Can I put pdf form into a layout; then add fields?

[HenryVotel]

Hi, I have real estate forms I need to keep in original format. I would like to insert said form into a FM layout and then set fields onto the form so they show the database information in my data files. No luck trying to do this. My forms are in acrobat.pdf format now. Appreciate all thoughts and tips.

If not able to do a form in FM can I somehow have a pdf document import data from FM?

[benk]

You should be able to insert a pdf into a filemaker layout.

While in layout mode, simply insert a picture and when browsing for the picture select the pdf that you want to use. I would use arrange to send this to the back and lock it once I had inserted it.

Then it is a simple matter of laying your fields on top of the corresponding space in the form.

[ESpringer]

Benk,

Bless you! I had been trying to copy and paste graphics onto my layouts via the clipboard (which worked OK in FM6), and FM7 was muddying the graphics' clarity on screen. "Insert Picture..." preserves the resolution much better, at least on screen... [see below amendment]

[Fenton]

I don't know. It's recognizable as text, as is a fax. But that's about the resolution I get. It's blurry. Printing the same pdf from Preview is nice and sharp. This is to an injet printer (in both cases). It's unusable as is. I hope they fix it, and soon.

[ESpringer]

Fenton,

Mystery!

When I copy-paste from pdf open in graphics app, result looks lousy on screen *BUT* prints OK (some edges a *teeny* bit jaggy if I scrutinize the laser, as if 300 dpi instead of 1600dpi, but very clean-looking from reading distance)!

When I use "Insert Picture..." and choose the pdf file, the result looks great on screen (including at magnification), *BUT* the anti-alias blurs up the print job; it seems to anti-alias at 72 dpi or something like that.

So, perhaps you ought to try what I *had* been doing: open the pdf in a graphics app, copy all, then paste... (I open pdf in Graphic Converter, which seems to copy as graphic better than Adobe 6.0 does.)

BTW, Fenton, your profile isn't showing version#. But I think this is the sort of thing that "got broke" with FM7. Perhaps my 7.0.v2 update has somethnig to do with the copy-paste method now printing better.

[benk]

Another way that has worked for me is to convert the pdf to a jpeg, using the higest possible jpeg resolution settings have help my files run faster than when I copied and then pasted the same pdf? Go figure..the resolution is definitely not top quality no matter what you try.

[Fenton]

Yes, there was a similar problem in version 6 with EPS files (I read about, I'm not a graphics guy really). Basically I would like it to either be fixed, or confirmed that it is not possible. It's this endless "it looks like you could do it, you can almost do it, maybe you'll be able to do it someday, maybe" that is driving me crazy.

This would be a considerable plus, to be able to print a PDF form at its native resolution. I imagine there are plug-ins which could enable this. But rather than spend large amounts of time and money figuring out how to use them, I'd just like to know if FileMaker's going to "fix" this anytime soon, if ever. We can't really say it's "broken," maybe it will never be possible, who knows, no one's saying, that's for sure.

[HenryVotel]

Thanks to all for tips and thoughts. This method works but as noted the print output is fuzzy. Appreciate all who replied. . . .

Henry Votel

Forest lake, MN