[iText-questions] Consultancy for iText

[Anders Wong]

Dear Mrs,Miss

I'm watching the iText for several years. It's a great product. But I want
to know if there is something like layout designer or templating so that we
can design the report first and then populate it from business database or
other datasource. I'm working in a company for Import or Export goods
inspection and testing. We produce more than 1,000 inspection or testing
reports officially. Currently we use crystal report/Sqlserver Analysis
service to "Export" pdf. But for large orders, the performance is not so
good. So we are looking for new techniques. We much appreciate the
semi-automation of PDF generation just like using Microsoft Word to editing
it. Because we need report viewer to adding or modifying the content of PDF.
So if this progress can be interactive, it will give us more efficient. Now
our mechanism is adding / modifying by system UI and then generate
("Export") and waiting for it out and review the generated pdf file and
found some errors and remodifing by system UI and regenerate and waiting and
review again.



I know iText is more directly to operate PDF. But I'm not sure whether it
meet our above requirements.



I appreciate for your help.

Thanks.

[iText Software]

I want to know if there is something like layout designer or templating
so that we can design the report first and then >populate it from
business database or other datasource.
I know iText is more directly to operate PDF. But I’m not sure whether
it meet our above requirements.

There are different answers to this question.

If you watch this movie, you'll already get two options:
http://itextpdf.com/summit.php#talk3

The first option that is explained is:
- create the template in HTML + CSS
- inject the data as HTML
- convert the HTML + CSS to PDF using iText's XML Worker

Advantage:
- everybody knows HTML, so it's easy to create the template
Disadvantage:
- the quality is what you can expect from HTML: poor

The second option that is explained is:
- create the template using Adobe LiveCycle Designer (an XFA form)
- inject XML into your dynamic form
- convert the filled out XFA form to PDF using XFA Worker

Advantage:
- high quality of the rendered output; even supports PDF/A output
- you can use your own XML definitions
- It's ideal in a BPM workflow: http://lowagie.com/xfabpm
Disadvantage:
- creating an XFA form isn't that easy (at least not as easy as creating
HTML)

A third option (not explained in the video) is to use a reporting tool.
- JasperReports uses iText under the hood
- Eclipse/BIRT uses iText under the hood
- Inventive Designers / Scriptura used iText under the hood
All these reporting tools come with a designer tool that allows you to
create a proprietary template that can be parsed by their server product.
They all have their own advantages and disadvantages.

I know that this isn't a definitive answer to your question, but I hope it
gives you the inspiration to check out some possible solutions.

[iText Software]

But how about the second part in my last email ?

You attempted to describe a workflow, but either you weren't being clear,
or you were being unrealistic.

[Dennis Lindeman]

What is the second part you are referring to?

**
But how about the second part in my last email ?
You attempted to describe a workflow, but either you weren't being clear,
or you were being unrealistic.
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iText(R) is a registered trademark of 1T3XT BVBA.
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[Anders Wong]

Thanks a lot for your fast response. I’ll do some study base on your options. But how about the second part in my last email ? As the following:



We much appreciate the semi-automation of PDF generation just like using Microsoft Word to editing it. Because we need report reviewer to adding or modifying the content of PDF. So if this progress can be interactive, it will give us more efficient. Now our mechanism is adding / modifying by our system UI against DB and then populate with DB data and generate (”Export”) and waiting for it out and review the generated pdf file and sometimes we found some errors or omission and remodifing by system UI against DB and then repopulate and regenerate and waiting and review again.



Thanks again for your great help.





From: iText Software [mailto:***@1t3xt.info]
Sent: 2013幎6月12日 20:22
To: itext-***@lists.sourceforge.net; Anders Wong
Subject: Re: [iText-questions] Consultancy for iText



On Wed, 12 Jun 2013 13:41:43 +0200, Anders Wong <***@163.com <mailto:***@163.com> > wrote:

I want to know if there is something like layout designer or templating so that we can design the report first and then populate it from business database or other datasource.



I know iText is more directly to operate PDF. But I’m not sure whether it meet our above requirements.



There are different answers to this question.



If you watch this movie, you'll already get two options:

http://itextpdf.com/summit.php#talk3



The first option that is explained is:

- create the template in HTML + CSS

- inject the data as HTML

- convert the HTML + CSS to PDF using iText's XML Worker



Advantage:

- everybody knows HTML, so it's easy to create the template

Disadvantage:

- the quality is what you can expect from HTML: poor



The second option that is explained is:

- create the template using Adobe LiveCycle Designer (an XFA form)

- inject XML into your dynamic form

- convert the filled out XFA form to PDF using XFA Worker



Advantage:

- high quality of the rendered output; even supports PDF/A output

- you can use your own XML definitions

- It's ideal in a BPM workflow: http://lowagie.com/xfabpm

Disadvantage:

- creating an XFA form isn't that easy (at least not as easy as creating HTML)



A third option (not explained in the video) is to use a reporting tool.

- JasperReports uses iText under the hood

- Eclipse/BIRT uses iText under the hood

- Inventive Designers / Scriptura used iText under the hood

All these reporting tools come with a designer tool that allows you to create a proprietary template that can be parsed by their server product.

They all have their own advantages and disadvantages.



I know that this isn't a definitive answer to your question, but I hope it gives you the inspiration to check out some possible solutions.

[Jay]

Page not found, 404 Error, for referenced movie..



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iText(R) is a registered trademark of 1T3XT BVBA.
Many questions posted to this list can (and will) be answered with a reference to the iText book: http://www.itextpdf.com/book/
Please check the keywords list before you ask for examples: http://itextpdf.com/themes/keywords.php

[blowagie]

You can still find the movies on iText's YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6kL1_Vm712V3XDM1_RSY8w

You'll have to scroll down to videos such as:

How to use XML Worker:

Why XML Worker?

Flattening dynamic PDF forms with XFA Worker:

Note that all of the XFA problems mentioned in the talk have been fixed by
now.



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------------------------------------------------------------------------------
_______________________________________________
iText-questions mailing list
iText-***@lists.sourceforge.net
https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/itext-questions

iText(R) is a registered trademark of 1T3XT BVBA.
Many questions posted to this list can (and will) be answered with a reference to the iText book: http://www.itextpdf.com/book/
Please check the keywords list before you ask for examples: http://itextpdf.com/themes/keywords.php

[Dennis Lindeman]

I am using LibreOffice to create PDF templates. I then use iText to
populate the form fields.
Thanks.

Dear Mrs,Miss****
I’m watching the iText for several years. It’s a great product. But I
want to know if there is something like layout designer or templating so
that we can design the report first and then populate it from business
database or other datasource. I’m working in a company for Import or Export
goods inspection and testing. We produce more than 1,000 inspection or
testing reports officially. Currently we use crystal report/Sqlserver
Analysis service to “Export” pdf. But for large orders, the performance is
not so good. So we are looking for new techniques. We much appreciate the
semi-automation of PDF generation just like using Microsoft Word to editing
it. Because we need report viewer to adding or modifying the content of
PDF. So if this progress can be interactive, it will give us more
efficient. Now our mechanism is adding / modifying by system UI and then
generate (”Export”) and waiting for it out and review the generated pdf
file and found some errors and remodifing by system UI and regenerate and
waiting and review again.****
** **
I know iText is more directly to operate PDF. But I’m not sure whether it
meet our above requirements.****
** **
I appreciate for your help.****
Thanks.****
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Build for Windows Store.
http://p.sf.net/sfu/windows-dev2dev
_______________________________________________
iText-questions mailing list
https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/itext-questions
iText(R) is a registered trademark of 1T3XT BVBA.
Many questions posted to this list can (and will) be answered with a
reference to the iText book: http://www.itextpdf.com/book/
http://itextpdf.com/themes/keywords.php