Absolute Layout Container – Create .PDF fails to download Background Image

[CharlesParker]

Have you looked into the log files on the server to see if any errors are reported there? Crazy that it worked for me without error.

[Pizzadude]

I turned on logging. There are no entries that indicate anything amiss.

[WebDesignShop]

Hey folks,

Not sure if this will help you. We ran into a similar issue with generating a PDF report with images. They werent background images, but just images related to data and so we would have several images, one for each record. We were using a UX with list controls and using the Open a Report, Label or Letter layout action javascript. No matter what we did, the image would not show up on the PDF....UNTIL...we did the following:

1. In the Print Report as PDF File dialog select iniitial view as HTML
2. When you open the report choose "Print HTML"
3. A little window opens (maximize it)
4. Print as PDF

See images below.
image-issue.png

image-issue1.png

We feel there is a definite bug in the system.

[WindForce]

Hi Pizzadude
Do you have a link to the Jay Talbot's solution you mention earlier? I too need to have my users fill in a few fields then sign pdf documents...

Thanks
Jaime

[peteconway]

At the start of all this Selwyn said this.

but regardless of what Peter Conway says, I don't agree that it is not working.

It seems we are all wrong.

[Pizzadude]

Do you have a link to the Jay Talbot's solution you mention earlier? I too need to have my users fill in a few fields then sign pdf documents...

Jay's solution uses PDF_merge() https://documentation.alphasoftware....20Function.xml

To do this you will need to start with a fillable pdf. You can create or edit one if you have the paid version of Acrobat or Nitro Pro, or something similar.

One problem I've run into is adding a digital signature. I can add a digital signature field to a fillable pfd, but after PDF_merge() processes the pdf, the digital signature field no longer functions.
I would like to know if anyone knows how to produce a pdf from a report in Alpha that contains a similar functioning digital signature field.
Even better would be a solution to preserve or add a digital signature when using PDF_merge().

Here is a sample I created with Nitro Pro.
mergeWithSignature.pdf

You will need to put the sample file in C:\MyFolder\mergeWithSignature.pdf.

This will perform the merge:

function mergeWithSignature as c (e as p)

DIM jsonData AS c = ""
DIM fnIn AS c = ""
DIM fnOut AS c = ""

fnIn = "C:\MyFolder\mergeWithSignature.pdf"

fnOut = "C:\MyFolder\TestMergeWithSignature.pdf"

jsonData = <<%str%
{
"Filltext": "Fill from Xbasic function mergeWithSignature"
}
%str%

pdf_fillinfields_merge(fnIn,fnOut,jsonData)

mergeWithSignature = ""

end function

The second problem I've seen is with fonts. PDF_merge() does not preserve fonts assigned to the fillable fields. So to display a font as intended that particular font must be installed on the client device. This limits the use fonts to those that are common to both windows and mobile devices.
I'd like to find a way to over come this.

[WindForce]

Many thanks for the explanation, will play with it
Jaime

[Pizzadude]

Solved!

Email from Selwyn...

I just figured out why generating a PDF for an absolute layout container was probably not working for you and why it was working for me.

I have phantomjs installed on my machine. You probably don't

in your case, because you don't have phantomjs installed, AAA uses webkittohtml - this library appears to have a bug

phantomjs is an optional install.

watch video for instructions.

http://aapatches.s3.amazonaws.com/ji...lphantomjs.mp4

[CharlesParker]

dam - Selwyn is awesome.

[peteconway]

I have phantomjs installed on my machine. You probably don't

Nice to have the answer - I don't have phantomjs either, maybe it needs to be part of the install. Anyhow nice to see he engaged and shared toe answer.
Pete

[Pizzadude]

After following the instructions in the video to set up the PhantomJS as an installed package (for working preview) and in the Project Properties > Referenced Packages, it works as expected on the development server, but not on my production WAS.

There are various PhamtomJS files found on my production server, so it appears to bee published, but the result is that the background image is still missing from the pdf.

Is there a step i am missing to get PhamtomJS to work with the Web Application Server?

[peteconway]

Well if you followed the instructions from Selwyn, and it doesn't work then I need to direct you back to the observation I made in this post on page one. Below is your application, 'displayPermissionDenied Msg' = yes in your browser but not in Selwyns, so again - why does that happen? Ask Selwyn.
2021-01-27_11-38-05.png

[Pizzadude]

I think there is a problem with PhantomJS. Not sure if it is because it did not install correctly, or it is how Alpha uses it. Here is what I am seeing:

I started to see the the development was shutting down while I was testing this UX. The UX is the same as the first example I posted, but it now uses PhantomJS.

To run it you must install the PhantomJS package as described in Selwyn's video. See post 38 in this thread.

Build 7295-5448

Run the attached UX in a browser on your development machine.

Click the Download button, and it downloads the file, including the background image.

Shut down the dev server.

Restart the dev server and Alpha returns the message Port xxx is already in use.

Close and re-open Alpha and the dev server does not start.

Close and re-open Alpha again and the dev server starts.

TestAbsoluteLayout.zip

I would like to see if anyone (Pete?) can re-create this.