Overlayong PDF Files

[Sells, Fred]

Assuming your form has actual PDF data entry fields.  I export the form to a .fdf file, run a little script to replace fieldnames with %(fieldname)s  and save this as a staic template.  At run time I'll merge the template with a python dictionary using the % operator and shell down to pdftk to merge the two files and create a filled in PDF.  This way you don't have to worry about exact placement of data.

I have been looking for an api that would let me do this without the .fdf step, but to no avail.


-----Original Message-----
From: python-list-bounces+frsells=adventistcare.org at python.org [mailto:python-list-bounces+frsells=adventistcare.org at python.org] On Behalf Of Adam Tauno Williams
Sent: Thursday, April 26, 2012 8:25 AM
To: python-list at python.org
Subject: Re: Overlayong PDF Files

On Wed, 2012-04-25 at 13:36 -0500, Greg Lindstrom wrote:
> I would like to take an existing pdf file which has the image of a 
> health care claim and overlay the image with claim data (insured name, 
> address, procedures, etc.).  I'm pretty good with reportlab -- in 
> fact, I've created a form close to the CMS 1500 (with NPI), but it's 
> not close enough for scanning.  I'd like to read in the "official"
> form and add my data.  Is this possible?

I 'overlay' PDF documents  using pypdf.

Example
<http://coils.hg.sourceforge.net/hgweb/coils/coils/file/9d6c304dd405/src/coils/logic/workflow/actions/doc/watermark.py>

--
Adam Tauno Williams <http://www.whitemiceconsulting.com>
System Administrator, OpenGroupware Developer, LPI / CNA Fingerprint 8C08 209A FBE3 C41A DD2F A270 2D17 8FA4 D95E D383