High-Quality PDF Generation of Node Content with Apache FOP

Although there are some excellent PHP libraries for converting HTML to PDF in Drupal, many times you are left wanting more control over the exact layout and appearance of the generated PDF. Apache FOP, a Java based print formatter for XSLT formatting objects (XSLT-FO), allows precise control of layout to the field level and practically limitless control over the appearance of the generated PDF - to include unique headers, watermarks and pagination.

This session will teach you how to set up the PHP/Java bridge, and how to utilize it to invoke Java methods from your Drupal module. Specifically, we'll walkthrough the creation of a Drupal module for creating a PDF generation Action utilizing the PHP/Java bridge to call Apache FOP to generate the PDF. Then we will walk-through the configuration of Triggers for executing that action whenever a node is created or updated.

In addition to the more Drupal specific knowledge, you will also have the opportunity to learn the basics of XSLT-FO to include some excellent tips for generating beautiful PDFs.