I need to download government forms (PDFs) that need to be filled out.
The data is kept in a FM8 database.
Is there any way to automatically 'fill-in' the forms with the data in
the database automatically?

TIA,
Joe

I haven't done this with a PDF I have used a JPEG file of a form. I
put it on the layout and overlay the form with the fields of
information. Worked for me.
TK

JoeT wrote:

Joe,

Not really.

In Windows, PDFs will print at very low resolution (and take forever) when
they are placed on layouts or in container fields. So the technique of
placing the form and overlaying the entry blanks with fields won't work too
well unless you are on a Mac (which does a decent job of it, I hear.)

While in FileMaker 8.5 you could present the form with a web viewer object,
in Windows (at least) you cannot overlay any FileMaker fields; they just
won't appear.

There are two kinds of "interactive" PDFs: Fill Out and Print; Fill Out and
Submit

The "Fill Out and Submit" kind use email or HTTP "post" to send the data.
You could use FileMaker to mimic the data that would be submitted, if you
know its proper structure.

The "Fill Out and Print" kind would be a lot more difficult to emulate in
FileMaker. You would have to get the form as a high-resolution bitmap in the
background of the FileMaker layout and overlay fields.

Also keep in mind that it is possible to have "dynamic" interactive PDFs.
These forms change their layout -- expanding and collapsing sections, for
example -- depending on user input. Interactive PDFs can also have
calculations and logic built into them.

Both of these approaches, though, are really kludges that would take a lot
of time to implement and may still yield results that are not acceptable to
the agency receiving them. Basically PDF was intended so that live persons
would be the ones filling out these forms.

Your best bet is to replicate the layout of the form(s) using FileMaker
tools and objects. Most government agencies have to accept forms that comply
with published standards for the forms.