Making a invoice template in java

[_lithium_]

I was wondering if anyone has any pointers on how to create a billing invoice from a java application? I have a customer database that I can store customer information and soon will add where it can keep track of their orders and I wanna be able to press something like "Print" and it will generate a preset template that looks like a billing invoice and filled in with their personal information/product type/ and total. Just looking to be shown the right direction of how to complete something of this magnitude?


I'm unsure if Java has any methods that allow you to generate a PDF file and allow you to edit it through your code

[Norm]

if Java has any methods that allow you to generate a PDF file and allow you to edit it through your code

I think the apache project has packages for working with pdf files.
It's not part of Java SE.

[copeg]

You might wish to look into reporting libraries, for instance Jasper Reports. You can create a template, which can then be populated by the data source

[_lithium_]

You might wish to look into reporting libraries, for instance Jasper Reports. You can create a template, which can then be populated by the data source

Yeah I just looked through some of the Jasper Reports documentation and it seems overly complex. I'm gonna have to read more into it to even figure out how to install it and use it if I can find the right article.

[copeg]

Yeah I just looked through some of the Jasper Reports documentation and it seems overly complex. I'm gonna have to read more into it to even figure out how to install it and use it if I can find the right article.

Could be overkill. I've only used it in a server setting in which someone else did the dirty work, and it's comprehensive and useful. iReports could useful in creating the templates.

[_lithium_]

I'm going to give it a slight attempt (just going to set it up and see if I can generate some sample ones to get the feel for it). You basically load the .jar into your classpath and then from there are able to use the library correct? Sorry I have little experience dealing with this kind of scenario

[copeg]

You basically load the .jar into your classpath and then from there are able to use the library correct?

Yes. Also make sure the required libraries are also on the classpath (there are some commons libraries, iText, etc...should be outlined in the link above)

[_lithium_]

Yes. Also make sure the required libraries are also on the classpath (there are some commons libraries, iText, etc...should be outlined in the link above)

Yeah I can't seem to even get it started. All the documentation I find is about javascript when I use NetBeans for Java SE6, Can you refer me to an article that oversights how to install these types of packages as well? Seems I need a refresher course seeing as I haven't messed with this stuff in a long time.

[_lithium_]

Okay so i followed this guide = Integrating and Using JasperReports in NetBeans Original article by Craig Conover and Marina Sum Java DevZone

I got it all set up, but the problem is that this select part of the code that goes in the "main" in my project keeps erroring:
<!-

->

I have a feeling it's due to the file extension part of that guide but it was for an older version and wasn't the same as mine (NetBeans 6.9.1) and it wont allow me to add the three types:
XML
application/xml
text/xml


to the new .jrxml extension? The netbeans only allows the selection of one??

[copeg]

I don't have time to gather all the requirements right now to test this (again, I've only used this in a server environment in which the deployment already contained the necessary libraries), but it sounds like you are having a hard time editing the xml? Did you try simple a text editor? iReports might be an easier tool to help you visually lay out everything and then writing the jrxml file for compilation

[_lithium_]

Yeah I could look into iReports. What do you mean writing the jrxml in compilation? Like filling in the specific fields? Sorry I'm new to this whole reporting thing and trying to pick it up but having some difficulties.


I just don't understand why Netbeans is erroring on the "<!-" and "->" lines when that guy in the guide used it

[copeg]

I just don't understand why Netbeans is erroring on the "<!-" and "->" lines when that guy in the guide used it

Disconnect from your IDE for the moment, a jrxml file is just an xml file, eg just like any other text file you can just edit it using a text editor. Jasper than compiles this xml file into a more readily used format to create the report. If you trust the source, than try using Jasper to compile and the population/create the report (regardless of IDE 'errors')

[lina20]

import org.apache.pdfbox.pdmodel.PDDocument;
import org.apache.pdfbox.util.PDFTextStripper;
import javax.swing.text.*;


import java.util.*;
import java.io.*;

import org.apache.pdfbox.exceptions.InvalidPasswordExcept ion;

import org.apache.pdfbox.pdmodel.PDDocument;
import org.apache.pdfbox.pdmodel.PDPage;
import org.apache.pdfbox.util.PDFTextStripperByArea;
[/code

PDDocument document=null;
PDFTextStripper stripper=null;
String result=null;
int numpages=0;
try {
stripper = new PDFTextStripper();
} catch (IOException e1) {
// TODO Auto-generated catch block

result="An error occurs while extracting text for: , Technical error: "+e1.getMessage()+"\n";
}

try {
document = PDDocument.load("E://backup18july24/uni/lecs/os/OS120102011.pdf");

numpages=document.getPageCount();
} catch (IOException e0) {
result="An error occurs while extracting text for:, Technical error: "+e0.getMessage()+"\n";

}

try {

stripper.setStartPage( 2);
stripper.setEndPage( numpages );

result=stripper.getText(document);

} catch (IOException e0) {

result="An error occurs while extracting text for: Technical error: "+e0.getMessage()+"\n";
}
/code]

Hello...you can use pdfbox api to manipulate pdf files...my code just extracts the text from a pdf file.

good luck

[ethan12]

it's very difficult and a big responsibility to make a invoice template so i get it from *** which are very useful and you can customize them according to your requirement.

[programmingfan]

I make my own invoice template from my software. Thanks Lina20 for this code.