iText Summit 2014: Talk: How to use PDF Templates with iText

Copyright © 2013 Roots nv, Belgium - All rights reserved

iText @ Car-PassHow to use PDF Templates with iText.


Koen Dehaen

Managing Partner

@ Roots Software since 1997

Car-Pass and Johnson & Johnson

Enterprise Services Architect

[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]


Roots Software

Deliver business driven, sustainable and customised solutions

Based on Service Oriented Architecture

Projects managed with an Agile approach

!Founded in 1994

Antwerp, Belgium

35 associates

Works for Car-Pass, Janssen Pharmaceutica, Johnson & Johnson, DHL, Achmea, Sanoma Media Belgium, Sapa, Syngenia (GDF Suez), …

!www.roots.be

http://www.roots.be


What brings us here?

Our experience with iText (since version 2), iText used to create simple & complex PDF’s from scratch re-organise & watermark existing PDF’s embed QR codes, images, … complete PDF Templates

directly from the java code, no need for extra tooling

The Car-Pass IS v2 project


how it all startedcreate a PDF from code


Code - Hello World!

!Document document = new Document();

PdfWriter.getInstance(document, new FileOutputStream(“/tmp/hello-world.pdf”));

document.open();

document.add(new Paragraph("Hello World!"));

...

document.close();

!

http://itextpdf.com/book/examples.php


Some real-life examples


Our findings

Advantages 100% java, 100% cross-platform No external tools/plug-ins required Full control on the PDF structure in code

Disadvantages Document layout managed by Developer

Use iText when your document flow is straight forward your document structure/layout is stable a PDF Template is hard to build


topic of todayPDF templates & QR codes


before we startintroduce Car-Pass


The starting point

Average annual registrations of second hand vehicles in Belgium: 750.000 cars

Odometer Reading fraud was a serious problem in Belgium > 60.000 new cases a year (estimates based on data Technical Inspection) Estimated value of the fraud: € 150 – 200 million per year

Consequences Poses financial risk and subsequent losses, for consumers Bad image for second hand car salesmen Distorted competition in the market & unfair practices

Authorities and automotive professional associations joined efforts to create a legal framework


Car-Pass

A Car-Pass is a legally required document that a seller of a used car has to handover to the buyer.

It shows the history of odometer readings since its first registration.

A Car-Pass is delivered to the seller by the technical car inspection; who requests it to Car-Pass vzw


Car-Pass vzw

A non-profit organization authorized by Royal Decree

Founded in 2006

To manage the central database with the odometer readings

To deal effectively with odometer fraud


Statistics

Since 2006 140.226.468 Odometers readings 19.483.281 cars

In 2013 777.790 Car-Pass certificates created (+- 500 / hour) 14.676.983 Odometer readings 6.143.554 vehicles are active.

source: http://www.car-pass.be/nl/docs/2013_Jaarverslag_NL_final.pdf

http://www.car-pass.be/nl/docs/2013_Jaarverslag_NL_final.pdf


Car-Pass IS v2 project

Complete rebuild of the Car-Pass IS v1 platform

Keeping into account performance maintainability scalability traceability security

Everything in 1 year


Document (PDF tool) requirements

Fast & reliable tool to generate Car-Pass certificates & other PDF documents

Based on Templates adjustable by the End-User

Ensure a small footprint

Improve customers experience

Transparant & affordable license


iText: a perfect fit

Java has no support for PDF’s

Compared tools/suites/platforms vs API’s

iText, due to Lightweight Full control on PDF structure (helps to manage footprint) Ability to manage PDF Templates with Acrobat Pro Scalable, as it easily integrates in a SOA (even OSGI friendly) Support for QR codes Speed (under 90 ms / Car-Pass Certificate instead of 900 ms) Our track record


time for action


Car-Pass Template


Code - Complete Fields with data

try (

FileInputStream is = new FileInputStream(pdfTemplate);

FileOutputStream os = new FileOutputStream(completedCarPassPDF)

) {

PdfReader pdfReader = new PdfReader(is);

PdfStamper stamper = new PdfStamper(pdfReader, os);

AcroFields acroFields = stamper.getAcroFields();

for ( Map.Entry<String, String> entry : model.entrySet() ) {

acroFields.setField ( entry.getKey(), entry.getValue() );

}

stamper.setFormFlattening(true);

stamper.close();

pdfReader.close();

}


Code - From Object to Key-Value pairs

Map<String, String> model = BeanUtils.recursiveDescribe ( carPass, "car-pass" );

http://stackoverflow.com/questions/6133660/recursive-beanutils-describe

model = car-pass.certificateNumber = 0782-7851-9342

car-pass.vin = VF154PB5VXA1138BB

car-pass.make = Renault Megane

car-pass.price = 7,00 EUR

car-pass.firstUse = 22/12/1981

car-pass.firstRegistrationBe = 22/12/1981

car-pass.validUntil = 01/02/2007

car-pass.odometerReadings[0].date = 01/12/2006

car-pass.odometerReadings[0].value = 185643

car-pass.odometerReadings[1].date = 16/04/2006

car-pass.odometerReadings[1].value = 173459

…


Code - QR Code

BarcodeQRCode qrcode = new BarcodeQRCode("https://ws.car-pass.be/verify/" +

carPass.getCertificateNumber(), 160, 160, null); !Image image = qrcode.getImage();

image.setAbsolutePosition(430f, 650f);

PdfContentByte content = stamper.getOverContent(pdfReader.getNumberOfPages());

content.addImage(image); !!


Code - Keeping it small

PdfDictionary drdict = reader.getCatalog().getAsDict(PdfName.ACROFORM).getAsDict(PdfName.DR);

PdfDictionary drfontdict = drdict.getAsDict(PdfName.FONT);

for (PdfName key : new HashSet<PdfName>(drfontdict.getKeys())) {

drfontdict.remove(key);

}

PdfArray pages = reader.getCatalog().getAsDict(PdfName.PAGES).getAsArray(PdfName.KIDS);

for (int i = 0; i < pages.size(); i++) {

PdfDictionary page = pages.getAsDict(i);

PdfArray annots = page.getAsArray(PdfName.ANNOTS);

for (int j = 0; j < annots.size(); j++) {

PdfDictionary annot = annots.getAsDict(j);

PdfName itvalue = annot.getAsName(new PdfName("IT"));

if (new PdfName("FreeTextTypewriter").equals(itvalue)) {

annot.put(new PdfName("IT"), new PdfName("FreeTextTypeWriter"));

}

}

}


iText RUPS

http://itextpdf.com/product/itext_rups


seeing, is believing


www.roots.be

[email protected]

!github.com/koendehaen/itext_summit_pdf_templates

Q&A

http://www.roots.be

mailto:[email protected]

https://github.com/koendehaen/itext_summit_pdf_templates

Date post:	21-Oct-2014
Category:	Technology
View:	113 times
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iText Summit 2014: Talk: How to use PDF Templates with iText

Technology