Besides Adobe's, numerous third-party libraries can also produce PDF directly. Below is a list of some of the PDF libraries we are aware of.
There are three common ways to produce a PDF file:
Print to PostScript, via Acrobat Distiller/GhostScript to PDF
Print via Acrobat PDFWriter to PDF
Direct-to-PDF
The first method is most commonly used as it theoretically works with any application, and provides high quality output. However, it's a multi-step process that's just doesn't have the mettle for use in a high-speed web environment. Secondly, the licensing restrictions of Acrobat Distiller require that each producer of a PDF has an Acrobat license - this prevents its use in a Internet environment (unless you have obscenely deep pockets).
Fast, direct, and maybe even free
Enter the third-party libraries that produce PDF directly. These libraries have a number of advantages and disadvantages; the most significant issue is that if you choose to utilize a library then you are going to need to layout and format each page yourself. A benefit is that the process is both speedy and more robust due to the reduced number of steps involved - namely one. In fact, some of the libraries will return PDFs in just a few seconds. Furthermore, many of these libraries are free for non-profit use.
PrimoPDF API
PrimoPDF's PDF API enables programmatic access to all PrimoPDF settings, allowing developers to add ?print to PDF? functionality to any application. A silent installer allows developers to seamlessly bundle and redistribute PrimoPDF within their existing desktop- or server-based applications without the need for a separate installation or any form of manual intervention.
Quick PDF Library
Quick PDF Library is a powerful royalty-free PDF developer SDK - including a 500+ function API for use with ASP, ActiveX, VB, VB Script, PowerBASIC, C++, C#, Delphi and more. It provides a comprehensive set of functions that allow you to create, split, merge, encrypt, modify, manipulate PDF form fields and JavaScript. Images can be added in BMP, TIFF, JPEG, PNG and EMF format. TrueType and Type1 fonts can be embedded, and TrueType fonts can be subsetted allowing Unicode text to be drawn. Quick PDF Library also includes a full built-in PDF rasterizer allowing PDFs to be rendered to the screen or printer.
PDFlib - Thomas Merz Consulting and Publishing
PDFlib is a development tool for PDF-enabling your software. PDFlib frees you from the intricate details of PDF generation by offering a simple-to-use API for programmatically creating PDF files from any software. While you (the programmer) are responsible for retrieving or maintaining the data to be processed, PDFlib takes over the task of generating the PDF code which graphically represents your data. Although being far from complete, PDFlib already offers many useful functions for creating text, graphics, images and hypertext elements in PDF files.
ClibPDF - FastIO Systems
ClibPDF is a library of ANSI C functions, distributed as source code, for creating PDF (Acrobat) files directly via C language programs without relying on any Adobe Acrobat tools and related products. It is free for private, non-profit use, but a commercial license is required for for-profit applications. The library is suitable for creating fast dynamic PDF Web pages in response to user input and from dynamic data sources, and also for implementing publication-quality graph plotting, report or form generation.
Data2PDF - SANFACE Software
data2pdf is a powerful application developed with the core of the SANFACE txt2pdf script. The idea is very simple, data2pdf gives you a number of blank pages that you use to layout and design your PDF. You can include text and JPEG images. Formatting of the PDF is achieved through the use of an internal metalanguage and the PDF syntax. With data2pdf it's possible to set the background design, background text and background images (a background design can be used on every page).
PDF Library - Adobe Systems
The Adobe PDF Library is an object code library that is made available for the development of applications that are consistent with Adobe's market objectives. The PDF Library can be linked into applications to enable reading and writing of the PDF file format.
retepPDF Java Generator - Peter T Mount
The retepPDF library allows any Java application that is capable of printing, to generate PDF (portable Document Format) files. These files can then be published on the Internet, sent by mail, and then viewed either in a web browser (using the Adobe Acrobat plug-in) or by using a suitable PDF viewer.
FOP: An Open-Source XSL Formatter and Renderer
FOP is another direct to PDF package that renders XSL formatting objects.
XSL is easier to use for layout and typography than the PDF syntax, FOP is now an Apache project
and supports tables and graphics. You also need to know a reasonable amount of information about XML and XSL to use it.
JClass PageLayout
JClass PageLayout easily adds printing and reporting functionality to Java applications. JClass PageLayout provides sophisticated and easy-to-use APIs for adding text, images, and tables to any document. Output directly to the Java AWT Printer, Acrobat PDF, HTML, PostScript Level 2, or PCL 5. Customize almost every aspect of your report styles and print output for professional results.
SPDF Library Overview
The SPDF Library by Appligent is an implementation of many of the routines found in the core three layers of the Adobe Acrobat Application Programming Interface (API). These layers are Portable Document (PD), Acrobat Support (AS) and COS. SPDF has been designed
from the ground up to be fast and reliable.
PDF Core Library - Zeon Corp.
PDF Core Library is a set of API functions (C and C++) that help developers to create PDF related applications without in-depth PDF knowledge. Starting from DocuCom 4.0, Zeon has re-engineered the PDF Core APIs to make them compatible with popular APIs published by the other vender in order to reduce the learning cost. DocuCom PDF Core supports the direct manipulation of PDF objects, as well as the PDF viewing and printing capabilities.
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