 What is PDFlib?
PDFlib is the leading developer toolbox for generating and manipu
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lating files in the Portable Document Format (PDF). PDFlib’s main
targets are dynamic PDF creation on a Web server or any other
server system, and to implement »Save as PDF« in existing applica
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tions. You can use PDFlib to dynamically create PDF documents
from database contents, similar to dynamic Web pages. PDFlib has
proven itself in a wide range of other use cases as well. Application
programmers need only decent graphics or print output experience
to be able to use PDFlib quickly. Since PDFlib frees you from the
technicalities of the PDF file format, you can focus on acquiring the
data and arranging text, graphics, and images on the page.
The PDFlib product family is available in three different flavors:
PDFlib, PDFlib+PDI (PDF Import), and the PDFlib Personalization
Server (PPS).
PDFlib
PDFlib offers all functions required to generate PDF documents
with text, graphics, images, and interactive elements such as an
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notations or bookmarks. Use PDFlib for the following tasks:
- Add »Save as PDF« capability to your application
- Create PDF documents on a Web server in real time
- Create database reports in PDF
- Create PDF/X-1/3/4/5 documents for commercial printing
- Convert TIFF, JPEG, or other image formats to PDF
- Create PDF/A for archiving
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What’s new in PDFlib 8?
New PDF Features for Acrobat 9
PDFlib supports various PDF features according to Acrobat 9 (tech
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nically: PDF 1.7 Adobe extension level 3):
- External graphical content (Reference XObjects)
- Layer variants (also called layer configurations)
- PDF Portfolios
- Georeferenced PDF
- AES-256 encryption and Unicode passwords
- PDFlib+PDI and PPS can import and process Acrobat 9 data.
Font Handling and Text Output
Quite a number of new typographical features can be found in
PDFlib 8:
- Complex script shaping and bidirectional formatting for Arabic,
Thai, Hindi, and many other writing systems
- Fallback fonts
- OpenType layout features, e.g. ligatures and swash characters
- Retain fonts across documents
- SING fonts for CJK Gaiji characters
- Redesigned font engine
- Wrap text around image clipping paths
- Text on a path
PDFlib Block Plugin and the PDFlib Personalization Server
The PDFlib Block Plugin is used to prepare PDF documents for Block
filling (personalization) with the PDFlib Personalization Server
(PPS). New features:
- Preview PPS Block processing in Acrobat
- Redesigned user interface
- Snap-to-grid for quickly layout out Blocks in a raster
- Additional Block properties, e.g. for transparency
- Clone PDF/A or PDF/X status of the Block container
- Leverage PDFlib 8 features with Blocks
Other important features
There are a number of other important new features, details can be
found in the product documentation:
- Reusable path objects
- PDF/X-4 and PDF/X-5
- Alpha channel in TIFF and PNG images
- JBIG2-compressed images
- Compressed object streams and cross-reference streams
- Built-in PANTONE® Goe™ color libraries
- PDFlib 8 also introduces a variety of improvements in existing functions.
http://www.pdflib.com/fileadmin/pdflib/pdf/datasheets/PDFlib-8-datasheet.pdf |
