FieldPositioningEvents in iText fails on multiple pages

[Dan Kennedy]

I'm trying to use FieldPositioningEvents to create an acroform within a table. The problem is that when the table spans multiple pages, all of the cells are rendered on the last page. Does anyone know of a workaround. Below is the example from the book 'itext in action'. I modified the example to have a bigger table '116' rows instead of '16'. Sure enough, the example fails too!

import java.io.BufferedReader;
import java.io.FileOutputStream;
import java.io.FileReader;
import java.io.IOException;
import java.util.StringTokenizer;
 
import com.lowagie.text.Chunk;
import com.lowagie.text.Document;
import com.lowagie.text.DocumentException;
import com.lowagie.text.Element;
import com.lowagie.text.Font;
import com.lowagie.text.FontFactory;
import com.lowagie.text.Paragraph;
import com.lowagie.text.Phrase;
import com.lowagie.text.Rectangle;
import com.lowagie.text.pdf.BaseFont;
import com.lowagie.text.pdf.events.FieldPositioningEvents;
import com.lowagie.text.pdf.PdfAction;
import com.lowagie.text.pdf.PdfAnnotation;
import com.lowagie.text.pdf.PdfContentByte;
import com.lowagie.text.pdf.PdfFormField;
import com.lowagie.text.pdf.PdfName;
import com.lowagie.text.pdf.PdfPCell;
import com.lowagie.text.pdf.PdfPTable;
import com.lowagie.text.pdf.PdfPTableEvent;
import com.lowagie.text.pdf.PdfWriter;
import com.lowagie.text.pdf.TextField;

public class PdfTests implements PdfPTableEvent {
	 
	/**
	 * Creates an instance of an Event to add a field.
	 */
	public PdfTests() {
	}
 
	/**
	 * Generates a learning agreement form.
	 * 
	 * @param args
	 *            no arguments needed here
	 */
	public static void main(String[] args) {
		System.out.println("Chapter 17: example Learning Agreement");
		System.out.println("-> Creates a learning agreement form in PDF;");
		System.out.println("-> jars needed: iText.jar");
		System.out.println("-> resulting PDF: learning_agreement.pdf");
		// step 1: creation of a document-object
		Document document = new Document();
		try {
			// step 2:
			// we create a writer
			PdfWriter writer = PdfWriter.getInstance(
			// that listens to the document
					document,
					// and directs a PDF-stream to a file
					new FileOutputStream("d:\\jobs\\ipdf\\pdftests.pdf"));
 
			FieldPositioningEvents fpe = new FieldPositioningEvents();
			writer.setPageEvent(fpe);
			// step 3: we open the document
			document.open();
 
			StringBuffer js = new StringBuffer(
					"var code = new Array();\nvar name = new Array();\nvar credits = new Array();\n");
			StringBuffer items = new StringBuffer("''");
			
			String line;
			int i = 0;
			for (int j = 0; j < 116; j++) {
				line = "CS" + j + ";COMP SCI " + j + ";3";
				StringTokenizer js_courses = new StringTokenizer(line, ";");
				line = js_courses.nextToken();
				items.append(", '").append(line).append("'");
				js.append("code[").append(i).append("] = '");
				js.append(line).append("';\n");
				js.append("name[").append(i).append("] = '");
				js.append(js_courses.nextToken()).append("';\n");
				js.append("credits[").append(i).append("] = '");
				js.append(js_courses.nextToken()).append("';\n");
				i++;
			}
			
			js.append("for (i = 0; i < 116; i++) {\n");
			js.append("  f = this.getField('course_' + i + '.code');\n");
			js.append("  f.setItems([").append(items.toString())
					.append("]);\n");
			js.append("  f = this.getField('course_' + i + '.name');\n");
			js.append("  f.textSize = 0;\n");
			js.append("  f.multiline = true;\n");
			js.append("};\n");
			js.append("this.getField('academic_year').value = '2006-2007';");
			js.append("this.getField('field_of_study').value = 'ICT';");
			js.append("this.getField('student_name').setFocus();");
			js.append("function updateCourse(event) {\n");
			js.append("  target = event.target.name;\n");
			js.append("  parent = target.substring(0, target.length - 5);\n");
			js.append("  for (c = 0; c < code.length; c++) {\n");
			js.append("    if (event.value == code[c]) {\n");
			js
					.append("         this.getField(parent + '.name').value = name[c];");
			js
					.append("         this.getField(parent + '.credits').value = credits[c];");
			js.append("    }\n");
			js.append("  }\n");
			js.append("  this.getField(parent + '.name').setFocus();");
			js.append("}\n");
			writer.addJavaScript(js.toString());
 
			// step 4:
 
			// we create a pushbutton that submits the form
			PdfFormField pushbutton = PdfFormField.createPushButton(writer);
			pushbutton.setFieldName("PushMe");
			// we don't define the position on the page yet
			pushbutton.setWidget(new Rectangle(0, 0),
					PdfAnnotation.HIGHLIGHT_PUSH);
			pushbutton
					.setAction(PdfAction
							.createSubmitForm(
									"http://127.0.0.1/testpost.php",
									null, PdfAction.SUBMIT_HTML_FORMAT
									| PdfAction.SUBMIT_COORDINATES));
			// we add the button to the FieldPositioningEvent for later use
			fpe.addField("pushMe", pushbutton);
 
			Font font = FontFactory.getFont(BaseFont.HELVETICA,
					BaseFont.WINANSI, BaseFont.NOT_EMBEDDED, 14);
			Paragraph p;
 
			// TITLE
			p = new Paragraph("EXCHANGE STUDENTS", font);
			p.setAlignment(Element.ALIGN_CENTER);
			document.add(p);
			p = new Paragraph("LEARNING AGREEMENT", font);
			p.setAlignment(Element.ALIGN_CENTER);
			document.add(p);
 
			// this chunk will generate a field with name academic_year
			Chunk academic_year = new Chunk("                  ");
			academic_year.setGenericTag("academic_year");
			// this chunk will generate a field with name field_of_study
			Chunk field_of_study = new Chunk("                         ");
			field_of_study.setGenericTag("field_of_study");
 
			// SUBTITLE
			p = new Paragraph(30, "ACADEMIC YEAR ", font);
			p.add(academic_year);
			p.add(new Phrase(" - FIELD OF STUDY: "));
			p.add(field_of_study);
			p.setAlignment(Element.ALIGN_CENTER);
			document.add(p);
 
			// TABLE WITH STUDENT INFORMATION
			PdfPTable table;
			int[] widths = { 12, 16, 8, 14 };
			table = new PdfPTable(4);
			table.setSpacingBefore(10f);
			table.setSpacingAfter(10f);
			table.setTableEvent(new PdfTests());
			table.setWidths(widths);
			table.getDefaultCell().setBorder(PdfPCell.NO_BORDER);
			// first row, first column
			table.addCell("Name of student:");
			PdfPCell cell;
			// first row, second column: a field to fill in
			cell = new PdfPCell();
			cell.setColspan(3);
			cell.setBorder(PdfPCell.NO_BORDER);
			cell
					.setCellEvent(new FieldPositioningEvents(writer,
							"student_name"));
			table.addCell(cell);
			// second row
			cell = new PdfPCell(new Paragraph("Sending Institution:"));
			cell.setColspan(4);
			cell.setBorder(PdfPCell.NO_BORDER);
			table.addCell(cell);
			// third row, first column
			cell = new PdfPCell();
			cell.setPaddingBottom(5);
			cell.setColspan(2);
			cell.setBorder(PdfPCell.NO_BORDER);
			cell.setCellEvent(new FieldPositioningEvents(writer,
					"sending_institution"));
			table.addCell(cell);
			// third row, second column
			cell = new PdfPCell(new Paragraph("Country:"));
			cell.setPaddingBottom(5);
			cell.setBorder(PdfPCell.NO_BORDER);
			table.addCell(cell);
			// third row, third column
			cell = new PdfPCell();
			cell.setPaddingBottom(5);
			cell.setBorder(PdfPCell.NO_BORDER);
			cell.setCellEvent(new FieldPositioningEvents(writer,
					"sending_country"));
			table.addCell(cell);
			// fourth row
			cell = new PdfPCell(new Paragraph("Letter of Introduction:"));
			cell.setColspan(2);
			cell.setBorder(PdfPCell.NO_BORDER);
			table.addCell(cell);
			cell = new PdfPCell();
			cell.setColspan(2);
			cell.setBorder(PdfPCell.NO_BORDER);
			TextField letter = new TextField(writer, new Rectangle(0, 0),
					"letter");
			letter.setOptions(TextField.FILE_SELECTION);
			PdfFormField introduction = letter.getTextField();
			introduction
					.setAdditionalActions(
							PdfName.U,
							PdfAction
									.javaScript(
											"this.getField('letter').browseForFileToSubmit();this.getField('receiving_institution').setFocus();",
											writer));
			cell.setCellEvent(new FieldPositioningEvents(writer, introduction));
			table.addCell(cell);
			document.add(table);
 
			// INFORMATION CONCERNING THE RECEIVING INSTITUTION
			p = new Paragraph("DETAILS OF THE PROPOSED STUDY PROGRAM ABROAD");
			p.setAlignment(Element.ALIGN_CENTER);
			document.add(p);
			table = new PdfPTable(4);
			table.setSpacingBefore(10f);
			table.setSpacingAfter(10f);
			table.setTableEvent(new PdfTests());
			table.setWidths(widths);
			table.getDefaultCell().setBorder(PdfPCell.NO_BORDER);
			// first row
			cell = new PdfPCell(new Paragraph("Receiving Institution:"));
			cell.setColspan(4);
			cell.setBorder(PdfPCell.NO_BORDER);
			table.addCell(cell);
			// second row first column
			cell = new PdfPCell();
			cell.setPaddingBottom(5);
			cell.setColspan(2);
			cell.setBorder(PdfPCell.NO_BORDER);
			cell.setCellEvent(new FieldPositioningEvents(writer,
					"receiving_institution"));
			table.addCell(cell);
			// second row, second column
			cell = new PdfPCell(new Paragraph("Country:"));
			cell.setPaddingBottom(5);
			cell.setBorder(PdfPCell.NO_BORDER);
			table.addCell(cell);
			// second row, second column
			cell = new PdfPCell();
			cell.setPaddingBottom(5);
			cell.setBorder(PdfPCell.NO_BORDER);
			cell.setCellEvent(new FieldPositioningEvents(writer,
					"receiving_country"));
			table.addCell(cell);
			document.add(table);
			// list of courses
			table = new PdfPTable(3);
			table.setTableEvent(new PdfTests());
			table.getDefaultCell().setBorder(PdfPCell.RIGHT);
			table.addCell("Course code");
			table.addCell("Course unit title");
			table.getDefaultCell().setBorder(PdfPCell.NO_BORDER);
			table.addCell("Number of ECTS credits");
			PdfFormField[] lines = new PdfFormField[116];
			FieldPositioningEvents kid;
			TextField combo;
			PdfFormField comboField;
			for (i = 0; i < 116; i++) {
				lines[i] = PdfFormField.createEmpty(writer);
				lines[i].setFieldName("course_" + i);
				cell = new PdfPCell();
				cell.setFixedHeight(22);
				cell.setBorder(PdfPCell.RIGHT);
				combo = new TextField(writer, new Rectangle(0, 0), "code");
				combo.setChoices(new String[] {});
				comboField = combo.getComboField();
				comboField.setAdditionalActions(PdfName.K, PdfAction
						.javaScript("updateCourse(event);", writer));
				kid = new FieldPositioningEvents(lines[i], comboField);
				kid.setPadding(0.5f);
				cell.setCellEvent(kid);
				table.addCell(cell);
				cell = new PdfPCell();
				cell.setFixedHeight(22);
				cell.setBorder(PdfPCell.RIGHT);
				kid = new FieldPositioningEvents(writer, lines[i], "name");
				kid.setPadding(0.5f);
				cell.setCellEvent(kid);
				table.addCell(cell);
				cell = new PdfPCell();
				cell.setFixedHeight(22);
				cell.setBorder(PdfPCell.NO_BORDER);
				kid = new FieldPositioningEvents(writer, lines[i], "credits");
				kid.setPadding(0.5f);
				cell.setCellEvent(kid);
				table.addCell(cell);
			}
			document.add(table);
			for (i = 0; i < 116; i++) {
				writer.addAnnotation(lines[i]);
			}
			Chunk submit = new Chunk("    Click to submit     ");
			submit.setGenericTag("pushMe");
			p = new Paragraph(submit);
			p.setAlignment(Element.ALIGN_CENTER);
			document.add(p);
		} catch (DocumentException de) {
			System.err.println(de.getMessage());
		} catch (IOException ioe) {
			System.err.println(ioe.getMessage());
		}
 
		// step 5: we close the document
		document.close();
	}
 
	/**
	 * @see com.lowagie.text.pdf.PdfPTableEvent#tableLayout(com.lowagie.text.pdf.PdfPTable,
	 *      float[][], float[], int, int, com.lowagie.text.pdf.PdfContentByte[])
	 */
	public void tableLayout(PdfPTable table, float[][] width, float[] heights,
			int headerRows, int rowStart, PdfContentByte[] canvases) {
		float widths[] = width[0];
		PdfContentByte cb = canvases[PdfPTable.TEXTCANVAS];
		cb.rectangle(widths[0], heights[heights.length - 1],
				widths[widths.length - 1] - widths[0], heights[0]
						- heights[heights.length - 1]);
		cb.stroke();
	}
}

[Martijn Verburg]

Hi there and welcome to Javaranch!

Just for future, please use code tags to highlight your code, it makes it easier for everyone to read. I've done this for you in this case