For weeks now, I have been tirelessly searching for a solution to a problem that has stumped me once before.
The Challenge:
My company created a sophisticated web-based data analytics suite for a major beverage distributor. Our client is now requesting a feature that allows users to print or download a visually appealing version of the app as a PDF file. Unfortunately, I have not been able to find a reliable method to accomplish this task. That's why I am turning to the stack community for guidance.
Our Current Technology Stack Includes:
- Plack servers
- Perl based on the Dancer framework
- Standard web development tools: HTML5, CSS3, Javascript, Jquery/UI
- Client usage involves IE9/10 and Chrome.
Solutions I've Attempted So Far:
I initially tried using window.print() along with specific classes and a customized print.css file, but the results were less than satisfactory.
I explored pdfmachine and pdfbox options and even reached out to Adobe's acrobat development team directly in hopes of finding a ready-made solution we could purchase. Unfortunately, it seems like such a product would go against their business model of individual subscriptions rather than a single server-side application.
Despite extensively scouring through stack articles, I have yet to come across a solution that meets my requirements.
Currently, I feel completely stuck and hopeful that someone out there might have some insight or a better approach to tackling this issue than I do.
In short, I desperately need a PDF version of our complex reporting app's output.
Thank you for taking the time to read this, stack community. Your help is greatly appreciated.