Variable place signatures

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dasy2k1
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Variable place signatures

Post by dasy2k1 »

We have many documents that require 2 digital signatures to be applied ... with the most up to date documents this is applied using a PDF tools script to bulk sign as the signature box is in the same place on every document.

however with the older document templates this box could be anywhere on the document (or not there at all)
we already have a stamp to add the signature box if it isnt there already

what i would like to achieve is to somehow add a stamp with the 2 signature form fields already present with a defined name that can then be signed using a pdf tools script that finds this signature field wherever it is and signs it

The user needs to be able to select this easily and to place it at an arbitrary point on the document, ideally it should survive an operation that flattens comments (but not form fields) with the signing script then being able to be run at a later date.

is this possible? and if so what would be the best way to go about this... I have tried adding form fields into the existing stamp in the same way that i create dynamic date stamps however the form fields themselves don't survive being stamped to the document (in the same way that the dynamic date fields are converted to static text on application of the stamp
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Paul - Tracker Supp
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Re: Variable place signatures

Post by Paul - Tracker Supp »

Hi dasy2k1

I think the problem with this approach is, as you have noted, after applying the stamps the form fields become immutable. They are not available as for fields after application because that is the nature of a stamp. Once applied a stamp cannot be changed, the fields get filled during the stamp process after which they are no longer accessible. This is according tot he PDF specifications.

So you need an approach that can work like a stamp in that users visually place it in a page, but doesn't function like a stamp in that the form fields remain active post application.

Rather than a user placing the "stamp" arbitrarily on the page, is there any text content that can be used as a reference? I believe you can search certain text and place the signatures there.

I will ask the team if they have other suggestions.
Best regards

Paul O'Rorke
Tracker Support North America
http://www.tracker-software.com
dasy2k1
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Posts: 65
Joined: Mon Feb 15, 2016 10:55 am
Location: Birmingham UK

Re: Variable place signatures

Post by dasy2k1 »

Thanks for the reply,
unfortunately there is not any actual text as often as not on these documents, or nothing unvarying....

they are scans of old technical drawings on draughting film that are then edited using custom stamps, bits of typewrite comments, various shape tools etc and then flattened (the modern sheets with the box in the same place each time are just PDF prints of a CAD drawing)

If anything though the text of the stamp could be used as that becomes text when flattened,
the attachment shows what the stamp in question looks like in its current iteration
image.png
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Paul - Tracker Supp
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Re: Variable place signatures

Post by Paul - Tracker Supp »

OK - well I've been told a stamp is just the wrong tool for this.

It turns out that you cannot search and place an object at the location in PDF-Tools, you can search and redact but not place other content at the location. So that cannot be used to plpace a signature directly.

Placing a stamp to indicate the location where you want to place a signature is not going to work, however your users can place a "Signature Field" instead. It can be two discrete fields or the same field repeated. If you need BOTH a signature field AND specific text associated with it then I am afraid it needs to be a two step process, apply the stamp, then apply a signature field.

Placing a signature field is no more work for your user than placing a stamp and provides a mechanism to alliow PDF-Tools to sign them in bulk at a later time.

You simply cannot combine stamps and signatures, they are incompatible. You will need to apply any content first, and indicate where to sign using a "Signature Field".

I hope that helps.
Best regards

Paul O'Rorke
Tracker Support North America
http://www.tracker-software.com
dasy2k1
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Posts: 65
Joined: Mon Feb 15, 2016 10:55 am
Location: Birmingham UK

Re: Variable place signatures

Post by dasy2k1 »

Thanks for the update, I will have a look round to see if this is workable but i was hoping to have some form of predefined field names to ensure that the right box was signed for both the producer and the checker.
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TrackerSupp-Daniel
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Re: Variable place signatures

Post by TrackerSupp-Daniel »

Hello, dasy2k1

You can indeed name the fields after placement, but PDF-Tools will sign the fields in numerical order from first to last, regardless of the field names. To ensure that they are signed in the correct order, simply place the one you wish to see signed first, first.

Kind regards,
Dan McIntyre - Support Technician
Tracker Software Products (Canada) LTD

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