activePDF

Anyone worked recently with activePDF? I just downloaded the eval and the actual CF docs on the subject are pretty thin..... N This e-mail is from Reed Exhibitions (Oriel House, 26 The Quadrant, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 1DL, United Kingdom), a division of Reed Business, Registered in England, Number 678540.  It contains information which is confidential and may also be privileged.  It is for the exclusive use of the intended recipient(s).  If you are not the intended recipient(s) please note that any form of distribution, copying or use of this communication or the information in it is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful.  If you have received this communication in error please return it to the sender or call our switchboard on +44 (0) 20 89107910.  The opinions expressed within this communication are not necessarily those expressed by Reed Exhibitions. Visit our website at http://www.reedexpo.com

> From: Robertson-Ravo, Neil (RX) > > Anyone worked recently with activePDF? I just downloaded the > eval and the actual CF docs on the subject are pretty thin..... Take a look at CFXPDF as well - it has specific CF instructions and will probably do what you need

> > Anyone worked recently with activePDF? I just downloaded the > > eval and the actual CF docs on the subject are pretty thin..... > > Take a look at CFXPDF as well - it has specific CF instructions and will > probably do what you need I'm working with CFX_PDF right now and I'm finding it rather rudimentary. It was easy to set up and it worked right away, so I'll give it that. It has its own, limited, set of tags for formatting. Some of them are nice to see, like the PDF encryption/security support, but the layout tools are pretty thin. It might get the job done, but I'm not going to be creating anything sophisticated with it. Not without a lot of work. It looks most useful for simple print documents without much layout. One of the things it doesn't do that ActivePDF does is take an existing file and convert it to PDF. ActivePDF in that sense just acts as a server-side PDF print driver. CFX_PDF is a set of tags for generating a new PDF from scratch. So if you need to allow people to upload a .doc and have your homebuilt CMS convert that to PDF, then CFX_PDF isn't for you. On the flip side, CFX_PDF is easy to use and it's a .jar and works on Windows, Linux, and Solaris while ActivePDF is a set of COM objects and only runs on Windows. There is also an article in this month's CFDJ talking about FOP (Formatting Objects Processor) which is a free alternative using XSL-FO. http://www.sys-con.com/story/?storyid=44771&DE=1 http://xml.apache.org/fop/ -Kevin

Yes I did one year and a half in my previous company J-M -----Message d'origine----- De : Robertson-Ravo, Neil (RX) [mailto:Neil.Robertson-Ravo@csd.reedexpo.com] Envoyé : mercredi 26 mai 2004 14:41 À : CF-Talk Objet : activePDF Anyone worked recently with activePDF? I just downloaded the eval and the actual CF docs on the subject are pretty thin..... N This e-mail is from Reed Exhibitions (Oriel House, 26 The Quadrant, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 1DL, United Kingdom), a division of Reed Business, Registered in England, Number 678540.  It contains information which is confidential and may also be privileged.  It is for the exclusive use of the intended recipient(s).  If you are not the intended recipient(s) please note that any form of distribution, copying or use of this communication or the information in it is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful.  If you have received this communication in error please return it to the sender or call our switchboard on +44 (0) 20 89107910.  The opinions expressed within this communication are not necessarily those expressed by Reed Exhibitions. Visit our website at http://www.reedexpo.com   _____  

whats you take on it? good / bad?    _____ Sent: 26 May 2004 14:17 To: CF-Talk Subject: RE: activePDF Yes I did one year and a half in my previous company J-M -----Message d'origine----- De : Robertson-Ravo, Neil (RX) [mailto:Neil.Robertson-Ravo@csd.reedexpo.com] Envoyé : mercredi 26 mai 2004 14:41 À : CF-Talk Objet : activePDF Anyone worked recently with activePDF? I just downloaded the eval and the actual CF docs on the subject are pretty thin..... N This e-mail is from Reed Exhibitions (Oriel House, 26 The Quadrant, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 1DL, United Kingdom), a division of Reed Business, Registered in England, Number 678540.  It contains information which is confidential and may also be privileged.  It is for the exclusive use of the intended recipient(s).  If you are not the intended recipient(s) please note that any form of distribution, copying or use of this communication or the information in it is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful.  If you have received this communication in error please return it to the sender or call our switchboard on +44 (0) 20 89107910.  The opinions expressed within this communication are not necessarily those expressed by Reed Exhibitions. Visit our website at http://www.reedexpo.com   _____    _____  

Honestly, fifty fifty! If you need to generate a lot of pdf files it could be ok, however you will have to create a css for it. The good point is that it will generate a report on several pages. You need to use the server (activePDF) in combination with web grabber. I have been dissapointed by the quality of their services and technical team. If you only need to create some very simple pdf , use a custom tag or go for some java. J-M -----Message d'origine----- De : Robertson-Ravo, Neil (RX) [mailto:Neil.Robertson-Ravo@csd.reedexpo.com] Envoyé : mercredi 26 mai 2004 15:14 À : CF-Talk Objet : RE: activePDF whats you take on it? good / bad?    _____ Sent: 26 May 2004 14:17 To: CF-Talk Subject: RE: activePDF Yes I did one year and a half in my previous company J-M -----Message d'origine----- De : Robertson-Ravo, Neil (RX) [mailto:Neil.Robertson-Ravo@csd.reedexpo.com] Envoyé : mercredi 26 mai 2004 14:41 À : CF-Talk Objet : activePDF Anyone worked recently with activePDF? I just downloaded the eval and the actual CF docs on the subject are pretty thin..... N This e-mail is from Reed Exhibitions (Oriel House, 26 The Quadrant, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 1DL, United Kingdom), a division of Reed Business, Registered in England, Number 678540.  It contains information which is confidential and may also be privileged.  It is for the exclusive use of the intended recipient(s).  If you are not the intended recipient(s) please note that any form of distribution, copying or use of this communication or the information in it is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful.  If you have received this communication in error please return it to the sender or call our switchboard on +44 (0) 20 89107910.  The opinions expressed within this communication are not necessarily those expressed by Reed Exhibitions. Visit our website at http://www.reedexpo.com   _____    _____   _____  

Thanks Phil...I will take a look and compare these.    _____ Sent: 26 May 2004 14:48 To: CF-Talk Subject: RE: activePDF > From: Robertson-Ravo, Neil (RX) > > Anyone worked recently with activePDF? I just downloaded the > eval and the actual CF docs on the subject are pretty thin..... Take a look at CFXPDF as well - it has specific CF instructions and will probably do what you need    _____  

neil, what are you looking to with these pdfs? have you/anyone worked out a way to hit a page, generate a pdf, and have that sent to a print spool, to print with dynamic stuff, through a fdf, inserted into the pdf? thanks. tony [mailto:Neil.Robertson-Ravo@csd.reedexpo.com] Sent: Wednesday, May 26, 2004 9:45 AM To: CF-Talk Subject: RE: activePDF Thanks Phil...I will take a look and compare these.    _____ Sent: 26 May 2004 14:48 To: CF-Talk Subject: RE: activePDF > From: Robertson-Ravo, Neil (RX) > > Anyone worked recently with activePDF? I just downloaded the > eval and the actual CF docs on the subject are pretty thin..... Take a look at CFXPDF as well - it has specific CF instructions and will probably do what you need    _____  

checkout iText too http://www.lowagie.com/iText/ Java based... Doug > Anyone worked recently with activePDF? I just downloaded the > eval and the actual CF docs on the subject are pretty thin..... Take a look at CFXPDF as well - it has specific CF instructions and will probably do what you need   _____  

just got the CFX working as noted below...seems pretty basic but it does look good....like Kevin, I am gonna be generating fairly simple PDF's for now...    _____ Sent: 26 May 2004 15:29 To: CF-Talk Subject: Re: activePDF > > Anyone worked recently with activePDF? I just downloaded the > > eval and the actual CF docs on the subject are pretty thin..... > > Take a look at CFXPDF as well - it has specific CF instructions and will > probably do what you need I'm working with CFX_PDF right now and I'm finding it rather rudimentary. It was easy to set up and it worked right away, so I'll give it that. It has its own, limited, set of tags for formatting. Some of them are nice to see, like the PDF encryption/security support, but the layout tools are pretty thin. It might get the job done, but I'm not going to be creating anything sophisticated with it. Not without a lot of work. It looks most useful for simple print documents without much layout. One of the things it doesn't do that ActivePDF does is take an existing file and convert it to PDF. ActivePDF in that sense just acts as a server-side PDF print driver. CFX_PDF is a set of tags for generating a new PDF from scratch. So if you need to allow people to upload a .doc and have your homebuilt CMS convert that to PDF, then CFX_PDF isn't for you. On the flip side, CFX_PDF is easy to use and it's a .jar and works on Windows, Linux, and Solaris while ActivePDF is a set of COM objects and only runs on Windows. There is also an article in this month's CFDJ talking about FOP (Formatting Objects Processor) which is a free alternative using XSL-FO. http://www.sys-con.com/story/?storyid=44771&DE=1 http://xml.apache.org/fop/ -Kevin    _____  

My biggest request is the ability to create a PDF which is in itself an editable PDF....I am not sure if this is possible with any of the tools out there?    _____ Sent: 26 May 2004 15:29 To: CF-Talk Subject: Re: activePDF > > Anyone worked recently with activePDF? I just downloaded the > > eval and the actual CF docs on the subject are pretty thin..... > > Take a look at CFXPDF as well - it has specific CF instructions and will > probably do what you need I'm working with CFX_PDF right now and I'm finding it rather rudimentary. It was easy to set up and it worked right away, so I'll give it that. It has its own, limited, set of tags for formatting. Some of them are nice to see, like the PDF encryption/security support, but the layout tools are pretty thin. It might get the job done, but I'm not going to be creating anything sophisticated with it. Not without a lot of work. It looks most useful for simple print documents without much layout. One of the things it doesn't do that ActivePDF does is take an existing file and convert it to PDF. ActivePDF in that sense just acts as a server-side PDF print driver. CFX_PDF is a set of tags for generating a new PDF from scratch. So if you need to allow people to upload a .doc and have your homebuilt CMS convert that to PDF, then CFX_PDF isn't for you. On the flip side, CFX_PDF is easy to use and it's a .jar and works on Windows, Linux, and Solaris while ActivePDF is a set of COM objects and only runs on Windows. There is also an article in this month's CFDJ talking about FOP (Formatting Objects Processor) which is a free alternative using XSL-FO. http://www.sys-con.com/story/?storyid=44771&DE=1 http://xml.apache.org/fop/ -Kevin    _____  

What do you mean by "editable"?  AFAIK, Illustrator is the only app that offers any significant editing of PDFs.  Do you mean forms that can be filled in buy the user in Adobe Acrobat Reader? Cary Gordon The Cherry Hill Company At 04:50 PM 5/26/2004 +0100, you wrote: >My biggest request is the ability to create a PDF which is in itself an >editable PDF....I am not sure if this is possible with any of the tools out >there? >    _____ >Sent: 26 May 2004 15:29 >To: CF-Talk >Subject: Re: activePDF

If I might chime in, if he DIDN'T mean that, does someone out there know how to have editable forms in pdf?  I have a job that will require that coming up.... Thanks, Ray At 12:23 PM 5/26/2004, Cary Gordon wrote: ----- Excess quoted text cut - see Original Post for more -----

Yes, they are easily created in distiller etc...but needed to know if activePDF could create these forms itself...    _____ Sent: 26 May 2004 17:24 To: CF-Talk Subject: RE: activePDF What do you mean by "editable"?  AFAIK, Illustrator is the only app that offers any significant editing of PDFs.  Do you mean forms that can be filled in buy the user in Adobe Acrobat Reader? Cary Gordon The Cherry Hill Company At 04:50 PM 5/26/2004 +0100, you wrote: >My biggest request is the ability to create a PDF which is in itself an >editable PDF....I am not sure if this is possible with any of the tools out >there? >    _____ >Sent: 26 May 2004 15:29 >To: CF-Talk >Subject: Re: activePDF    _____  

> Yes, they are easily created in distiller etc...but needed to know if > activePDF could create these forms itself... I haven't tried, but I think so. PDF forms are really better referred to as FDF. Here's a powerpoint preso from ActivePDF about using XML and PDF forms: http://www.planetpdf.com/planetpdf/pdfs/pdf2k/01W/sullivan_xmlpdfforms.pdf From what I see of CFX_PDF, you can't do forms with it. Not surprising really. Also, if you already have the PDF form and you just want to have a CF app fill out the form for you, here's a custom tag for that: http://www.pdfconnect.com/ It's a bit old though. -Kevin