PDF to web form conversion
A PDF to Web form converter operates to establish an image of an uploaded PDF form as an HTML background image of a new Web page. The converter additionally operates to query the uploaded PDF form to determine the name and type of user-interactive fields present in the PDF form, as well as to determine the size and placement of the user-interactive fields. The converter then converts the PDF user-interactive fields to HTML fields having the same type and name, and having a size and pixel location that corresponds to the PDF field. The HTML user-interactive fields are placed atop the HTML background image to present to the user a two layer Web form (e.g., layer one: background, layer two: user-interactive fields) that appears substantially identical to the PDF form.
1. A method comprising:
uploading a PDF (portable document format) form to the Web;
establishing the PDF form as a background image to a Web page comprising a user-interactive HTML (hypertext markup language) Web form, the background image established through a data URI (uniform resource identifier) to an encrypted link and comprising a first layer of the user-interactive HTML Web form;
querying the PDF form to determine a type, name, size and location of one or more user-interactive fields in the PDF form;
defining an HTML user-interactive field corresponding to each of the one or more user-interactive fields in the PDF form for placement atop the background image to establish the user-interactive HTML Web form; and
providing the user-interactive HTML Web form that corresponds in appearance to the PDF form comprising the background image of the PDF form as the first layer of the user-interactive HTML Web form and the HTML user-interactive fields as a second layer of the user-interactive HTML Web form.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein establishing the PDF form as the background image includes scaling the background image to a size suitable for a Web display.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein defining the HTML user-interactive field includes defining a type, name, size and location of the HTML user-interactive field including applying a formula to determine a first pixel location of each HTML user-interactive field and a width and height of each HTML user-interactive field.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein defining the HTML user-interactive field includes scaling the size and location of the HTML user-interactive field proportionately to a scaling applied to the background image.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the HTML user-interactive fields of the user-interactive HTML Web form comprise: a text box, a check box, a radio button, or a free text area.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method is performed without using JavaScript.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising enabling saving of data entered into the HTML user-interactive fields to a local or remote location.
8. A PDF to Web form converting system comprising:
a processor configured to execute only HTML (hypertext markup language) and CSS (cascading style sheets) instructions stored in a memory, wherein the execution of the instructions causes the processor to:
upload a PDF (portable document format) form to the Web;
establish the PDF form as a background image to a Web page comprising a user-interactive HTML (hypertext markup language) Web form, the background image established through a data URI (uniform resource identifier) to an encrypted link and comprising a first layer of the user-interactive HTML Web form;
query the PDF form to determine a type, name, size and location of one or more user-interactive fields in the PDF form;
define an HTML user-interactive field corresponding to each of the one or more user-interactive fields in the PDF form for placement atop the background image to establish a user-interactive HTML Web form; and
providing the user-interactive HTML Web form that corresponds in appearance to the PDF form comprising the background image of the PDF form as the first layer of the user-interactive HTML Web form and the HTML user-interactive fields as a second layer of the user-interactive HTML Web form.
9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the execution of the instructions causing the processor to establish the PDF form as the background image further causes the processor to scale the background image to a size suitable for a Web display.
10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the execution of the instructions causing the processor to define the HTML user-interactive field further causes the processor to define a type, name, size and location of the HTML user-interactive field.
11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the execution of the instructions causing the processor to define the HTML user-interactive field further causes the processor scale the size and location of the HTML user-interactive field proportionately to a scale applied to the background image.
12. The system of claim 8 , wherein the HTML user-interactive fields of the user-interactive HTML Web form comprise: a text box, a check box, a radio button, or a free text area.
13. The system of claim 8 , wherein the execution of the instructions causes the processor to additionally: enable saving of data entered into the HTML user-interactive fields to a local or remote location.
14. A user-interactive HTML (hypertext markup language) Web form comprising:
an HTML background image obtained from a PDF form that has been uploaded to the Web, the background image established through a data URI (uniform resource identifier) to an encrypted link and comprising a first layer of the user-interactive HTML Web form; and
an HTML user-interactive field positioned atop the HTML background image, wherein the HTML user-interactive field is of a same type as a corresponding user-interactive field of the uploaded PDF form, wherein the background image of the PDF form comprises the first layer of the user-interactive HTML Web form and the HTML user-interactive field comprises a second layer of the user-interactive HTML Web form.
15. The Web form of claim 14 , wherein the HTML user-interactive field is positioned at a corresponding location and is of a corresponding size as the user-interactive field of the uploaded PDF form.
16. The Web form of claim 15 , wherein the HTML background image is scaled for a Web display and wherein the HTML user-interactive field is scaled in proportion to the HTML background image.
17. The Web form of claim 14 , wherein the HTML user-interactive field comprises: a text box, a check box, a radio button, or a free text area.
18. The Web form of claim 14 , wherein the Web form is configured for population by a model object.
19. The Web form of claim 14 , wherein the HTML user-interactive field is defined with the same name as the corresponding user-interactive field of the uploaded PDF form.
20. The Web form of claim 14 , wherein the HTML user-interactive field is defined with a path to a database.