I need help - I can help - PDF + Data suggestions

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PDF + Data suggestions

Printed From: Debenu Quick PDF Library - PDF SDK Community Forum
Category: For Users of the Library
Forum Name: I need help - I can help
Forum Description: Problems and solutions while programming with the Debenu Quick PDF Library and Debenu PDF Viewer SDK
URL: http://www.quickpdf.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1295
Printed Date: 03 Apr 26 at 1:15AM
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 11.01 - http://www.webwizforums.com

Topic: PDF + Data suggestions

Posted By: bb46970
Subject: PDF + Data suggestions
Date Posted: 19 Dec 09 at 1:56AM

Hi,

I have a project coming-up in which I have to scan records into PDF.

Firstly, I want to tag each page with what type of document it is. One PDF may have an invoice, a request letter, a set of records, and a set of billing documents. I want to tag each page accordingly. These tags are for automated processing and not for user reading. My guess is to create a layer and move it behind the top layer, so that it is not visible. Then, tag the pages with annotations.

Secondly, I have to capture information about the records, including: name, one or more addresses, phone numbers, dates of birth, etc. Like the page tags, this information is for automated processing rather than user review. I only need to record the information once per PDF and not for each page. Should I create a layer and move it to the back and use annotations to record the information? Or is it possible to embed XML inside of a PDF? XML seems like it may be a better way to handle this requirement.

Thanks,

David

Replies:

Posted By: DELBEKE
Date Posted: 19 Dec 09 at 7:10AM

Hi David

I thing using layers may be a bad idea, because layers are transparent.

Using XML should be better

For that purpose, you can use Set/GetDocumetMetadata

Posted By: Ingo
Date Posted: 19 Dec 09 at 10:22AM

Hi David!

To tag each page with (for example) "invoice" you should use the normal drawtext-functions 'cause it's possible to write outside the page dimensions. If you have a width of 842 psunits you should start writing at 843. So nobody can see the tag in a reader but you can extract it with the textextractfunctions.

For the special tags like "name", "adress", ... you should use the metadata-functions but don't serve the standard metadata-fields 'cause possible you can overwrite existing content. Use your own metadata. With SetCustomInformation and GetCustomInformation you can manage your own tags very well.

Cheers, Ingo

Posted By: bb46970
Date Posted: 19 Dec 09 at 2:48PM

Thanks guys.

Posted By: bb46970
Date Posted: 19 Dec 09 at 2:53PM

Hi,

As a side note, it is not a problem if the user is able to see any of this information. Most of these PDFs will be printed and this information should not be printed. Also, I would hide the information, by default, but if the user is able to access it manually, it is not a problem.

I just looked through the functions. I think I see why you said to use SetCustomInformation. CatalogInformation is root to the structure of the PDF and I don't want to mess with that. DocumentInformation is all meta-data stored in the PDF as XMP, I'm guessing in Adobe's proprietary version of XML. CustomInformation accesses specific tags within within the XMP meta-data.

I like the idea of storing the document related information with the PDF itself and not tied to one page that may be deleted. So, I can use CustomInformation for specific tags only. Or I can use DocumentInformation, but be aware that there may be other meta-data there that I may overwrite. Is that it?

Thanks again.

David

Posted By: Shotgun Tom
Date Posted: 29 Jan 10 at 6:31PM

Hi David:

Ingo is right on. Custom Information is the way to go for all the reasons mentioned.. Setting, Getting and displaying Custom Information is very easy to implement with QuickPDF.

Tom