Design PDF template and populate data at runtime using java,xml etc..

Question

well i have been looking for a java based PDF solutions...we dont have a clean way i guess-still.. all solutions are primitive and kind of workarounds... No easy solution for this requirement - 1. Designing a PDF template using a IDE (eg. Livecycle designer ..which is not free) 2. Then at runtime using java, populate data into this PDF template...either using xml or other datasources...

such a simple requirement and NONE has a good "open-source and free" solution yet ! Is anyone aware of any ? I have been searching for since 3-4 years now..for a clean way out...

Eclipse BIRT comes close.. but does not handle Barcode elements ..OOB. Jasper - ireport is also good but that tool does not have a table concept and is kind of annoying ! Also barcode support is not good.

XSL-FO has not free IDE for design .

Looking for a better answer .. got one ?

Answer 1

If it's a "simple requirement", you could create a report designer around iText and release it as FOSS yourself.

Answer 2

You can create a PDF file with AcroField through iText API AcroField values can be populated. Note: Using OpenOffice you can create PDF document with FormFields.

http://blog.rubypdf.com/2007/08/01/freely-fill-pdf-form-with-the-help-of-itext-or-itextsharp/

Answer 3

You could use OpenOffice's UNO API. It looks rather heavyweight but at least you get something full-featured.

Answer 4

What are your key requirements? Does your input have to be a PDF? If so, you'll be probably working uphill for a long time still. Obviously you want to inject data and output a PDF.

If your templates can be something other than PDF, you could try using the OpenOffice API to get OpenOffice to do manipulate documents and produce a PDF. JODReports or Docmosis would be better ways of interacting with OpenOffice and Docmosis allows you to treat documents (doc and odt) as templates.