PDF annotations

[aflat362]

Has anyone done anything with annotations on PDF documents in Content
Manager?

Currently our users use the Viewer applet for viewing Tiff, Jpg and
Text documents. This allows them to create visual annotations and
store them as an annotation part in Content Manager. They use both
the applet in the eClient as well as a custom applet composed of the
same java beans for custom applications.

They also use PDF documents. PDF documents don't show up in the
applet so they can't make annotations. However, adobe standard allows
you to create adobe annotations on the PDF.

So - our users are wondering why they can't make annotations on the
PDF document and have those stored as a part. We were thinking that
the users could simply save the PDF to their computer, create their
adobe annotations and then save a new copy of the document in CM but
this is too much work. They would rather do annotations for PDFs just
like they do for Jpgs, etc. on the Applet viewer.

Anyone have any info on this or any ideas? Like, is there a way to
get the PDF documents to show up in the applet viewer? Or is there
some way to extend Acrobat to allow you to store the Adobe annotations
as an annotation part in CM? Anything else that might work?

[javier plumey]

Hi,

There is no easy way to do this. The viewer applet does not support
viewing PDF's natively. Extending the viewer applet is very difficult,
almost like starting from scratch.

Storing the annotations in CM for a PDF can be tricky, but is also
doable. I can think of two options:

1. Write an Adobe plugin:
http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/customizing.html

That allows you the option of saving PDF's directly to CM, and then
processing the PDF layers to make them into CM parts. Tricky, but
doable.
The trickiest thing here is going to be handling things like off-line
edits, loading up existing annotations, etc.

2. Use a third party applet viewer that supports PDF's and implement the
logic there.

Both of these options are much simpler stated than done, but given a
little thought, they can be done.

Let me know if you want to talk about it in detail, maybe we can help
you out.

Regards,

Javier Plumey
Technical Lead, SYSCOM Inc.
jpl...@syscom.com

[aflat362]

On Feb 2, 9:49 am, "javier plumey" <javierplu...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi,
>
> There is no easy way to do this. The viewer applet does not support
> viewing PDF's natively. Extending the viewer applet is very difficult,
> almost like starting from scratch.
>
> Storing the annotations in CM for a PDF can be tricky, but is also
> doable. I can think of two options:
>
> 1. Write an Adobe plugin:http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/customizing.html
>
> That allows you the option of saving PDF's directly to CM, and then
> processing the PDF layers to make them into CM parts. Tricky, but
> doable.
> The trickiest thing here is going to be handling things like off-line
> edits, loading up existing annotations, etc.
>
> 2. Use a third party applet viewer that supports PDF's and implement the
> logic there.
>
> Both of these options are much simpler stated than done, but given a
> little thought, they can be done.
>
> Let me know if you want to talk about it in detail, maybe we can help
> you out.
>
> Regards,
>
> Javier Plumey
> Technical Lead, SYSCOM Inc.

> jplu...@syscom.com

> as an annotation part in CM? Anything else that might work?- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Javier,

Thanks for the post

--Allan

[IICE]

I would change the IDMadmindefaults.properties file from application/
pdf=launch to application/pdf=applet. This will launch the PDF mime
type with the applet viewer.
http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/infocenter/cmgmt/v8r3m0/index.jsp?topic=/com.ibm.eclient.doc/cmbecmst66.htm
Hope this helps!

[axis]

Unfortunately, the viewer applet will not load a PDF (I've tried it).
I am afraid javier plumey has the only available solution.