pchandor, For generating forms based on XML, I'd recommend looking into iReport/Jasper[1]. I haven't used it to create Acroforms (text fields where the user can enter data), so I don't know if it can currently do this. If you just have one document that you need to create, you could probably write your own template class for this doc which will take in the XML and output the PDF using PDFBox.
I believe Acroform is what you want for users to be able enter data using Adobe Reader. I haven't personally used this, but I know PDFBox has at least some support for it from what I've seen on the mailing lists. You can also read about the technical specs in the later Adobe PDF specifications (version 1.9 if I recall correctly). Once they submit the PDF to you, I think it'll be fairly easy to read the data they entered. If you don't want them to have to go to the website and upload the file, I know PDF supports javascript and opening URLs. So at a minimum you could dynamically generate a URL with GET vars and open that to get the data to the server. In any case, the PDF specification from Adobe is bound to be very helpful. Once you understand how PDFs are laid out, everything becomes tremendously easier no matter which library you are using. [1] http://jasperforge.org/projects/ireport ---- Thanks, Adam From: Pramod Chandoria <[email protected]> To: [email protected] Date: 06/09/2010 23:26 Subject: Is it feasible with PdfBox to generate pdf with form using xml data and get back the form data to server? Hello Aspose Pdf, I am evaluating PDFBox library if it can fit into our requirement. The discription of use case is as follow 1. On Server: Create a Pdf Document from a xml document. Xml document is not the specification of pdf doc but representing an artifact. The generated pdf's data section (say Table) size will vary depending on the content of xml. The schema of xml is known. 2. On Server: In the generated pdf's table there will be pdf form as well so for each row of the table, user can provide some input. 3. Client: User is presented such PDF and she/he fills all form value offline. 4. Client: User is done and now he comes online and want to upload the data to server. Challenge is to upload the data entered into form field on to server. How can we achieve this without providing any extra utility at client side. user have all is pdf. Can we embed java script in pdf so once pdf form is filled and user click some submit button , java script saves form data into some other file format which latter can be uploaded to server ? Or if server is up then data can be directly send to the server. Please provide you valuable inputs Thanks -|- pchandor ? Click here to submit conditions This email and any content within or attached hereto from Sun West Mortgage Company, Inc. is confidential and/or legally privileged. The information is intended only for the use of the individual or entity named on this email. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying, distribution or the taking of any action in reliance on the contents of this email information is strictly prohibited, and that the documents should be returned to this office immediately by email. Receipt by anyone other than the intended recipient is not a waiver of any privilege. Please do not include your social security number, account number, or any other personal or financial information in the content of the email. Should you have any questions, please call (800) 453 7884.
