At work I am trying to create a generic O&M manual in .PDF format to replace the hard copy versions we have supplied in the past.

At present I have created the main text in Word and the converted it to .PDF. I then get .PDF copies of the various engineering drawings which have to be in the manual and insert these in the correct places using Adobe.

The problem is that although the basic manual is always the same there is some variable data such as the customer’s name, the site address, the machine serial number and type etc and unless I am going to do the manuals myself I need to find a simple way to enable one of the secretarial staff to change this variable data.

So far I have created another Word document which contains a table in which the variable data can be entered and then created links from this to the O&M Manual to put the variable data in the correct places.

This sort of works although I do have a problem with the address since I can’t find any way of suppressing blank lines but the trouble is even if this can be made to work I still have to convert the new Word document to .PDF and the go through and insert the drawings etc.

Has anyone any better Ideas as to how to achieve this since at present I have a fear I’m going to be doing all the manuals myself.

John.

Doesn't Acrobat allow you to add fields onto pdf's that are editable, while locking all other content? I think it was called Adobe PDF Forms?

This might limit what fonts, etc can be added and might also force a border around the editable content though

Acrobat pro lets you use forms to add interactive areas to an existing pdf although Adobe designer adds even more customisable options for doing just this kind of thing
Hope this helps

Cheers

Alex

Install this program. it installs as a printer so you select it and press print and it produces a pdf

and its free

http://www.cutepdf.com/Products/CutePDF/writer.asp