please recommend a program for filling out pdf forms (solved)

[dancytron]

What's a good program to use to fill out pdf forms? Debian dog or puppy, it doesn't really matter I have versions of both up and running.

I usually just view and pdf's in my browser, but I need to fill out a mail in ballot request form.

thanks.

[Dingo]

Pdftk Is able to fill forms

I compiled many years ago the latest version on puppy 3.01 with gcc 4.1.2 and gcj (gnu compiler for Java) (I don't know if it is working in later puppies but you can try) You need the dependency (libgcj.so.7-pdftk-dep.pet) uploaded in the same folder on OneDrive

https://onedrive.live.com/?id=403CED9EF ... 9EF9D5F298

You need an fdf file to fill forms, see:

https://www.cs.unb.ca/~bremner/blog/pos ... ith_pdftk/

I also remember that

PDF x-change viewer (fully working with wine)
https://www.tracker-software.com/produc ... nge-viewer

Has a typewriter mode that makes possible filling forms

[bigpup]

The free version of Master PDF should be able to fill a pdf form.
It just does basic stuff and shows what the full program offers.
https://code-industry.net/free-pdf-editor/
Some are in deb packages.
They will install, but they will not make a menu entry in Puppy.
They do make a /usr/share/applications .desktop file, you can drag and drop to desktop, to click on, to run.

Hardest thing is figuring out which one to use for the Puppy version you are using.

I got one working in Fossapup64 9.5 using the deb package for Ubuntu 16x - 20x.

[wiak]

If you want to use Master pdf editor (which is a good choice) you really need the older 4.6.1 version (not one of the newer releases, since many functions do not function in the newer free version):

fredx181 added it to BusterDog repo sometime back:

http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewto ... 14#1061628

https://doglinux.github.io/busterdog/amd64/
https://doglinux.github.io/busterdog/i386/

You do get an 'upgrade message' on startup, which you should just ignore.

LibreOffice can also be used to edit pdf, but personally I always use Masterpdf 4.6.1

wiak

[dancytron]

Thanks everybody.

I was able to install master-pdf-editor from Fred's repo in my Debian Dog stretch and get it taken care of.

[bigpup]

master-pdf-editor from Fred's repo tried it in Fossapup64 9.5
No good.
Needed missing dependencies.
Welcome to Linux software.

[rcrsn51]

master-pdf-editor from Fred's repo tried it in Fossapup64 9.5
No good.
Needed missing dependencies.
Welcome to Linux software.

Software should be run on the platform for which it was developed.

Fred's package is a deb. If run in a compatible environment, it will auto-install the required dependencies as specified in its Control file.

[wiak]

master-pdf-editor from Fred's repo tried it in Fossapup64 9.5
No good.
Needed missing dependencies.
Welcome to Linux software.

I think Fred extracted that one from an sfs made by festus on old forum for Puppy Linux. Of course, in Dogs, it wouldn't be packaged with dependencies as a deb since debian package manager will automatically pull down any needed dependencies from debian repo on deb installation. I use the same Master pdf in my WeeDogLinux Arch64, but I got mine way back from main Master pdf download site as a tar.gz which I simply untar into a folder of its own. However, since not using official Arch package (which would have also auto-downloaded any needed dependencies) I have to manually install the one or two missing deps myself (I think one of these is libsane?). So on some Pups (if the dependencies don't auto-install) you should take careful note of what it says is missing and find that in that Pup type's upstream repo(s) and try again, and repeat that simple process until all missing deps have been installed. Once again, an alternative would be for someone to locate and upload the sfs Festus made, assuming that has the missing deps included in the sfs, or for someone to make a new sfs with these deps. Personally, I'd just note down what the missing deps are and simply fetch these from official Pup repos, since they are pretty much bound to be there in most modern Pups (since these use Debian/Ubuntu/Slackware official repos anyway). So with auto dependency handling its a bit easier with one of the Dogs, but not significantly harder to install the Dog Master pdf editor deb on a Pup followed by run it (maybe more than once) to ascertain the few missing dependencies, and then locate and install these using PPM.

wiak

[bigpup]

Well, thanks for all that info!

master-pdf-editor from Fred's repo tried it in Fossapup64 9.5
I just did this to see if it would work in another version of Puppy.

I got a working package from the Master PDF web site download.
See my other post higher up in this topic.

[mikeslr]

In order to run masterpdfeditor under Puppies if you download a package from the official webpage, you'll probably have to install qt libs, specifically or higher: libQtSvg.so.4, libQtGui.so.4, libQtNetwork.so.4, libQtCore.so.4.

I run this application as an "external": that is just download either the tar.gz or deb, UExtract it, place the extraction folder on /mnt/home and start the application when needed by clicking its executable. List Dynamic Dependencies told me which libraries were missing. They may be available via Puppy Package Manager. But IIRC I obtained them from https://pkgs.org/. A search for each of the above revealed later versions. Accompanying the later versions when they were downloaded were symbolic links named as above. So I only had to decompress the downloads and drop the files into /usr/lib.

I install qt libs rather than re-packaging apps as several applications have them as dependencies. The deb from fred's repo may also require them if used under Puppies. If a later version of a library than sought by the app doesn't include a symbolic link with the sought-for name you'll have to manually create it.

I'm not sure if the old version I downloaded is still available. But this post has viable links to both 32 and 64 bit versions: https://www.linuxuprising.com/2019/04/d ... linux.html. ldd indicates the dependencies noted above.

[oui]

you can of course try to fill out your pdf forms with some pdf tools.

this is certainly a special way to use in some case out the modern time.

but a lot of form are only the pdf copy of an administrative form having a very complex background as well as needing more than text only.

the best way is probably in most situations to use some powerful office suite where the administrative form is only a back ground picture !

this is easy to say but really tricky to realize

I did write a few years ago a tutor in the old puppy forum in English, French and German about such a job.

you can set the form as picture under the complex document made of formular dialog with entry names and answers, hide a lot of steps to calculate and show only the divers goals as answers.

look a it, you will spare a lot of start difficulties!

[mikewalsh]

Here's a 64-bit 'portable' for Master PDF Editor 5, with included Qt4 libs.

I had the idea for doing something like this a while back, but more pressing concerns drove it out of my mind. Seeing this thread - and mikeslr's post above! - reminded me of it. So; there ya go.

Like all my 'portables', d/l; unzip; stick it anywhere you want. Click to enter, click on 'LAUNCH' to fire it up.

Y'all can find it here:-

https://drive.google.com/file/d/19fid5m ... sp=sharing

Enjoy.


Mike.

[bigpup]

mikewalsh,

Can I add your portable package download link to my Master PDF topic in Additional Software->Documents?
viewtopic.php?f=96&t=1047
I will put it in the first post.

May be better if you post your own topic about your software?
Anyway, would be good to have a direct topic for your version of Master PDF!!

[mikewalsh]

mikewalsh,

Can I add your portable package download link to my Master PDF topic in Additional Software->Documents?
viewtopic.php?f=96&t=1047
I will put it in the first post.

May be better if you post your own topic about your software?
Anyway, would be good to have a direct topic for your version of Master PDF!!

@bigpup :-

By all means; feel free.

I'll do a short thread for it, so folks are aware of its existence. Do be aware that this one was never intended to be totally "self-contained"; the main intent was to include a working set of Qt4 libs required by the app itself. It's quite possible other deps may be needed here & there; I can't possibly test every 64-bit Pup out there, and the way HP have implemented their ridiculous UEFI on this machine, well.....it's just not conducive to "casual" experimenting the way the old Compaq was!

Anything I want to 'try out' here has to be very carefully and deliberately worked-out in advance. Unless it's something I really want to try, I've often lost the initial enthusiasm by the time I get around to testing it..!

And they call this "progress". Huh. Go figure....


Mike.

[dancytron]

mikewalsh,

Can I add your portable package download link to my Master PDF topic in Additional Software->Documents?
viewtopic.php?f=96&t=1047
I will put it in the first post.

May be better if you post your own topic about your software?
Anyway, would be good to have a direct topic for your version of Master PDF!!

@bigpup :-

By all means; feel free.

I'll do a short thread for it, so folks are aware of its existence. Do be aware that this one was never intended to be totally "self-contained"; the main intent was to include a working set of Qt4 libs required by the app itself. It's quite possible other deps may be needed here & there; I can't possibly test every 64-bit Pup out there, and the way HP have implemented their ridiculous UEFI on this machine, well.....it's just not conducive to "casual" experimenting the way the old Compaq was!

Anything I want to 'try out' here has to be very carefully and deliberately worked-out in advance. Unless it's something I really want to try, I've often lost the initial enthusiasm by the time I get around to testing it..!

And they call this "progress". Huh. Go figure....


Mike.

I had to install libsane to get it to work in Debian Dog Stretch.