PDFForms template - fill PDF forms with database data
With the help of PDFForms template, you can automate the process of filling PDF forms. You can fill PDF Forms using the data coming from the database, save those forms, display on the page, send them via email etc.
You can get this template for $50.
In this live demo, you can either play with the sample PDF forms or you can upload your own form. If you need to fill your form with some sample data use SQL query select * from test.
How it works
Step 1. Upload a new PDF form
Step 2. Specify SQL Query that will populate this form. Map form fields to database fields.
Step 3. Populate and display forms or use API to do this automatically in your projects.
Screenshots and live demos
Sample PDF Form

Mapping database fields to PDF form fields

Filled form

Changes history
Version 1 - April 2020
- Upload forms, map database fields to form fields.
- Fill forms, save to the hard drive, display in the web browser, send via email.
Live demo
You can use any of forms already uploaded to this live demo or upload your own form and play with it.
Enter live demoSystem requirements
- Version 10.3 or better of PHPRunner, ASPRunner.NET or ASPRunnerPro
- Supported databases are MySQL, Oracle, MS Access, SQL Server and Postgre
Extensibility
Now it is time to do something that is actually useful. After you added PDFForms template to your project you can manipulate PDF forms from your events and buttons. You can use these functions in any server-side event.
Note: Temporary file will be saved to templates_c folder, make sure it is writeable by the web server user.
Populate the form and save it the hard drive
PHPRunner
ASPRunner.NET
ASPRunnerPro
Populate the form and display in the web browser
It makes the most sense to use this function at the very end of events like AfterAdd/AfterEdit or BeforeDisplay. This should be the last statement in the event code.PHPRunner
ASPRunner.NET
ASPRunnerPro
Populate the form and send it via email
PHPRunner
ASPRunner.NET
ASPRunnerPro
Frequently Asked Questions
How to setup this template on the web server
- PDFForms template utilizes an excellent PDFtk software package. On Linux web server you need to have this package installed. It may be installed already or you can talk to your web hosting company in this regard. You would also need to go to the Settings table and specify the path to PDFtk executable. On Windows web hosting you need to make sure that web server user has permissions to run EXE files. PDFForms template already comes with Windows version of PDFtk executable so you only need to take care of the permissions part.
- PHP only - make sure that exec function is enabled in PHP settings.
- Write permissions need to be set on the files and templates_c folders. This is where PDF forms and temporary PDF files will be stored.
Do I need Adobe Acrobat in order to create PDF Forms?
While Adobe Acrobat is one of the most popular options to create PDF forms there are free and alternatives.