I need to be able to output an editable PDF form (to a file) that has some fields pre-filled. Pre-filling will be done dynamically via PHP from a MySQL database.
The conversion programs and generators that I have used so far output an image file rather than an editable form.
Here's an example scenario:
1. I build a PDF form (template) for a sales quote using an Acrobat product and save it to the server.
2. Sales rep builds a quote in our online web based system, pulling customer and product data from our databases.
3. Sales rep presses an "Export quote to PDF" button. A PHP program puts the selected customer and product data into a copy of the saved form and downloads a PDF file to the Rep's PC.
4. Sales rep can then edit the PDF form via Acrobat on his PC.
We do most of this already, but the output file is always an image and not editable. We are currently using several different conversion programs to output various PDF files.
Reading the documentation I see on Acrobat X and LiveCycle, it seems they are focused on moving data the other direction: use an online form to collect all the data entered by a user and collect it. Will either of these products do what I need to do? (At a reasonable price. I'm the only programmer in the company.)
Another approach would be creating an FDF with the reference to the base form, and send that to the client (where, if Acrobat / Reader is used, the FDF pulls in the appropriate base PDF and populates it.
Or, you use a product which does server-side form filling, and provide the pre-filled PDF to the end user (an example for such a software is FDFMerge by Appligent, for example).
All this is so good as it does not require XFA (LiveCycle Designer) form.
HTH.
Max Wyss.