[TriLUG] How to fill in a PDF form in Linux/OpenSource?

[Chander Ganesan]

Steve Litt wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> I need to fill out and submit a copyright form TX. My Acroread for Linux won't 
> do that. I can import the PDF into Gimp and fill it out in Gimp, and print it 
> from Gimp, but the type of the original PDF becomes extremely pixellated. I 
> can't seem to import the PDF into Inkscape. 
>
> I print the PDF, scan it at 300dpi, scan it into a .pnm, and then use Gimp to 
> fill it in, but that seems a little extreme.
>
> I could print it, fill it in with pen, and then scan the result, but my 
> handwriting is illegible.
>
> So what's a good way to fill in a PDF form in Linux/OpenSource?
>   
We do this all the time for our course registrations .  It works like this:

1.  Have the user fill out the form, and generate an FDF file from it.
2.  Use pdftk to merge the form data with the fillable pdf form.
  - pdftk can also "flatten" the final result, making the form a "no 
longer fillable" form (instead, it's a single layer).

pdftk is *extremely* easy to use, is free...and is able to "dump" the 
PDF fillable fields (and their names) for you.

Examples at:

http://www.pdfhacks.com/pdftk/

-- 
Chander Ganesan
Open Technology Group, Inc.
One Copley Parkway, Suite 210
Morrisville, NC  27560
919-463-0999/877-258-8987
http://www.otg-nc.com
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