Re: Best solution for printing Enterable PDF docs from 4D v15

[Ingo Wolf via 4D_Tech]

Chuck,

we create the PDFs with Adobe Acrobat, not from within 4D. Here's an example of 
an xdp file:







Firmenakte
$PrimaryKey$
  
 $Kundenname$
 $Strasse$
 $Ort$
 $PLZ$
 http://www.xfa.org/schema/xfa-data/1.0/; 
xfa:contentType="image/gif">
  



http://ns.adobe.com/xdp/pdf/;>
   



Table name and primary key are right after . These tags will be 
returned 1:1. All xml tags between  and  correspond to 
form fields in the pdf form (case sensitive). If the same form field has to 
appear multiple times in the pdf form, the corresponding xml tag has to appear 
the same number of times in the xdp (and can have different values!). Use 
CDATA, when the content of the field can have "xml forbidden" characters (e.g. 
"&", "<", ">"). These tags will be returned with whatever content the user has 
entered in the pdf form. You can even fill picture fields (BASE64 encoded).
The pdf file (converted to BASE64) itself has to be placed between  and 
.
In Adobe Lifecycle Designer we add a button to the pdf form with the action 
"send via email". This sends the form fields as xml (xdp, can even include the 
pdf with user modified form fields as BASE64) to a predefined mail address, 
where a 4D process periodically checks the mails and parses the xml attachments 
for updating the records. In Adobe Lifecycle Designer one can also add 
validation code (javascript), e.g. for the email button to be hidden until all 
required fields have been entered.

Sorry, no documentation links at hand, most of this found out by trial

HTH
Ingo Wolf

4d_tech-requ...@lists.4d.com schrieb am Tue, 20 Jun 2017 08:59:58 -0700:
>Ingo,
>
>Thanks for your response.
>
>Can you point me to any documentation that will explain what tools I need to
>use to implement the workflow you described in your response?
>
>Are you able to generate the Enterable PDF forms within 4D?  OR Do you have
>to create the PDF with Adobe Acrobat first?
>
>If you can generate the PDF within 4D, please direct me to documentation
>specific to that process.
>
>Thanks so much,
>
>Chuck Morris


-- 
ViELMAC Ingo Wolf
Rheinhessenring 53A
D 55597 Wöllstein
Tel. +49 (0)6703 3070320
Fax  +49 (0)6703 3070321
e-mail i...@vielmac.de
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Re: Best solution for printing Enterable PDF docs from 4D v15

[Chuck Morris via 4D_Tech]

Ingo,

 

Thanks for your response.

 

Can you point me to any documentation that will explain what tools I need to
use to implement the workflow you described in your response?

 

Are you able to generate the Enterable PDF forms within 4D?  OR Do you have
to create the PDF with Adobe Acrobat first?

 

If you can generate the PDF within 4D, please direct me to documentation
specific to that process.

 

Thanks so much,

 

Chuck Morris

Impossible Solutions, Inc.

ch...@imposol.com  

407-342-1300

 

---

On Wed, 14 Jun 2017 16:25:49 +0200

Ingo Wolf  > wrote.

 

Hello,

 

we do exactly what you describe via xdp-files. That are pdf forms
encapsulated in some xml. The forms are created with Adobe Acrobat and
enhanced with Livecycle Designer. The pdf is then converted to Base64 and
embedded in a xdp, wich is xml following some specs from adobe. From 4D we
set the values of certain xml tags (via PROCESS 4D TAGS), which have the
same names as the form fields of the pdf form. Adobe Acrobat Reader then
feeds these values automatically into the corresponding form fields (upon
opening the .xdp-file). The maybe changed form field values are then sent
via email as xml file to 4D and imported back into the database records. For
linking with the original records we have xml tags containig the primary
keys.

 

HTH

Ingo Wolf

 

4d_tech-requ...@lists.4d.com   schrieb
am Wed, 14 Jun 2017 00:47:18 -0700:

>I have a project where my client wants me to generate Enterable PDF forms

>within 4D that would be populated by variable data but also have form
fields

>that would be enterable by the customer.  

> 

> 

> 

>Then my 4D App would email the form directly to the customer to be
completed

>and then emailed back to my client.

> 

> 

> 

>It would then be best for automation if my 4D App could parse the PDF

>returned and populate data in 4D with the customer's completed form data.

 

 

-- 

 

 

 

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Re: Best solution for printing Enterable PDF docs from 4D v15 or

[Ingo Wolf via 4D_Tech]

Hello,

we do exactly what you describe via xdp-files. That are pdf forms encapsulated 
in some xml. The forms are created with Adobe Acrobat and enhanced with 
Livecycle Designer. The pdf is then converted to Base64 and embedded in a xdp, 
wich is xml following some specs from adobe. From 4D we set the values of 
certain xml tags (via PROCESS 4D TAGS), which have the same names as the form 
fields of the pdf form. Adobe Acrobat Reader then feeds these values 
automatically into the corresponding form fields (upon opening the .xdp-file). 
The maybe changed form field values are then sent via email as xml file to 4D 
and imported back into the database records. For linking with the original 
records we have xml tags containig the primary keys.

HTH
Ingo Wolf

4d_tech-requ...@lists.4d.com schrieb am Wed, 14 Jun 2017 00:47:18 -0700:
>I have a project where my client wants me to generate Enterable PDF forms
>within 4D that would be populated by variable data but also have form fields
>that would be enterable by the customer.  
>
> 
>
>Then my 4D App would email the form directly to the customer to be completed
>and then emailed back to my client.
>
> 
>
>It would then be best for automation if my 4D App could parse the PDF
>returned and populate data in 4D with the customer's completed form data.


-- 
ViELMAC Ingo Wolf
Rheinhessenring 53A
D 55597 Wöllstein
Tel. +49 (0)6703 3070320
Fax  +49 (0)6703 3070321
e-mail i...@vielmac.de
**
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Re: Best solution for printing Enterable PDF docs from 4D v15 or later

[Rob Laveaux via 4D_Tech]

> On 14 Jun 2017, at 05:23, Chuck Morris via 4D_Tech <4d_tech@lists.4d.com> 
> wrote:
> I have a project where my client wants me to generate Enterable PDF forms
> within 4D that would be populated by variable data but also have form fields
> that would be enterable by the customer.

Hi Chuck,

My recommendation would be to use QPDF Plugin for this.

It allows you to:
- import PDF forms (designed using i.e. Adobe Acrobat) and fill-in data 
programmatically
- create PDF forms programmatically
- merge multiple PDF documents together
- flatten PDF forms so that the data becomes non-editable
- digitally sign a PDF document with a certificate in order to prove its 
authenticity

The plugin has a really rich feature set when it comes to working with PDF 
documents.
I suggest you have a look at the product documentation. Feel free to ask if you 
have more questions.

Kind regards,

- Rob Laveaux


Pluggers Software
Scholekstersingel 48
2496 MP  Den Haag
The Netherlands

Email: rob.lave...@pluggers.nl 
Website: http://www.pluggers.nl 





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Best solution for printing Enterable PDF docs from 4D v15 or later

[Chuck Morris via 4D_Tech]

Development is on Windows 7 or later, 4D Server /Client v15 or later.

 

I have a project where my client wants me to generate Enterable PDF forms
within 4D that would be populated by variable data but also have form fields
that would be enterable by the customer.  

 

Then my 4D App would email the form directly to the customer to be completed
and then emailed back to my client.

 

It would then be best for automation if my 4D App could parse the PDF
returned and populate data in 4D with the customer's completed form data.

 

I talked with 4D Tech support and they recommended I look at Plugin Products
from the following two companies.

 

www.node.de  

 

www.pluggers.nl  

 

I have looked at products from both but I am looking to you for some
guidance on which company's product would best suit my project needs.

 

Reviewing "4D PDF Printer Plugin" from Node, it appears to me that my client
would need to create the Enterable PDF Document in Acrobat Pro and set the
form fields to enterable and then I would load that PDF document and
populate some fields and leave others enterable, then email using one of
several options using freeware bundled with the Plugin.  This product also
has the ability to create PDF output using forms created in 4D using Print
Selection and Print Form, but it is unclear if those forms could have
enterable form fields.

 

Pluggers has several PDF related plugins.  The best I can determine is that
you can actually create the document as well as form fields that are
enterable by using the product "PDF Plugin".  However, they have another
product, "QPDF Plugin" that seems to have some overlap with "PDF Plugin".

 

Since both of these company's plugins can cost over $1,000, that is why I am
reaching out for some advice so that I don't purchase the wrong product.

  

Thanks in advance for any help on this decision.

 

Chuck Morris

Impossible Solutions, Inc.

ch...@imposol.com  

407-342-1300

 

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