Re: [WebDNA] writing pdfs on the fly (Avery labels #5160)
This WebDNA talk-list message is from 2010
It keeps the original formatting.
numero = 105041
interpreted = N
texte = rearranged for bottom posting.. see below: > Govinda wrote: >> Hi All >> >> I am working to write PDFs on the fly with webdna (my first time with >> this). >> I thought I was in luck when I saw the sample on the webdna site >> because it is said to be the exact PDF template I need (Avery labels >> #5160). >> >> So far as far as I got is to see is that the sample (avery) I >> downloaded from the webdna site seems contradictory in that it says >> that it will choke on a null char (the readme says "should be ascii >> only") and then in that Avery example it tries to include a file =20 >> (the >> pdf template) which contains a null char! (Did the author test =20 >> this?!) >> I do not know about the guts of a pdf to know how to go about =20 >> tweaking >> the template to make it pure ascii (null char-free) and have it still >> work as that real pdf (formatted for avery labels 5160). >> The sample directions (readme.txt) say, >> "Create a pdf file (I used Distiller for this demo) >> in ASCII text format so there isn't any binary data >> in the file (so null characters won't cause problems)." >> >> The final pdf I want to write may have more than one page. >> >> I'd love to find success here to solve my own problem and also to >> embellish the samples for the webdna site. >> >> It seems I need (at least) a sample pdf template (for the Avery =20 >> labels >> #5160) which does not contain any binary data (null chars), right? >> Can anyone give me some pointers? >> >> ------------ >> Govinda >> govinda.webdnatalk@gmail.com > Govinda, > I used the same approach several years ago using the example you =20 > site as > a beginning approach. In my experience this method of creating a pdf > on the fly is not a very good one, especially if you are in fact > planning to output a dynamic number of pages. > What that example is "OK" for is for outputting a basically static pdf > file with dynamic values. You simply include WebDNA where you want =20= > your > dynamic values to be populated right in the ascii text. > > To populate the pdf with the WebDNA values I used the following =20 > approach > to write the file: > [!]###### Write new PDF file for this order #######[/!] > [writefile file=3Ddb/orders/[cart].pdf&secure=3Df][include > file=3Dco.pdf[formvariables name=3D_&exact=3DF]&[getchars > start=3D2][name][/getchars]=3D[url][value][/url][/=20 > formvariables=20 > ]&_Co_Num=20 > =3D[_Co_Num]&_Dept=3D[Dept]&Total_Price=3D[_Total_Price]&_cart=3D[cart]]= [/=20 > writefile] > > The file named co.pdf is a pdf file saved as ascii text with WebDNA > embedded where dynamic values are to be transalated. > > I never was able to create a method for outputting dynamic pages, only > values within the pages? > > Marc Hi Marc, Thanks so much for replying! So let me clarify - are you saying that as soon as the number of pages =20= of the pdf is greater than 1 then the source code of the pdf that lays =20= outside those dynamic value "slots" needs to change to define the pdf =20= as having more than one page ... and no one we know is doing that =20 successfully with webdna such that we could see/edit such a pdf =20 template to then allow us to use the technique you mention above *when =20= there is more than 1 and only 1 page*, ...right? Gosh it would be nice to have knowledge of just that bit of the pdf =20 source so we could generate fully dynamic pdfs with webdna. Another Q: The avery pdf template (like your co.pdf) from the webdna site =20 example neglects to write its contents past a few chars.. here see =20 this code from the example: [writefile file=3DwrittenOnTheFly_pdfs/GovTest_avery.pdf&secure=3Df][URL]=20= [include file=3Davery_template.pdf&var=3Dvalue,etc... When I hit that code and then open the newly written file, that =20 written file is missing all but the first few chars of the pdf =20 template (what was supposed to be included by the [include =20 file=3Davery_template.pdf...] above). Here is what *does* get written: =EF=BB=BF%PDF-1.1 %=E2=80=9A=E2=80=9E=C5=93=E2=80=9D and here is that same bit again, only url'ed to help me see what got =20 written: %EF%BB%BF%25PDF-1.1%0A%25%E2%80%9A%E2%80%9E%C5%93%E2%80%9D%0A Why is everything past those chars missing? (There is 6k worth of data =20= in the template.) (?) What are people doing to write pdfs on the fly? PHP? Or any good =20 (easy to instal/run) freeware/shareware out there. All we need is Avery label #5160 dynamic pdfs, populated with our =20 webdna db data. -Govinda
Associated Messages, from the most recent to the oldest:
rearranged for bottom posting.. see below: > Govinda wrote: >> Hi All >> >> I am working to write PDFs on the fly with webdna (my first time with >> this). >> I thought I was in luck when I saw the sample on the webdna site >> because it is said to be the exact PDF template I need (Avery labels >> #5160). >> >> So far as far as I got is to see is that the sample (avery) I >> downloaded from the webdna site seems contradictory in that it says >> that it will choke on a null char (the readme says "should be ascii >> only") and then in that Avery example it tries to include a file =20 >> (the >> pdf template) which contains a null char! (Did the author test =20 >> this?!) >> I do not know about the guts of a pdf to know how to go about =20 >> tweaking >> the template to make it pure ascii (null char-free) and have it still >> work as that real pdf (formatted for avery labels 5160). >> The sample directions (readme.txt) say, >> "Create a pdf file (I used Distiller for this demo) >> in ASCII text format so there isn't any binary data >> in the file (so null characters won't cause problems)." >> >> The final pdf I want to write may have more than one page. >> >> I'd love to find success here to solve my own problem and also to >> embellish the samples for the webdna site. >> >> It seems I need (at least) a sample pdf template (for the Avery =20 >> labels >> #5160) which does not contain any binary data (null chars), right? >> Can anyone give me some pointers? >> >> ------------ >> Govinda >> govinda.webdnatalk@gmail.com > Govinda, > I used the same approach several years ago using the example you =20 > site as > a beginning approach. In my experience this method of creating a pdf > on the fly is not a very good one, especially if you are in fact > planning to output a dynamic number of pages. > What that example is "OK" for is for outputting a basically static pdf > file with dynamic values. You simply include WebDNA where you want =20= > your > dynamic values to be populated right in the ascii text. > > To populate the pdf with the WebDNA values I used the following =20 > approach > to write the file: >
[!]###### Write new PDF file for this order #######[/!] > [writefile file=3Ddb/orders/
[cart].pdf&secure=3Df][include > file=3Dco.pdf[formvariables name=3D_&exact=3DF]&[getchars > start=3D2][name][/getchars]=3D
[url][value][/url][/=20 > formvariables=20 > ]&_Co_Num=20 > =3D[_Co_Num]&_Dept=3D[Dept]&Total_Price=3D[_Total_Price]&_cart=3D
[cart]]= [/=20 > writefile] > > The file named co.pdf is a pdf file saved as ascii text with WebDNA > embedded where dynamic values are to be transalated. > > I never was able to create a method for outputting dynamic pages, only > values within the pages? > > Marc Hi Marc, Thanks so much for replying! So let me clarify - are you saying that as soon as the number of pages =20= of the pdf is greater than 1 then the source code of the pdf that lays =20= outside those dynamic value "slots" needs to change to define the pdf =20= as having more than one page ... and no one we know is doing that =20 successfully with webdna such that we could see/edit such a pdf =20 template to then allow us to use the technique you mention above *when =20= there is more than 1 and only 1 page*, ...right? Gosh it would be nice to have knowledge of just that bit of the pdf =20 source so we could generate fully dynamic pdfs with webdna. Another Q: The avery pdf template (like your co.pdf) from the webdna site =20 example neglects to write its contents past a few chars.. here see =20 this code from the example: [writefile file=3DwrittenOnTheFly_pdfs/GovTest_avery.pdf&secure=3Df]
[url]=20= [include file=3Davery_template.pdf&var=3Dvalue,etc... When I hit that code and then open the newly written file, that =20 written file is missing all but the first few chars of the pdf =20 template (what was supposed to be included by the [include =20 file=3Davery_template.pdf...] above). Here is what *does* get written: =EF=BB=BF%PDF-1.1 %=E2=80=9A=E2=80=9E=C5=93=E2=80=9D and here is that same bit again, only url'ed to help me see what got =20 written: %EF%BB%BF%25PDF-1.1%0A%25%E2%80%9A%E2%80%9E%C5%93%E2%80%9D%0A Why is everything past those chars missing? (There is 6k worth of data =20= in the template.) (?) What are people doing to write pdfs on the fly? PHP? Or any good =20 (easy to instal/run) freeware/shareware out there. All we need is Avery label #5160 dynamic pdfs, populated with our =20 webdna db data. -Govinda
Govinda
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