in reply to PDF::Create - help with tabulation

julio_514:

Sure ... split the string on tabs, then write each string to the column position you want. Something like:

# Four tabstop locations:
my @colpos = (8, 24, 36, 45);
while (....) {
    my @cols = split/\t/, get_next_string();
    # Print each column at its tabstop
    for (my $i=0; $i < @colpos; ++$i) {
        $pages[$page_number]->string($f2, 8,
                $colpos[$i], $y, $cols[$i]
        );
    }
}

[download]

...roboticus

When your only tool is a hammer, all problems look like your thumb.

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Re^2: PDF::Create - help with tabulation
by flexvault (Monsignor) on Jul 19, 2012 at 09:49 UTC

    roboticus,

    This is more a request for clarification. I have used 'PDF::API2', but I'm not familiar with 'PDF::Create'.

    Is there a command in 'PDF::Create' that allows you to use positioning without concern for the left margin and the default user space units. If there is, it seems it would be a lot easier to use than 'PDF::API2'!

    Thank you

    "Well done is better than well said." - Benjamin Franklin

[reply]

      flexvault:

      I'm not familiar with PDF::Create, either. I briefly looked over the docs, and it looks like the println method might be enough. It doesn't mention tab expansion, so I don't know if the same problem would occur or not.

      There's a reference to a set width method, too, so it may let you set line length and do auto wrapping. But I haven't actually tried using it.

      ...roboticus

      When your only tool is a hammer, all problems look like your thumb.

      UPDATE: I went ahead and installed it and gave it a quick try:

      #!/usr/bin/perl
#
# example for PDF::Create
#
use 5.14.0;
use warnings;
use autodie;
use PDF::Create;

my $txt=<<EOT;
Here's a little bit of text that contains a very long line followed by
+ a few short ones so we can see which method(s) may or may not handle
+ wrapping and embedded newlines, just in case any of them do.
Though\tprintnl\tshould\thandle
embedded newlines just fine.
EOT

my $pdf = new PDF::Create('filename'=>'foo.pdf');
my $a4 = $pdf->new_page('MediaBox'=>$pdf->get_page_size('A4'));
my $page = $a4->new_page;
my $f1 = $pdf->font('BaseFont'=>'Helvetica');
$page->string($f1, 12, 72, 600, $txt);
$page->printnl($txt, $f1, 12, 72, 400);
$pdf->close;

      [download]

      The result: neither the string nor printnl methods will do autowrapping or any sort of tab expansion other than treating the tabs as spaces (unless my brief scan of the docs missed an option somewhere). The printnl function will at least handle \n nicely.

[reply]
[d/l]
[select]

        roboticus,

        Sorry to put you through all that work, I was just wondering if when creating the object there was a command / parameter to define margins and spacing.

        PDF is a standard, but it's more like coding in machine language versus working with Perl.

        Thank you

        "Well done is better than well said." - Benjamin Franklin

[reply]
        Got it - Thanks all for the info and insights!
[reply]

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