PDF production
Orbeon Forms can produce PDF output in two ways:
- Automatically
- The PDF is produced based on the appearance of the form in your web browser. This is similar to printing a read-only version of your form.
- As a form author, you do not need to take any action to enable this mode.
- From one or more PDF templates
- You upload one or more PDF files using the "Attach PDF Templates" dialog. At runtime, Form Runner fills-out Acrobat fields in the template.
- This mode is automatically enabled for a form if a PDF template is attached.
- Automatic PDF generation is available in Orbeon Forms CE and PE
PDF files can be accessed directly from the Form Runner Summary Page and Detail Page using the
pdf button.Example for the Detail Page:
<property as="xs:string" name="oxf.fr.detail.buttons.acme.order">
summary wizard-prev wizard-next pdf tiff save review
</property>
Example for the Summary Page:
<property as="xs:string" name="oxf.fr.summary.buttons.acme.order">
home review pdf tiff delete duplicate new
</property>
See also [Predefined buttons](/form-runner/advanced/buttons-and-processes/README.md#predefined buttons).
You can email the PDF file using the following property:
<property
as="xs:boolean"
name="oxf.fr.email.attach-pdf.*.*"
value="true"/>
[SINCE Orbeon Forms 2016.1]
Orbeon Forms produces PDF files without the need for any third-party software installation.
All modern web browsers are able to read and render PDF files, which means that you don't need any third-party software at all to read PDF files either.
If you wish so, however, you can use Adobe Acrobat Reader to read PDF files. If you are on a Mac, the built-in Preview app also handles PDF files very well without the need for Adobe software.
If you wish to create or update PDF files for PDF templates, then you need Adobe Acrobat Pro DC or an alternative like PDFpenPro. However, if you use automatic PDFs then you don't need PDF authoring software.
Last modified 1mo ago