in reply to PDF Template Solution- Why is this so hard?

I've written a module for templating ODT files (OpenOffice documents) in order to do exactly the thing that you ask: I write a template using OpenOffice, a perl program expands the template using data from a given structure, then OpenOffice converts the resulting ODT in a PDF file.

The module is in pre-alpha stage: it works (mostly) but has no test suite and poor documentation, but if you are interested in it I can make it downloadable somewhere.

Rule One: "Do not act incautiously when confronting a little bald wrinkly smiling man."

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Re^2: PDF Template Solution- Why is this so hard?
by mkenney (Beadle) on Aug 10, 2010 at 16:43 UTC
    Sounds interesting but probably won't work for this project yet. I'm hoping to turn over the template to the layout people and it sounds like I would have to hand hold (i.e. do) most of the templates for them if trying this;-)

    Thank-you for the very generous offer!!!
[reply]

      Why? My templates are valid OpenOffice documents and the markup is something like "{$var}" to interpolate a variable, {if $var para} to have a conditional paragraph, and so on. The skills needed to generate a template file should be at the same level than those for using TT to generate HTML pages.

      Rule One: "Do not act incautiously when confronting a little bald wrinkly smiling man."

[reply]
        That's the problem on my side more then likely. TT for HTML is beyond their skill set and everything HTML related lands in my lap as a result. Don't get me wrong, it honestly sounds like a great project you are working on. I was just hoping there would be a finished project with lots of documentation out there so I can tell them, go read this when they ask the same question for the twelfth time that day;-)

        I'm going to go look at the Open Office some more and float it out there to them to see if they would consider using it. (cross your fingers for me please)
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Re^2: PDF Template Solution- Why is this so hard?
by tospo (Hermit) on Aug 11, 2010 at 13:29 UTC

    Hi psini,

    That sounds interesting. I might have a need for something like that as well in the future and I might be willing to contribute to the module if there is anything useful I can do.
    Would you be able to make it available for download somewhere?

[reply]

      I've posted the code in my scratchpad psini's scratchpad for anyone interested in it. Any feedback will be greatly appreciated.

      I wrote the module about one year ago, but I'll start using it next month in a project, so chances are high that it will be largely improved and/or modified in the next two or three months.

      Update:

      The code for the module is now exported nightly from SVN into OpenOffice-Template.zip

      Rule One: "Do not act incautiously when confronting a little bald wrinkly smiling man."

[reply]

      Sorry for the late answer but I was away. I'll be back to my office near the end of next week and I'll find a place to put the code for download.

      Rule One: "Do not act incautiously when confronting a little bald wrinkly smiling man."

[reply]

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