comment on

Good day,

I just started using PDF::Create and it works very well. I do have two particular needs that I can't figure out from the documentation or anywhere else I've looked. I can create a .pdf document very easily. What I'd like to do is write over the same file.

Let me explain. Using an applicant tracking system I built (all in Perl and on our Intranet) I'd like to have the ability to print out a summary of an application for the individuals to sign so we can have it on file. Since we've got all the information stored in the DB, we shouldn't have to save a .pdf for each candidate. I'd rather create one on the fly and print it and be done with it. Then when I come to the next candidate, just overwrite the existing .pdf and print. Here's the code from the sample.pl that comes with the Module:

#!/usr/bin/perl -w

BEGIN { unshift @INC, "lib", "../lib" }
use strict;

    use PDF::Create;

    my $pdf = new PDF::Create('filename' => '/html/mypdf.pdf',
                  'Version'  => 1.2,
                  'PageMode' => 'UseNone',
                  'Author'   => 'Ovaltine',
                  'Title'    => 'Anything',
             );
    my $root = $pdf->new_page('MediaBox'  => [ 0, 0, 612, 792 ]);

    # Add a page which inherits its attributes from $root
    my $page = $root->new_page;

    # Prepare 2 fonts
    my $f1 = $pdf->font('Subtype'  => 'Type1',
                    'Encoding' => 'WinAnsiEncoding',
                 'BaseFont' => 'Helvetica');
    my $f2 = $pdf->font('Subtype'  => 'Type1',
                 'Encoding' => 'WinAnsiEncoding',
                 'BaseFont' => 'Helvetica-Bold');

    # Prepare a Table of Content
    my $toc = $pdf->new_outline('Title' => 'Document',
                                'Destination' => $page);

    $page->stringc($f2, 40, 306, 626, "PDF::Create 2");
    $page->stringc($f1, 20, 306, 596, "version $PDF::Create::VERSION")
+;

    # Add another page
    my $page2 = $root->new_page;
    $page2->stringc($f1, 20, 306, 400, 'Let us see what is on page 2.'
+);
    $page2->line(40, 40, 572, 40);
    $page2->line(40, 752, 572, 752);

    # Add something to the first page
    $page->stringc($f1, 20, 306, 400, 'by Ovaltine <bellybuster@thebar
+.com>');
    $page->stringc($f1, 15, 306, 350, 'More text for the reading.');

    # Add the missing PDF objects and a the footer then close the file
    $pdf->close;
[download]

My only idea so far is to have Perl delete the file before it creates on (of the same name). Any ideas?

Also, I've learned how to draw lines (thanks to the example) but I can't figure out how to draw rectangles and shaded boxes. I haven't been able to find a good example to build from. The docs give the verbage but I can't seem to get anywhere. Help!

TIA

peppiv

"flying blind on a rocket cycle!"

In reply to PDF::Create Questions by peppiv

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