for Adobe's own 
libraries.


Leonard

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Leonard Rosenthol                            <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Chief Technical Officer                      <http://www.pdfsages.com>
PDF Sages, Inc.                              215-938-7080 (voice)
                                              215-938-0880 (fax)




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