PDF file as pre-printed form to fill out within Access

[Ron]

Hi All,

I have a client that has downloaded a PDF file that has blanks where
needed. A clerk types the stuff into the blanks on the provided form,
then prints it out to a printer. Then, they initialize the form and
fill in the blanks for another customer. This form is the only form
that can be used for this purpose (State of California website
supplies it and it's got barcodes and other such stuff that needs to
be there).

After filling in the appropriate blanks and printing it, it's put into
an envelope and ::shudder:: mailed to the office of the state that
requires it. They don't take it electronically, only via snail mail.
And no other form can be used (so, I can't reinvent it within Access
reports or Word merge, etc).

Am I clear?

Okay, if we're on the same page, now my question. Is there a way I
can get Access to fill in the blanks on this specific PDF form instead
of a person having to manually sit there and do it for each of their
customers? Kinda like a merge of data fields and a word template
possibly?

Anyone know anything about doing this type of thing? Would I be more
apt to get answers from a PDF newsgroup?

TIA,
ron

 

[Arvin Meyer [MVP]]

Yes you can merge the data into Word. You can also duplicate the PDF form as
an Access Report. Lastly, you can scan the PDF form and save it as a bitmap,
then create an Access form with Access textboxes overlaying the PDF fields.
Then save this as a report, deleting the bitmap so that all the textboxes no
have correct placement. Then just print the report on your existing PDF
form.

 

[Tony Toews [MVP]]

Am I clear?
Yup.

Okay, if we're on the same page, now my question. Is there a way I
can get Access to fill in the blanks on this specific PDF form instead
of a person having to manually sit there and do it for each of their
customers? Kinda like a merge of data fields and a word template
possibly?

Anyone know anything about doing this type of thing? Would I be more
apt to get answers from a PDF newsgroup?

Quite possibly. I suspect you could programmatically hit the PDF
file, fill in the blanks and print it from Access. However that is
out of the scope of this newsgroup. Unless someone knows the answer
and responds.

I'd suggest poking about at the
http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobatstd/ website and look for the
developer side of things. Ah, here we go. Try at
http://www.adobe.com/devnet/acrobat/ or even
http://www.adobe.com/devnet/acrobat/interapplication.html

(Use OLE and avoid DDE if at all possible. DDE is Win 3.1
technology.)

There may also be other non Adobe, and thus cheaper, products that
have the same functionality. But start with the above links to
figure out the Adobe terminology first.

Then you'll have an idea of what keywords to use to search for other
products. If any. What you're looking for is relatively high end
compared to the standard "tell app to send printing to PDF file and
save under a specific file name."

Tony
--
Tony Toews, Microsoft Access MVP
Please respond only in the newsgroups so that others can
read the entire thread of messages.
Microsoft Access Links, Hints, Tips & Accounting Systems at
http://www.granite.ab.ca/accsmstr.htm
Tony's Microsoft Access Blog - http://msmvps.com/blogs/access/

 

[Arvin Meyer [MVP]]

CutePDF Writer. It is free and no advertising or popups.

http://www.cutepdf.com/Products/CutePDF/writer.asp

The version that allows creating forms is inexpensive, but not free. Any
Access report can be printed as a PDF though by using the free version (or
any other PDF maker). That said, the code to do it programmatically is as
simple as:

Private Sub cmdPrintReport_Click()

Set Application.Printer = Application.Printers("CutePDF")

DoCmd.OpenReport "rptReportName"

Set Application.Printer = Application.Printers("HP LaserJet 4")

End Sub