I need help with PDF::API2 to make a PDF file navigation aide

[Ted Byers]

I have used this, along with a couple other of the PDF modules, to
create what are now rather large PDF files. They are a bit tedious to
scroll through, so what I want to do now is create something like a
table of contents that is always displayed in a narrow strip along the
left margin that allows the reader to simply select an item in that
window and have the corresponding page appear in the main window. But
unlike a conventional table of contents, it would never appear at the
beginning of the document in the main window (and unlike an index, it
would never appear at the end of the document).

What is the normal term for this 'object' in the PDF documentation?
How do I create it (or is it always present even if not visible, in a
PDF file created by new('filename.pdf')), and how do I specify that
this page, but not that page, should be linked to it with this title?

Thanks

Ted

 

[Peter J. Holzer]

I have used this, along with a couple other of the PDF modules, to
create what are now rather large PDF files. They are a bit tedious to
scroll through, so what I want to do now is create something like a
table of contents that is always displayed in a narrow strip along the
left margin that allows the reader to simply select an item in that
window and have the corresponding page appear in the main window. But
unlike a conventional table of contents, it would never appear at the
beginning of the document in the main window (and unlike an index, it
would never appear at the end of the document).

What is the normal term for this 'object' in the PDF documentation?

I think in PDF::API2 it's called an "outline", although normally the term
"bookmark" is more common.

How do I create it (or is it always present even if not visible, in a
PDF file created by new('filename.pdf')), and how do I specify that
this page, but not that page, should be linked to it with this title?

perldoc PDF::API2
perldoc PDF::API2::Outlines
perldoc PDF::API2::Outline

unfortunately the docs are very terse.

hp

 

[Ted Byers]

I think in PDF::API2 it's called an "outline", although normally the term
"bookmark" is more common.


perldoc PDF::API2
perldoc PDF::API2::Outlines
perldoc PDF::API2::Outline

unfortunately the docs are very terse.

        hp

You're right. To say the documentation is terse is a gross
understatement!

Have you used PDF__API2 to create an outline?

 

[Peter J. Holzer]

You're right. To say the documentation is terse is a gross
understatement!

Have you used PDF__API2 to create an outline?

No. So far I've used PDF::API2 only to create very short PDFs, which
didn't need an outline. I have created PDFs with outlines with
PDF::Create, but PDF::Create was unmaintained even when I used it many
years ago, and very limited, so I can't recommend it (checking CPAN ...
oh, it was updated this year - maybe I should look at it again).

hp