Show PDF in browser window to take digital signatures

[benzoD]

Hi all,

I'm new to AutoIT but have a project in mind that I'd like to get some feedback on.  I'm looking to print contracts and have them signed digitally but none of the current services I've found can do as I'd like so I want to automate it myself.  I don't need to know anything on the legal/business side (already determined via attorney that this is ok to do), I'm just wondering if this is the best way to go about it pragmatically:

I can print a PDF of the contract through my management software to a folder.  What I'm envisioning is for AutoIT to see that new PDF and open an HTML file with that PDF in a browser window with some basic controls (Save, Edit, etc).  Using JQuery Signature Pad ( http://thomasjbradley.ca/lab/signature-pad/ ), I'd like to be able to have someone - not me - sign on the dottted line and either insert the PDF/signature into my MySQL database or place them in a folder for later archiving.

I'm very interested in learning AutoIT to do this and more, but I want to bounce it off some experienced people to make sure I'm not wasting time persuing this if there's a different way to go about it.  If anyone has a better method via AutoIT or otherwise, I'd like to hear suggestions.  It seems like a pefect project to get to know AutoIT.

[benzoD]

Umm, ok.  So has anyone implemented iTextSharp with AutoIT?  Just wondering if this is even possible? 

The amazingly underwhelming response makes me think I'm in the wrong place. Is there a better place to ask about planning an AutoIT project and exploring the possible methods to implement what I need?  I've searched for different terms and haven't found anything on electronic signatures, so maybe this is too advanced for AutoIT?

Edited August 6, 2013 by benzoD

[BrewManNH]

You need to wait more than a couple of hours for this type of request. This isn't a 24/7 support forum, it's a bunch of people that use the language helping out where and when we can. You'll have to be patient until someone comes on that's familiar with what you're trying to do and is willing to help.

[benzoD]

Alright.  There are so many responses to the topics posted after mine I assumed that I had posted to the wrong forum or that I was asking the wrong thing of AutoIT.  Thanks.

[boogieoompa]

Well I would suggest looking at the IE.Au3 and File.Au3 UDFs (Should be included in your autoit).  Basically you can open up a PDF in a brouser by simply directing to it like a website say with a

Func FunOpenPDF($filename)

 $oIE = _IECreate (@ScriptDir & "\" & $filename & ".pdf")

EndFunc

This will open up any PDF file you want by simply calling the function with the PDF that was recently added.  So bascially you will just need to make a loop that checks for new files, if it finds one just simply call the FunOpenPDF($filename) with the delta.  You may want to use something like

 _FileListToArray(@ScriptDir)

Off the top of my head here is a sample format (doesn't actually work, but hopefully you get the idea).

#include <IE.au3>
#Include <File.au3>
 $OldList = _FileListToArray(@ScriptDir)

While 1
 
 Sleep(5000)
 $CurrentList = _FileListToArray(@ScriptDir)
 
;;;;compare CurrentList and OldList
;;;;;fire off FunOpenPDF
 
WEnd

Func FunOpenPDF($filename)
 $oIE = _IECreate (@ScriptDir & $filename & ".pdf")
EndFunc
 
 

This checks the folder that the script is running from every 5 seconds and opens up whatever files were not there 5 seconds ago... that is assuming I'm not missing something in your question.

If so sorry for missing the mark ;-)

Edited August 6, 2013 by boogieoompa