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We need to "serve" multi-page documents to website visitors. Documents
are personalized for the visitor with relevant JPG photos- 1 on each
page. Visitors will print these documents and enclose in a binder.

For these to print "nicely" am I correct in assuming we would have to
first dynamically merge into a pdf document using available software,
and serve it to site visitors for downloading, or can we get away
cheaper (software-wise) by just letting them print a dynamically
generated web page. Any way to improve on screen resolution of 72dpi
(?). I assume with a pdf we could control dpi of the documents we are
serving to insure quality printouts.

Can we do similar with Word, and would that be cheaper software? Can
word control dpi in final doc, as would pdf? Thanks.

phil <> typed:
> We need to "serve" multi-page documents to website visitors. Documents
> are personalized for the visitor with relevant JPG photos- 1 on each
> page. Visitors will print these documents and enclose in a binder.
>
> For these to print "nicely" am I correct in assuming we would have to
> first dynamically merge into a pdf document using available software,
> and serve it to site visitors for downloading, or can we get away
> cheaper (software-wise) by just letting them print a dynamically
> generated web page. Any way to improve on screen resolution of 72dpi
> (?). I assume with a pdf we could control dpi of the documents we are
> serving to insure quality printouts.
>

I guess the dpi of images in html-pages (text is printed with dpi set in the
properties of the print anyhow, since it's not grafics, but digital
information) depends on the image itself, not so much on the filetype that
includes it. Long story short: putting no design-elements in that break the
print (e.g. table that is wider than a leaf of paper is) should work with
html, too.

"phil" <> wrote in message
news: om...
> We need to "serve" multi-page documents to website visitors. Documents
> are personalized for the visitor with relevant JPG photos- 1 on each
> page. Visitors will print these documents and enclose in a binder.

Can you go into more detail as to the context the visitor will be using the
website?
One of the biggest issues you're going to have to deal with is the amount of
data you're passing to the visitor.
No matter what format you use, if you're serving up a high-resolution image
(be that as part of a PDF, a jpg, or PSD), you're dealing with a lot of
data.
If this is a site on the web, you may want to rethink this idea (bear in
mind, I don't know the context).
So, perhaps with a little more detail, some ideas can be ferretted out.

-Karl

"phil" <> wrote in message
news: om...
> We need to "serve" multi-page documents to website visitors. Documents
> are personalized for the visitor with relevant JPG photos- 1 on each
> page. Visitors will print these documents and enclose in a binder.

This does not really sound like the kind of application a web page is
designed for.

Example?

--
Cheers
Richard.

"phil" <> wrote in message
news: om...
> We need to "serve" multi-page documents to website visitors. Documents
> are personalized for the visitor with relevant JPG photos- 1 on each
> page. Visitors will print these documents and enclose in a binder.
>
> For these to print "nicely" am I correct in assuming we would have to
> first dynamically merge into a pdf document using available software,
> and serve it to site visitors for downloading, or can we get away
> cheaper (software-wise) by just letting them print a dynamically
> generated web page. Any way to improve on screen resolution of 72dpi
> (?). I assume with a pdf we could control dpi of the documents we are
> serving to insure quality printouts.

The resolution will affect only the image. Text will always print sharp.
The same is true with PDFs.

You can try this:

Let's say you have an image that will print 2 inches wide, 144 pixels. Use a
larger image and resize it with the image width.

<img width="144" ...>

Not tested...

Jeff

>
> Can we do similar with Word, and would that be cheaper software? Can
> word control dpi in final doc, as would pdf? Thanks.

Karl and others:

Our requirement is that visitors log in, and a printable 8 page, 8.5 x
11 document of some type generates (either PDF, Word, or hopefully
just the printable web page so no additional software needed on
server, or downloading reqd by visitor). 8 Page document needs to
dynamically generate with a JPG photo, unique to that individual,
inserted on each page (sorry for being inexact, but "tell you but have
to kill you" type thing). There will also be some merging text into a
few spots on each of 8 pages. A basic template will be used for the 8
page document and stored on server, and the relevant, merging photo
and text will be stored in database on server & linked to the member
id.

This is a fee based service, so theoretically the bandwith usage will
grow in proportion to revenue, but any guidance on such costs would be
appreciated. I think that bandwith gets much cheaper as you get into
high volume...but I will check this. These will be "graphics-rich" 8
pages, with colorful borders, standard fonts, set at a dpi
(hopefully!) enough for home printing on typical color inkjet
printer...perhaps 125-150 dpi. I dont know typical final file
sizes...hope above helps.

At beginning perhaps we may serve out 100s of the 8 page documents
daily, eventually 1000s...

The colors and even size of printable image need be close to 8.5 x 11,
so it all fits on printed page, but need not be exact, which is why we
hope we can get away with html only, not PDF or Word. If we use PDF
files we will include target punches for 3 hole binders on left side
of page, but if html I assume different browsers will print slightly
differently in size, so we wont attempt this....but can we get it to
print to fit on 8.5 x 11 page with decent resolution?

phil wrote:

> For these to print "nicely" am I correct in assuming we would have to
> first dynamically merge into a pdf document using available software,
> and serve it to site visitors for downloading, or can we get away
> cheaper (software-wise) by just letting them print a dynamically
> generated web page.

You could theoretically serve it as a web page -- CSS 2 allows you a great
amount of control over how a document is printed. In practice though,
Opera is the only browser that supports CSS 2 well enough.

--
Toby A Inkster BSc (Hons) ARCS
Contact Me - http://www.goddamn.co.uk/tobyink/?page=132

I am reposting this at the bottom of the thread - also appears above-
I didnt realize responses to prior postings get inserted midway into
thread....
______________________________________

Karl and others:

Our requirement is that visitors log in, and a printable 8 page, 8.5 x
11 document of some type generates (either PDF, Word, or hopefully
just the printable web page so no additional software needed on
server, or downloading reqd by visitor). 8 Page document needs to
dynamically generate with a JPG photo, unique to that individual,
inserted on each page (sorry for being inexact, but "tell you but have
to kill you" type thing). There will also be some merging text into a
few spots on each of 8 pages. A basic template will be used for the 8
page document and stored on server, and the relevant, merging photo
and text will be stored in database on server & linked to the member
id.

This is a fee based service, so theoretically the bandwith usage will
grow in proportion to revenue, but any guidance on such costs would be
appreciated. I think that bandwith gets much cheaper as you get into
high volume...but I will check this. These will be "graphics-rich" 8
pages, with colorful borders, standard fonts, set at a dpi
(hopefully!) enough for home printing on typical color inkjet
printer...perhaps 125-150 dpi. I dont know typical final file
sizes...hope above helps.

At beginning perhaps we may serve out 100s of the 8 page documents
daily, eventually 1000s...

The colors and even size of printable image need be close to 8.5 x 11,
so it all fits on printed page, but need not be exact, which is why we
hope we can get away with html only, not PDF or Word. If we use PDF
files we will include target punches for 3 hole binders on left side
of page, but if html I assume different browsers will print slightly
differently in size, so we wont attempt this....but can we get it to
print to fit on 8.5 x 11 page with decent resolution?

"phil" <> wrote in message
news: om...
> I am reposting this at the bottom of the thread - also appears above-
> I didnt realize responses to prior postings get inserted midway into
> thread....
> ______________________________________
>
> Karl and others:

<snip>

Phil.

With all due respect you seem to be out of your depth. This is probably why
you are resorting to asking us.

Your explanation of your requirements does not actually make sense, probably
because, as you say, you will have to kill me.

I think it is about time to tell your superiors to hire a professional web
designer who will advise them on them on the errors in their ways. This
professional will give you answers far faster and better than you will get
here, after all you will be paying said professional.

I would also throw in a professional programmer, a database expert, a
graphic designer and probably a greenie to complain about the paper wastage


--
Cheers
Richard.

(phil) wrote:

> 8 Page document needs to
> dynamically generate with a JPG photo, unique to that individual,
> inserted on each page (

Looks like you have some ASP programming ahead of you to generate web pages
from dynamic XML content.

The Doormouse

--
The Doormouse cannot be reached by e-mail without her permission.