Converting the data in a Database into a downloadable PDF file

Question

How can we convert the required data in the database into a pdf file, like getting the details of person (when we enter his name) into a downloadable pdf file using java or javascript ?

How can we make a downloadable PDF file using iText or spdf library files ? @ScaryWombat — Vivek Anoop, Mar 02 '15 at 12:01

score 0 · Accepted Answer · edited May 23 '17 at 11:43

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Assuming you know how to query the DB - creating the PDF can be done using Apache POI, which you can find here: http://poi.apache.org/document/

Here you can see an example of converting XLS to PDF, which is rather similar due to the "cell" nature of both sources: https://stackoverflow.com/a/26056716/1843508

edited May 23 '17 at 11:43

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answered Mar 02 '15 at 08:00

Ofer Lando

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With respect, I know how to display the output in a PDF file, but what I want to know is how to make it into a downloadable PDF file. – Vivek Anoop Mar 03 '15 at 10:08
So why didn't you say so? ;-) Anyway, assuming you are using HTML (or alike) - all you need to do is provide a link to the file you want to make available for download... e.g. Download – Ofer Lando Mar 03 '15 at 11:37

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Mar 02 '15 at 08:04

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I have used the following to create pdfs using java:

Jasper Reports
YaHP
Building a TeX file and building it.

YaHP was the easiest to use, but I couldn't get it to match my desired output. Building a TeX file yielded the best output but was a nightmare trying to typeset dynamic data. In the end, I settled with Jasper Reports. Jasper Reports connects directly to the database, which may be an advantage for your case.

answered Mar 02 '15 at 08:04

Leonidas K

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It is not the matter of connectivity to the database, but what I want to know is how to make it into a downloadable PDF file. – Vivek Anoop Mar 03 '15 at 10:26

score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Mar 02 '15 at 09:02

A (probably simpler) approach would be server-side form filling, using either a library (such as iText, or pdflib), or an application (such as FDFMerge by Appligent, or (if you have a really big purse) products from the LiveCycle family by Adobe).

You'd have to prepare the "template", but for that you have more powerful tools out there than what you can stitch together when creating the PDFs from scratch on the fly (with comparable efforts on your side).

Converting the data in a Database into a downloadable PDF file

3 Answers3