Importing PDFs

[Greg Hains]

Hi,

 

My client has sent me a 52 page PDF form of which quite a number of pages will be the basis of a report that comes from the Filemaker solution.

Rather than manually create 52 pages in a new layout, is there a tool or method by which I can import these pages?  Its mostly just text - I'm happy enough to tidy a few (display) tables and shading etc.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Greg

[comment]

What exactly do you want this "import" to include? If it's "mostly just text", why don't you simply do copy & paste (preferably with a pit stop in a text editor, for clean up purposes)?

 

Note that there's a limit to layout size. It used to be 110 x 110 inches, i.e. no more than 10 US Letter-sized pages in portrait orientation. This limit is now stated as 32,000 x 32,000pt; not sure what the exact significance of the change is, but I doubt it will stretch out to 52 pages.

 

You might also want to consider the possibility of appending the dynamic (data-driven) portion/s of the report to static PDF/s during the export. Or adapt an alternative way of outputting the report, through third-part DTP apps.

[Greg Hains]

Hello Comment.

 

The report is mostly text, but with the usual form stuff of boxes, shading and what-not. If I could get a super-clear copy of the form then I would scan it in and treat it as a background image and then just get the layout to put the fields in the right place - just still seemed sloppy. 

 

Exporting the data to a third party product through CSV or XML was another option - I'm exploring that option now.

 

Thank you.

Greg

[comment]

If I could get a super-clear copy of the form

 

Isn't the PDF already that? If it's not, why would want to import it, as you said in the beginning? Puzzling.

[Greg Hains]

Hi Comment,

 

Sorry - I wasn't clear - you have a point.  The PDF is literally just a scan from a photocopied form, so is not an original publication which would be clear. Getting access to the original electronic version of the form (Government form) is almost impossible too.

 

Looks like I'll be spending long hours slaving over a hot layout.  :-)

 

Thanks for your replies.

 

Greg