How to merge 'Forms' with standard PDF?

Peter2 · Post by **Peter2** » Mon Oct 10, 2022 3:14 pm

With my database I use "reports" to create PDF-files; 1 page per dataset (per row) - e.g. the data of houses: length, width, height, number, owner, ...

But the data are not complete, so we have to go outside (into the wild nature) and have to research for the missing data. Now I want to create PDF which contains an overlay(?) / a merge(?) of the existing data and of forms where we can enter the missing data.

To make it a little bit easier I think I can create two parts of a DIN A4 page; the upper part should contain the existing data, the lower part the form.

Is it possible? Any ideas?

Regards
Peter

PHK · Post by **PHK** » Mon Oct 10, 2022 10:55 pm

Yes, I should think it is very possible.

My understanding is that the upper, or top, page would consist of what your data source provides. And that the lower, or bottom page would be a form of your design with Form Fields to be filled in by your "people." You just need to design that form to meet your needs like any other form and use Merge Pages to merge the pages vertically for each new property. So, you would merge page Data1 with page Form0, Data2+Form0, Data3+Form0 ad infinitum. Then, your people would just fill in the specifics in the lower half of the vertical double A4 page.

Post by **TrackerSupp-Daniel** » Tue Oct 11, 2022 6:02 pm

Hello,

PHK seems to have the answer here. If that does not help, could you elaborate a bit more on what exactly your current process is Peter, so that maybe we can suggest some changes to make it simpler?

Kind regards,

Peter2 · Post by **Peter2** » Wed Oct 12, 2022 9:08 am

Here are two simple examples:
- a "report", containing up to 500 pages of different data. Every page has a unique ID and different other data; some data are missing. The structure or the "intelligence" of the report can not be modified; it is created by an database system.
- a one-page-PDF containing forms to be researched and refilled by the "outdoor research staff"

Now I want
- to add the same "group of forms" to every single page of the report
- (side question: Is it possible to add the same form in multiple recurrence to a file)
- and / or to separate the 500 pages to 500 single-page PDFs with different names, based on the ID

Report of Houses.pdf

Form_for_Report of Houses.pdf

If that way is the wrong one, then maybe I can make it in another way:
- create a "one-page-form-template" with all the fields
- export the data from the database to CSV
- fill the form-template with the data from CSV. So I have single PDFs plus data plus forms ...

Post by **TrackerSupp-Daniel** » Wed Oct 12, 2022 3:17 pm

Hello, Peter2

I see, it is certainly possible to duplicate the forms once you have them placed on the first page, the trouble is that they would remain in the exact same layout on every following page. If your 500 page document is all a series of identical pages, that would not be an issue, but I expect that you have some variance across each page?
If that is the case, you would need to manually customize each after duplicating the fields.
To do this, create your first page of form fields, then select all those fields at once with the "select fields" tool, then on the "home" tab click "selection > duplicate" and configure your settings like so:

image.png

Likewise, you can merge two different forms with different data, there are two ways to handle this. You can either copy all form fields within the document you are inserting (which, if they have the same name as some others in the "base" document you are inserting the pages into, the form data may be overwritten) or you can choose to "copy with rename" which will ensure that all the fields from the inserted document are kept unique and separate from the file it is being inserted into.

image(1).png

image(2).png

Kind regards,

Peter2 · Post by **Peter2** » Wed Oct 12, 2022 3:45 pm

Thanks Daniel

not that simple and easy as I hoped. I will check it.

Post by **TrackerSupp-Daniel** » Wed Oct 12, 2022 4:27 pm

PHK · Post by **PHK** » Wed Oct 12, 2022 8:18 pm

I will admit that I am having trouble understanding what the objective here is but I am submitting a possible model based on Peter2's example. I am assuming that the "Report of Houses" is sourced from a typical data base with each single line relating to a respective property. Therefore, there would be a matrix of data with a row for a property "ID:1" and another for "ID:2" etc. That feeds to the report as represented by "Report of Houses" say 500 times. And there has been this other standard form created called "Form_for_Report" and Peter2 wants one in blank attached to each page of the above "Report of Houses." My suggestion above would produce the following:

image.png

Or see attached PDF file.

Report of Houses Merged Pages.pdf

But I am probably missing something; apologies. The pages could be cropped before merging to eliminate blank acreage.

See

Report of Houses Merged Pages [C].pdf

Post by **TrackerSupp-Daniel** » Thu Oct 13, 2022 6:58 pm

Hello, PHK

That seems reasonable from my understanding, I hope that Peter can let us know if it helps!

Kind regards,

Peter2 · Post by **Peter2** » Fri Oct 14, 2022 9:14 am

Hi @PHK

thanks for your help. I tried to reproduce your file, but I couldn't find what you mean with "merge - vertically". I tried to print with overlay, but this ruins the forms (as expected).

But in the meantime I changed the development to "create a form and fill it with database" instead of "create PDF from database". This raises some other questions (see forum ...), but if it will work it will be a better way (I hope so ..)

Post by **Tracker Supp-Stefan** » Fri Oct 14, 2022 1:27 pm

Hello Peter2,

Thanks for the post. So now that you have changed your routine - can we consider this one closed or do you need any further assistance with the topic?

Kind regards,
Stefan

Peter2 · Post by **Peter2** » Fri Oct 14, 2022 1:37 pm

It's OK for me; thanks to all.

PHK · Post by **PHK** » Fri Oct 14, 2022 1:43 pm

Peter2, you must use the Merge Pages functionality in the app.

image(2).png

And then do this.

image(1).png

Maybe someone can make a small GIF for this.

Peter2 · Post by **Peter2** » Fri Oct 14, 2022 1:46 pm

I see, PHK. A lot of manual work for dozens or hundreds of pages ..

Thanks for your hints, but I will use (try to use ..) another way.

Post by **Tracker Supp-Stefan** » Fri Oct 14, 2022 1:50 pm

PHK · Post by **PHK** » Fri Oct 14, 2022 1:51 pm

A look at the Term "Merge Pages" in the Contents section of the app Help does a better job of explaining one's options.

PHK · Post by **PHK** » Fri Oct 14, 2022 1:52 pm

Peter2 wrote: ↑Fri Oct 14, 2022 1:46 pm I see, PHK. A lot of manual work for dozens or hundreds of pages ..

Thanks for your hints, but I will use (try to use ..) another way.

No problem. filling in the forms for hundreds of pages is a lot of manual work, too.

Post by **Tracker Supp-Stefan** » Fri Oct 14, 2022 3:01 pm

Hello PHK,

That's why Peter2 is trying to automate the process and is fillin in those forms using .csv files as the input.

Kind regards,
Stefan

PHK · Post by **PHK** » Fri Oct 14, 2022 4:11 pm

Tracker Supp-Stefan wrote: ↑Fri Oct 14, 2022 3:01 pm Hello PHK,

That's why Peter2 is trying to automate the process and is fillin in those forms using .csv files as the input.

Kind regards,
Stefan

Perhaps a simple macro automating the very few "manual" Merge Page steps would be in order.

Post by **Paul - Tracker Supp** » Fri Oct 14, 2022 9:41 pm