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At 3:56 PM +0200 10/21/03, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
I�m currently working on a solution for printing simple ID-cards from a database. Part of the data is text and part is an image of the cardholder overprinted with a watermark pattern.
OK.
1. I�m looking into a way to allow our layout specialists to use a standard off-the-shelf application to design our customers ID-cards and then connect the variable fields to a database for filling in with text and image data.
Designing the cards is no problem - anything that creates a PDF is just fine. Connecting them to a database is more of an issue and you are going to have to introduce either additional tools and/or additional procedures depending on which of the many "variable data" solutions you choose.
2. The ID must be overprinted with a watermark pattern except for couple of areas where the watermark has to be toned away to nothing (100% transparent).
OK. PDF 1.4 (and later) fully support transparency. You'll just need to make sure you choose a solution that supports it.
I have been experimenting with using Adobe Illustrator 10 to create PDFs with transparent areas showing underlying graphics and then printing these on a PostScript lvl 3 Printer. It prints well enough but I�m not absolutely sure that the transparent effect is reached without Illustrator 10 �flattening� the image before saving to file (although the specs at Adobe specify that the file is unflattened).
Illustrator doesn't flatten during PDF creation (and/or document save). It will, however, flatten at print time.
2. How do I best populate a PDF with data from a database? Can fields be set up to fill themselves or must data be injected from an external application? Forms or some other mechanism?
You will need additional software - be it either a separate application or a plugin for Acrobat. What program/method you choose will depend on your complete functional requirements, OS platform of choice, development language of choice (if any), etc.
3. Does anyone have any experience with creating unflattened transparent vector graphics (latest PDF format) and printing on PostScript level 3 printers? There seems to be a lot of black magic surrounding this subject and I�m not quite sure what works and what doesn�t.
Create with tools that support PDF 1.4 (or later). Then use Adobe Acrobat 5 or later to print. NO problems.
4. Is it possible to dissect a PDF to see if the vectorgraphics have been flattened?
Of course.
5. Can a partially transparent vector graphic from one PDF be overlayed on top of another PDF?
Sure.
6. Can an image be inserted into a PDF under a transparent vector graphic object?
Of course.
Leonard -- --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Leonard Rosenthol <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Chief Technical Officer <http://www.pdfsages.com> PDF Sages, Inc. 215-629-3700 (voice) 215-629-0789 (fax)
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