ouch: the beginning of the end

[Ralph DiMola]

I use Acrobat API and the JSO in VB to edit "original" PDFs. One can add
fields, add pull down lists w/java, edit existing fields, execute java in
the PDF, extract/change text, add/delete bookmarks and everything else you
can do(and more) in the Acrobat GUI.

On my to-do list is creating a LC external to gain LC access to Acrobat API
and the JSO in LC. The Acrobat structures are heavily typed so I don't know
how practical/possible this interface would be. It might require some LCB
glue? I don't know if the Acrobat API and JSO is available on platforms
other than Windows. If I had a LC Acrobat API/JSO external I would lose VB
fast.
 

Ralph DiMola
IT Director
Evergreen Information Services
rdimola at evergreeninfo.net

-----Original Message-----
From: use-livecode [mailto:use-livecode-bounces at lists.runrev.com] On Behalf
Of Dr. Hawkins via use-livecode
Sent: Friday, March 03, 2017 10:25 AM
To: How to use LiveCode
Cc: Dr. Hawkins; Alejandro Tejada
Subject: Re: ouch: the beginning of the end

On Thu, Mar 2, 2017 at 5:02 PM, Alejandro Tejada via use-livecode <
use-livecode at lists.runrev.com> wrote:

> I have used LiveCode (then MetaCard) to write content in PDF 
> templates, so I do not understand the requirement that file should 
> have no changes.
>

The file I upload needs to be indistinguishable from the pdf the court
issues to fill in at any arbitrary density.

At the moment, I'm simply recreating by pasting into fields.  What *should*
be happening is placing fields over an eps made from the court's own pdf.

This particular form was the breaking point:
http://www.nvb.uscourts.gov/downloads/mmm/forms/NVB105-3_OrderDebtorsMtnRefe
rraltoMMM.pdf

I have created paragraph by paragraph, but I now have a clerk insisting that
it be this exact pdf--so I have to go back to my original plan.  With
livecode, this *should* happen by turning it into page by page eps's,
putting each on a card, and laying fields over them, and then "printing" to
a pdf file.

Unfortunately, due to the lack of eps support, the only possible way is to
make png's, put the fields in front of those, delete the png when printing,
and then use shell tools (pdftk, pdfjar, pdftools, etc.)  to overlay each
page of my livecode output onto the form pdf.

This is fairly straightforward on unix (mac, linux).  However, I need to
insure that the third party software is installed, and for good measure,
support at least two ways of doing it.

Windows?  beats me.

iOS?  I'd be shocked if the tools are there.  I'd have to license the code.

android?  beats me again.

But all in all, I've lost "write once".


--
Dr. Richard E. Hawkins, Esq.
(702) 508-8462
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