How to create a PS form and populate it from a database?
Fixed format forms can be created in any graphic editor and contain any presentation graphics. The variable content fields can be reserved using placeholder EPS files. The placeholder EPS files can be replaced with variable content using standard Unix text tools. For many years a similar technique has been used in OPI workflow. Alternatively, the placeholder EPS files can be made smart and print themselves. Variable content can be retrieved from PostScript VM or external files. Variable format documents need text reflow and re-pagination. You have the option of using available resources for direct PostScript text formatting, or creating the report in a higher level page layout language (TeX, groff) and converting it to PostScript or PDF. In most cases it is impossible to replace words in a PostScript document harvested from a standard PostScript driver. Drivers can fragment the word for kerning without xshow, use hexadecimal strings, or convert the line of text to a sampled image. The
