Re: [WebDNA] writing pdfs on the fly (Avery labels #5160)
This WebDNA talk-list message is from 2010
It keeps the original formatting.
numero = 105040
interpreted = N
texte = Govinda, I used the same approach several years ago using the example you 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 your dynamic values to be populated right in the ascii text. To populate the pdf with the WebDNA values I used the following approach to write the file: [!]###### Write new PDF file for this order #######[/!] [writefile file=db/orders/[cart].pdf&secure=f][include file=co.pdf[formvariables name=_&exact=F]&[getchars start=2][name][/getchars]=[url][value][/url][/formvariables]&_Co_Num=[_Co_Num]&_Dept=[Dept]&Total_Price=[_Total_Price]&_cart=[cart]][/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 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 (the > pdf template) which contains a null char! (Did the author test this?!) > I do not know about the guts of a pdf to know how to go about 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 labels > #5160) which does not contain any binary data (null chars), right? > Can anyone give me some pointers? > > ------------ > Govinda > govinda.webdnatalk@gmail.com > > > > > --------------------------------------------------------- > This message is sent to you because you are subscribed to > the mailing list
. > To unsubscribe, E-mail to: > archives: http://mail.webdna.us/list/talk@webdna.us > old archives: http://dev.webdna.us/TalkListArchive/ > Bug Reporting: http://forum.webdna.us/eucabb.html?page=topics&category=288 > . > -- ------------------------------------------- Marc Thompson Software Engineer Office of Information Technology University of Utah 801.585.9264 marc.thompson@utah.edu -------------------------------------------
Associated Messages, from the most recent to the oldest:
Govinda, I used the same approach several years ago using the example you 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 your dynamic values to be populated right in the ascii text. To populate the pdf with the WebDNA values I used the following approach to write the file: [!]###### Write new PDF file for this order #######[/!] [writefile file=db/orders/[cart].pdf&secure=f][include file=co.pdf[formvariables name=_&exact=F]&[getchars start=2][name][/getchars]=[url][value][/url][/formvariables]&_Co_Num=[_Co_Num]&_Dept=[Dept]&Total_Price=[_Total_Price]&_cart=[cart]][/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 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 (the > pdf template) which contains a null char! (Did the author test this?!) > I do not know about the guts of a pdf to know how to go about 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 labels > #5160) which does not contain any binary data (null chars), right? > Can anyone give me some pointers? > > ------------ > Govinda > govinda.webdnatalk@gmail.com > > > > > --------------------------------------------------------- > This message is sent to you because you are subscribed to > the mailing list . > To unsubscribe, E-mail to: > archives: http://mail.webdna.us/list/talk@webdna.us > old archives: http://dev.webdna.us/TalkListArchive/ > Bug Reporting: http://forum.webdna.us/eucabb.html?page=topics&category=288 > . > -- ------------------------------------------- Marc Thompson Software Engineer Office of Information Technology University of Utah 801.585.9264 marc.thompson@utah.edu -------------------------------------------
Marc Thompson
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