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#1 2005-06-06 12:04 pm
ASP and PDF Generation
Basically, what I'm trying to do is create a PDF template and then have ASP fill in the content of that PDF (from a database, if that makes a difference).
I've done a couple Google searches, but ASP is so freakin' corporate that all the results are "buy this code library for only $599!" I've seen some sites hinting at the fact that ASP.NET may have this capability built in, but I'm not using ASP.NET, so I'm wondering if there's a similar function set in ASP.
If not, are there any good, simple libraries that you would reccomend? It doesn't have to be free, but, you know.
Thanks.
(edit: it might be good to note that I know next to nothing about ASP... I work for a company that's doing a pretty big CMS with ASP and SQLServer and part of it is generating reports and certificates that are going straight to the printer... they were thinking HTML and I said "why not just generate a PDF" and they said "cool! research it!"... me and my big mouth. 
)
Last edited by Basseq (2005-06-06 12:16 pm)
Basseq is me, John Whittet.
(Finishing the remainder of the thought expressed in the post has been left as an exercise for the reader.)
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#2 2005-06-06 4:07 pm
Re: ASP and PDF Generation
OK, I think I've got it figured out. Working with a PDF with forms and a FDF file seems to do the trick. Now, on to phase two. I've got one PDF (as mentioned... with forms) that's one page. Is there any way to duplicate that page any number of times, so that instead of generating ten one-page PDFs with different information, it'll generate one ten-page PDF?
I have a feeling this is going to be more complicated than a FDF file, but yeah, anyone?
Basseq is me, John Whittet.
(Finishing the remainder of the thought expressed in the post has been left as an exercise for the reader.)
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#3 2005-06-06 7:43 pm
Re: ASP and PDF Generation
Creating PDFs = easy
Editing/filling in PDFs = hard/impossible
Third Party Tools for IIS(ASP) = $$$
I wouldn't even try to fill in or mod PDFs. Just store the data and generate them in one shot.
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#4 2005-06-06 9:41 pm
Re: ASP and PDF Generation
Well, FDF works really well.
Anyway, when you say store the data and generate them in one shot, I think I know what you mean. But how can I do that with ASP? Is there a library (like PDFLIB for PHP)? I know nothing...
Basseq is me, John Whittet.
(Finishing the remainder of the thought expressed in the post has been left as an exercise for the reader.)
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#5 2005-06-06 10:31 pm
Re: ASP and PDF Generation
Just render the pdf as you normaly would using inserting the dynamic data as you go along.
Unless by bulding a pdf template you mean you are doing it in InDesgin or something. I would just bulid the whole document through ASP.
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#6 2005-06-07 7:55 am
Re: ASP and PDF Generation
Scott wrote:
I would just build the whole document through ASP.
Yep, I got that part. I was hoping I could use a template (it's currently just a PDF with forms embedded) but I think you're right that ASP should just write the whole file.
So first off, is there a set of built-in ASP functions that allow me to do this, or is that something I'm going to have to buy / download. As a secondary question, is there an ASP API spec (like the Java Spec or the PHP Documentation)(especially for the previously mentioned PDF library)?
Basseq is me, John Whittet.
(Finishing the remainder of the thought expressed in the post has been left as an exercise for the reader.)
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#7 2005-06-09 10:00 am
- zakatak
- Member
- From: Kalamazoo
- Registered: 2004-08-05
- Posts: 565
Re: ASP and PDF Generation
Hey Basseq,
Just wondering if you ever got this working, or if you found a solution. Did you end up buying something? I'm in a similar predicament where I'm in an ASP (not dotnet) environment and I need to build reports and (unlike php) I can't seem to find an easy way to create PDFs on the fly...
Thanks
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#9 2005-06-09 5:45 pm
Re: ASP and PDF Generation
Well PDFLib is exactly what I'm looking for, but it's not cheap ($450). This price kind of pisses me off, because their licensing agreement used to be along the lines of "use this however you want... if it's commercial, a donation would be nice." But not any more.
Again, the problem with COM is it's so freaking commercial and closed-source (there are a billion similar free options for PHP).
Basseq is me, John Whittet.
(Finishing the remainder of the thought expressed in the post has been left as an exercise for the reader.)
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#10 2005-06-10 10:38 am
- zakatak
- Member
- From: Kalamazoo
- Registered: 2004-08-05
- Posts: 565
Re: ASP and PDF Generation
fpdf for asp this might work... the site was in Italian and the translator didn't really do a good job... but I'm going to look into it a little more, seems interesting... and free...
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