Colin Mackenzie
CIO, Research & Product Development
-------------------------------
[email protected]
Limehouse Software Ltd
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Limehouse Software Ltd
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e-mail, including any attachments.-----Original Message-----
From: 1T3XT info [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: 02 April 2009 17:41
To: Post all your questions about iText here
Subject: Re: [iText-questions] Can Itext create/read comments in a PDF
ColinMac wrote:
> We create PDFs using XSL-FO/Java but not Adobe LiveCycle.
> We would like to distribute the PDFs to users not connected to our
system so
> they can comment on the text,
Using Adobe Reader or Acrobat?
If they only have the free Reader, they won't be able to add comments,
unless you have Reader enabled the PDF.
But you haven't since you're not using Adobe software to create the PDF.
Only Adobe software can reader enable a PDF.
>> sure I read that in your FAQ.
>> While we will create the file (it's a publishing solution so it could
be a couple of hundred page document)
>> It is possible that the administrator user could manually set the
enable comments property using Acrobat, prior to distributing but that's
not ideal.
> then send the comments back where the comments
> would be programatically extarcted and saved back to our system.
This assumes that your end users can change the PDF and save it locally.
That assumption is wrong.
This is only possible if the PDF is Reader enabled.
>> sure, see earlier comment
> Does anyone have any suggestions for the best way to do this?
Go back to the drawing board. Rephrase your question.
>> Ok, is (without using Livecycle) it possible to provide a mechanism
whereby readers of a PDF can enter text into a field (conceptually a
comment because they are providing their views on the content) in such a
way that
a) their text can be stored and later programmatically extracted
b) the text they enter can relate to a known item (e.g. the text relates
to a picture stored in our system with an ID of 7
c) the user can add text to multiple text fields
The PDF we create is created automatically as a batch process, internal
users of our system would like to go back through the "text"
(conceptually comments) entered by these external users and review it.
We are basically trying to mimic a basic part of the livecycle review
mechanism without using livecycle
> One idea (which may or may not be possible) would be to
> a) add empty comments using itext at fixed positions throughout the
document
> (ready for thers to edit?)
"Empty comments" is... not the correct terminology.
You're probably thinking about form fields.
> b) attach a unique ID to the comment (so that we can link back to the
> content item in our system)
???
This is... very strange. Every form field has a name.
Comments... I don't know how/why you would add an ID.
>> the name could be the ID (the Id is a known reference point in our
system)
> The theory would then be for a user to add text to the comment, save
> (offline),
That will remain a theory.
UNLESS all your users have the full Acrobat.
OR if the PDF is Reader enabled.
> then send the PDF back to the system where we woudl read the
> comments usign Itext and match back again.
Your theory fails even before we can start talking about iText.
What you ask is simply impossible.
UNLESS you create your PDFs using Adobe Software
>> no, but as mentioned previously there could be an interim manual step
but that's not ideal
OR if your users have the full Acrobat. Do they?
>> the system administrators do have it but not those they send the PDF
to
If so, we can start talking about iText.
> Another possibility would be to use form fields but the "text comment"
part
> would have to be dynamic (revealed or pop-up) so that it does not
obscure
> theconent on the page (which is why we thought of using comments).
I'm sorry, you thought wrong :(
>> Shame, that seems to rule out both options (unless you have another
suggestion)
>> I hoped that it may be possible to add a form filed using itext to a
PDF that behaved as follows
>> click on an icon(s) displayed in the PDF and it pops-up/dynamically
reveals a text box allowing users to enter the text
>> the text is then saved and can be extracted later
> Not lookign for any code, just an idea of best approach or if its even
> possible.
It's not. See also: http://1t3xt.be/?X0003ff
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