PDF Stamps or WaterMarks

I have several PDF templates, which one with its own design. Each one may be elaborated by a different developer. These templates are PDFs with empty form fields.

The process of stuffing data into the fields is centralized by a single program. This program grabs data from XML documents and merge it into the fields. Basically the XML document is a field name/field content relation.

On this program, that does generates the final PDFs, I want to add some sayings to the output PDF. Something like this :

"This document was digitally generated by 'X Institution', on DD/MM/YYYY at HH:MM:SS and has this unique protocol number : 999999".

I dont know which is the best approach to add these sayings to the document. I've thought about :

1) Demand the developers to provide these fields (or sayings) on each and every designed template. I think it would be difficult to keep a standard, however, because each person could do it differently or even worse - dont do it at all.

2) Add some sort of stamp to the generated PDF. I've seen something about stamps on PDFs but I dont know exactly what is it.

3) Use some sort of watermark. Dont know if we can do that with PDFs.

What do you "PDF masters" out there think of it ? What's the best approach ? Is there another one beyond the ones I suggested ?

Thanks in advance 4 your help !

Hi Ingo !

Thank you so much for your support .

Even if you're not that Master you're more Master than I :-)

I do agree that the process should be centralized, to always look the same way.

Can we have a standard placing for the watermark ? I think so...

Should you want to see how a template of ours is , go get one from here :

http://www.online.unimep.br/rps/ag/ag223a.pdf

It is a document that proofs that the student is enrolled to our University.

Thanks again 4 your help !

Hi Ingo !

Have you got my PDF template ? The one I suggested above ?

Maybe we could have several positions for the WaterMark. But let's start with your suggestion anyway and we add positioning later.

On the other hand, how could I be angry with you when you're beeing so kind ?

Once more, thank you so much !

Auf wiedersehn !

Hi Ingo

Once more, thank you for your help. However, you're trying to speak German while I'm still trying to understand English !

I managed to simplify a lot your program, rewriting it in VBScript to work as a simple command line one. I think VBScript is a more common designator for us all. As a matter of fact, I'll have to port it later to XBase++ wich is the language I work with here.

Also, to make things even simpler I just want to add the WaterMark on top of the page, at first.

Then, I still need some help with the script below. Cant have it centralizing the text on the page...

OPTION EXPLICIT

DIM objMyForm,nReturn,nCount,nI,fName,fValue,poptions,atf,ts,tl,Text,xPos,yPos

Set objMyForm = WScript.CreateObject("ISED.QUICKPDF")

Text="I'm Mr WaterMark !"

WScript.Echo "UnlockKey" ,objMyForm.unlockkey("mykey")
WScript.Echo "LoadFile " ,objMyForm.LoadFromFile("TEST.PDF")
WScript.Echo "Origin   " ,objMyForm.SetOrigin(1)
WScript.Echo "Units    " ,objMyForm.SetMeasurementUnits(0) 'means pixel
WScript.Echo "paginas " ,objMyForm.PageCount
WScript.Echo "sel page " ,objMyForm.SelectPage(1)
WScript.Echo "unencript" ,objMyForm.Unencrypt
WScript.Echo "add font " ,atf = objMyForm.AddTrueTypeFont("Arial [Bold] {850}", 1) ' Font Arial Bold ... But not embedded !
WScript.Echo "sel font " ,objMyForm.SelectFont(atf)
WScript.Echo "page heig" ,objMyForm.PageHeight
WScript.Echo "pag width" ,objMyForm.PageWidth
ts=18
WScript.Echo "set txtsz" ,objMyForm.SetTextSize(18)
WScript.Echo "set trans" ,objMyForm.SetTransparency(50)

xPos=(objMyForm.PageWidth - ts) \ 2 - ts
yPos=objMyForm.PageHeight-10
yPos=20

WScript.Echo "xPos     " ,xPos
WScript.Echo "yPos     " ,yPos

WScript.Echo "draw     ",objMyForm.DrawRotatedText(xPos,yPos,0,Text)
WScript.Echo "save     ",objMyForm.SaveToFile("C:\TEMP\TEST.PDF")

I'm using this PDF :

http://www.DES.online.unimep.br/rps/ag/ag223a.pdf

Hi Ingo

Sure, centralizing is a piece of cake ! I managed to get it working based on your hints (script at end).

Now I'm still having problems with Adding Font. Dont know why it doesnt work...

Would it maybe be because the PDF file already has Arial ?

-------------------------------------------------------

OPTION EXPLICIT

DIM objMyForm,nReturn,nCount,nI,fName,fValue,poptions,atf,ts,tl,Text,xPos,yPos

Set objMyForm = WScript.CreateObject("ISED.QUICKPDF")

WScript.Echo "UnlockKey" ,objMyForm.unlockkey("mykey")
WScript.Echo "LoadFile " ,objMyForm.LoadFromFile("TEST.PDF")
WScript.Echo "Origin   " ,objMyForm.SetOrigin(1)
WScript.Echo "Units    " ,objMyForm.SetMeasurementUnits(0) 'means pixel
WScript.Echo "paginas " ,objMyForm.PageCount
WScript.Echo "sel page " ,objMyForm.SelectPage(1)
WScript.Echo "unencript" ,objMyForm.Unencrypt
WScript.Echo "add font " ,atf = objMyForm.AddTrueTypeFont("Arial [Bold] {850}", 1) ' Font Arial Bold ... But not embedded !
WScript.Echo "sel font " ,objMyForm.SelectFont(atf)
WScript.Echo "set trans" ,objMyForm.SetTransparency(50)

Text="I'm Mr WaterMark !"

xPos=(objMyForm.PageWidth - objMyForm.GetTextWidth(Text)) \ 2
yPos=objMyForm.PageHeight-10
'yPos=20

WScript.Echo "draw     ",objMyForm.DrawRotatedText(xPos,yPos,0,Text)
WScript.Echo "save     ",objMyForm.SaveToFile("C:\TEMP\TEST.PDF")