Best tool to create complex form layout for FOP form-filling.

[Jeff Kowalczyk <jt...@adelphia.net>]

I want to get started using FOP by creating a form-filling application.
I have a collection of industry-standard forms that I would like to
model with formatting objects, possibly with embedded SVG. The important
goal is to separate the complex fixed part of the form, and retain easy
access to elements that represent form-filling data.

The forms in question are dense with precise line/box layout, but
there's nothing that would tax the SVG-subset support in FOP. I'll need
SVG for one non-box graphical element, I know already. Is there a major
speed hit if SVG is introduced? Can FOP easily manipulate text boxes at
a precise location to fit within SVG-drawn borders, or is there too much
of a disconnnect?

My only reference to date is this article.
http://www.xml.com/pub/a/2001/05/16/wrestle.html

What is the best tool and strategy to model such forms for the current
state of FOP? Can I use Adobe Illustrator's exported SVG with any
expectation of clean output, or am I better of using a "Made with
Notepad" icon on my web app? :)

Thanks.


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Re: Best tool to create complex form layout for FOP form-filling.

[Alex McLintock <al...@yahoo.com>]

> What is the best tool and strategy to model such forms for the current
> state of FOP? Can I use Adobe Illustrator's exported SVG with any
> expectation of clean output, or am I better of using a "Made with
> Notepad" icon on my web app? :)

If all you are after is a page sized SVG graphic then using Illustrator to 
generate SVG which you embed in FOP is the way to go. I just did this with
a company logo. - but had to manipulate the SVG slightly to get it working
in my FO file.

However the text capabilities in SVG are pretty limited and so this may
not be what you want. I am worried about all the tables it sounds like you
will need.

There is at least one professional XML editor which claims to output FO -
but whether it is genuinely WYSIWYG or cheap enough for you I can't say,
not having used it. 

Goodluck!

Alex




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