Tool suggestion to import/export PDF Files

Hi Crystal,

If form fields in PDF are random then only way out is to create a mapping, for example, the form field names for First Name are:
firstname
fname
first name
fn
and assuming your database field name is firstname

then you could have a mapping table as shown below:
Source Field Target Field
firstname firstname
fname firstname
first name firstname
fname firstname

After that using itextsharp you can read pdf fields

var pdfReader = new PdfReader("yourpdffilename");

// loop through your sourcefieldnames
//Pseudo code 
foreach(var sourcefieldname in pdfReader.AcroFields.Fields
if(pdfReader.AcroFields.Fields.contains(sourcefieldname))
{
targetFieldName =pdfReader.AcroFields.Fields.GetField(sourcefieldname) 
}

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I wrote this code without IDE so you might want to tweak datatypes and some string conversation, but I hope you are getting the idea.

You can make it as dynamics as you want and then finally present the mapping to the user to verify it.

Regards,
Chinmay.

Thank you for your comment.  We now use iTextSharp.  My problem is for this particular form, we can't control the field names and they will change when their is a new version.

Not only do I need to create a PDF once the data is in the database, I also need to know if there is a tool to import PDF's?

You mean a tool that can read PDF Form fields? and then import them in the database?

Yes, exactly!  I have looked at SyncFusion for an easy way to create PDF's.  But have not found a good way to import the PDF and read the form fields.

Thanks!  I appreciate the response.  I don't think there is such a tool either.

Wew.. I totally forgot about this question... Thank you :)