Thanks, Ingo. Bates Numbering is a method of serializing (adding a number with or without a prefix or suffix) to every page in a pdf.
https://www.adobe.com/content/dam/acom/en/devnet/acrobat/pdfs/bates_numbering.pdf" rel="nofollow - https://www.adobe.com/content/dam/acom/en/devnet/acrobat/pdfs/bates_numbering.pdf
It is used by lawyers to create an official record of every document (converted to PDF) in a court case.
If there are two pdfs in the official record and the first pdf has 3 pages and the 2nd has 4 pages the bates numbering might start with AR 0001 and and with AR 0003, then the 2nd pdf would begin with AR 0004 and end with AR 0007. Any citations from the official record will include a reference to the bates number to make it easy for the Judge, the opposing side and any future, interested parties, to find citations.
The name comes from a mechanical stamp that used to be used to stamp pages filed with the court. The Bates Stamp company made a stamp.
This Wiki article explains the history.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bates_numbering" rel="nofollow - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bates_numbering
My research tells me that simply writing text on a page using Drawtext function is not a perfect way to Bates Stamp a pdf. Why? Because the text on the pdf is changed. The Adobe Standard (which I am only just learning) says the best way to designate extra data on a pdf (background data) is to use what Adobe calls an 'artifact'. I have seen artifacts used for Bates Stamping by third party software and that is what I'd like to be able to do myself programmatically.
Foxit (and Debenu)'s Aerialist product Bates Stamps PDFs and there are many free and inexpensive programs that do this. I am licensed to use two different programs that Bates Stamp pdfs, but neither is perfect and I'd like full control over the process.
I also believe the Bates Stamping process has other business value for marking documents at the end of a fiscal year.
If Debenu SDK needs to be enhanced if it doesn't support objects. Why buy (or upgrade) if Debenu only gets you 1/2 way there?
To do this without Debenu's SDK, I need to have a better understanding of Adobe's PDF Standard.
I hope this helps.
Ken
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