Quick question, that I haven't found a solid answer yet.
Is it possible to generate a PDF in iOS that includes layers, which can then be removed/separated in Photoshop?
What I'm trying to achieve is take a picture with the camera of the phone, then place text over it, submit it as pdf to a customer and then have the customer read the text and remove it.
I can do everything except the layering of the pdf and I have found some hints that this isn't possible to do with the standard iOS library, but I wanted to know if anyone has come across this before.
Thank you.
The standard iOS API for creating PDF files cannot create layers (optional content) in a PDF page.
This library IFXPDFFactory seems to be able to generate PDF files with layers.
PoDoFo and libHaru can also be used to generate PDF files on iOS but I do not know if they support layers.
Related
I have an app in which some PDF files are downloaded and my problem is simple : I need to have the ability to sign them (drawing signature on screen) anywhere and save it to PDF format without modifying the structure of my PDF file.
The new feature in iOS 9 : Markup in the mail app does EXACTLY what I need. However, I don't want to use Mail in my app...
I've found on the web some ways to Generate PDF content, but very few examples and nothing that could help me with my problem.
Opening a PDF, turning it into NSData, create a context to render the signature then render both the PDF and the layered signature to finally save the NSData to PDF seems to be a pain, isn't it ?
Can someone help me either
Use markup features without using mail app or use it as transparent as possible for the user
Or, any reliable tutorial to draw signature over PDF without using a third-party app ?
Thank you,
Need help on rendering PDF using CGPDFContext. I am currently using UIWebView to display PDF but would like to perform much more operation rather than just reading like Highlight Text, Search PDF, Annotate PDF. Not looking for using any Framework or library.
Any help will be beneficial. For a start, code on how to render PDF using CGPDF and displaying it instead of using UIWebView.
PDF annotations are a rabbit hole. I've been working on them since 2010. The spec is thousands of pages. It's easy to get started but it takes forever to get right with all the PDFs and variations out there. Even a simple feature like bookmarks are harder than you would think.
To date there's no open source framework that implements PDF annotations. The above linked one can be a good starting point. If you don't have months/years to build something on your own, there are a few commercial options available - like PSPDFKit, available for iOS, Android and Web, which I am building.
We have a guide article listing the most important PDF spec documents.
Searching is another tricky topic. It's quite hard to convert the PDF text data to unicode. The Adobe CIDFont spec is a good starting point.
You shoud try VFReader, it is an open source project for rendering PDF files on iOS. It can be a good starting point.
I have an interactive PDF, a catalog, where you have to click on a image to go to a specific page. All images are converted in buttons with the option "Go to destination". On Windows and Mac it works perfectly. But on iPad all the links, all the images, are not showing.
I've already read on many forums about this common problem between iOs and interactive PDF's. But I have some old PDF's, with the same principle, and those are working great on iPad. The images are showed, the links works...
That's why I'm wondering if it's not my fault or maybe I export the PDF in a wrong way.
The links to the PDF's.
m.hconline.eu/Baby%20Catalogue.pdf
m.hconline.eu/LA Catalog 2013.pdf
"Buttons" are not compatible with most pdf readers (except Acrobat reader and a few others). Such buttons are not recognized on the standard pdf reader on the iPad. I have checked the old file on the iPad, it does not work as well.
What you need to do is to use regular pdf links instead of buttons. In order to do so, you can use Acrobat Pro, delete your buttons, and create new links using the chain icon. You can specify the area of the link, so the user experience will be the same.
This is an old issue, but I did find more information regarding this. (I'd add a comment to the accepted answer, but alas, i do not have 50 points.)
According to George Johnson, "The problem with InDesign is in using the Go To Next/Previous Page options in InDesign[buttons], it creates an Execute a Menu Item action when exported to PDF, and since Reader for iOS doesn’t have menu items or interprets such actions otherwise, they are just ignored." - https://forums.adobe.com/thread/1142056?tstart=0
As for work arounds, I found a tutorial by Steve Werner, outlining the method of changing your work flow around, and adding your buttons in Adobe Acrobat instead, as kind of a post production linking process. - http://indesignsecrets.com/navigation-button-tricks-for-interactive-pdf-on-an-ipad.php
I am a newbie in iPhone development. I am planning to do a PDF application for iPhone. The functionality is:
User will type their input in a text field (which is going to be the content of the PDF file).
I have to modify the PDF file through code while saving (paragraphs, tables, bullets etc).
User can save it in their own name.
User can send the PDF file as attachment of MFMailComposer.
So I have searched and got many links. However I didn't find any leading details to create and modify a PDF file in iPhone/iPad.
Can anyone please provide me a good reference to do this. Are there any alternatives to do this?
I've used this reference: https://developer.apple.com/library/ios/#documentation/GraphicsImaging/Conceptual/drawingwithquartz2d/dq_pdf/dq_pdf.html
It contains theoretical explanations and source code examples
Please use the below link to download sample apps for PDF Reader/Viewer in iOS
PDF Reader/Viewer in iOS
Also please look at detail about pdf creation, manipulation etc in below links
developer.apple: PDF Document Creation, Viewing, and Transforming
Fast-and-lean-pdf-viewer-for-iphone
If you were doing a Phonegap app I'd say got for jsPDF, which would enable you to create (basic) PDF files in Javascript. I don't do Obj-C, but a quick look on SO provides good links.
I am looking to be able to open a pdf file (done) and then be able to use the touch screen to sign the pdf and then save it with the modification. From what i have read this is no easy task, and i have no idea where to begin. Any of you know any tutorials or frameworks that will help me with this ?
Also if possible being able to modify fields of a pdf file, on the desktop the pdf can have fields you can click on then type in to fill out the form, without the need to ever print. If this is possible as well that would be perfect.
Thanks.
Maybe libHaru (http://libharu.org/wiki/Main_Page) does what you want, it's worth a try.
Does your starting point have to be a PDF? steipete's suggestion of using a system to create the PDF would work if your app workflow could create the PDF (sans signature) and display it, the user "signs" it in your app, and you create the PDF again this time with the signature embedded. It depends on whether this flow is an option for your app. Often it seems easier if you treat PDF as a final document and produce the PDF in it's final form each time (final meaning that you're not going to try modifying it).