How To Merge PDF document into Filemaker

[LuckyMe]

Hi All,

I am using FMP 5.5 Windows version.

I try to build a very simple DB that basically fills in some Immigration forms such as I-90. The problem is that legally I should NOT re-arrange, re-draw, or re-do the form in Filemaker, the other word I cannot duplicate the form even though they are look alike very much.

One of the solution is that I use all the blank forms as a pre-print forms, I put all blank forms in the printer tray, when I print, I setup and ask my FMP application to print data only.

But ideally I want to print everything WITHIN Filemaker Pro application, but I don’t know how.

I copied the forms information and paste to Filemaker layout, but no luck

FYI, I can download the blank forms online under PDF format.

Thank you in advance

[danjacoby]

If I understand you (and I'm not sure I do)...

Convert the PDF document to a JPEG file -- and be ready to mess with it a little.

Here's the tricky part -- setting margins in the layout. You probably can't set them to zero, so set them to something small.

Go back to the JPEG, and cut down the top and left sides by the amount of the margins in the FMP layout.

Now import it into a layout as a picture and put it in the upper left corner (don't use a header part, only a body part). Set it not to print.

Now you can lay your fields on top of the picture, so that they'll print where you want.

[LuckyMe]

You understand me corrrectly. Will try your method

Thank you

[LuckyMe]

Danjacoby,

I tried your method, it works, but the fonts is not look the same.

What do you think?

Thank you

[danjacoby]

quote:

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Originally posted by LuckyMe:

Danjacoby,

I tried your method, it works, but the fonts is not look the same.

What do you think?

Thank you

---

Change the font?

Seriously, fonts are not the same across platforms, nor are they necessarily the same on different machines -- because there are different versions of some fonts (Postscript1 vs. Postscript2 vs. TrueType, etc.). Additionally, as wonderful as PDF is (and it is, really), there are some changes made when the file is created.

So try some different fonts; maybe one will work out.

Alternatively, you can play with the text formatting (Condense/Extend & other style choices).

[LuckyMe]

But we import it as a picture, NOT a text: how do we change the font?

Thank you

[danjacoby]

quote:

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Originally posted by LuckyMe:

But we import it as a picture, NOT a text: how do we change the font?

Thank you

---

You imported as a picture, but...

1. The machine on which the PDF file was created may have different versions of the fonts than you have (especially if it's a different platform).

2. When creating a PDF, sometimes the font is altered -- I don't know why, it just happens.

If it's crucial that the fonts be exactly the same throughout the document, the only solution is to re-create the entire thing. The other possibility is that I'm misinterpreting what you mean by "the fonts is not look the same".

[LuckyMe]

I printed one form directly from PDF file, and one from JPEG file, and one from Filemake PRO, they all(the fonts)are NOT look identical

Thank you for taking your time.

[danjacoby]

quote:

---

Originally posted by LuckyMe:

I printed one form directly from PDF file, and one from JPEG file, and one from Filemake PRO, they all(the fonts)are NOT look identical.

---

Hmmm...

Where did the JPEG version come from? And the one in FMP -- is it the same JPEG that you're also printing directly? Do the fonts in the JPEG & FMP versions look alike?

I want to get to the bottom of this (almost) as much as you do -- I love a good mystery.