How to create PDF helper with TCPDF
18 Dec 2011 Add Comments Intermediate LevelTable Of Content
Content
1.Prepration 
- Download TCPDF from Sourceforge.
- Unpack downloaded folder, and copy it to directory "app/vendors/tcpdf"
2.PDF Helper class
Create "pdf.php" and place it to directory "app/views/helpers/pdf.php". Below is the code for the class:
- Import the TCPDF class from vendor folder.
- Extend PdfHelper from AppHelper class.
From the code above, we can tell PdfHelper class is actually just a wrapper class for TCPDF. Whenever you want to use TCPDF's functions, you simply do:
3.Usage
Let us test out this helper class.
- Create a layout file "app/views/layouts/pdf.ctp":
- Create a PdfsController class, and include PDF Helper. We will also create a index function for generating pdf:
- Now let us create a view file "app/views/pdfs/index.ctp", this file will utilize our PDF Helper class to generate a PDF:
- Now go to your browser and type in address to access /pdfs/index. You should be prompted to download a PDF file.
4.The end
Hopefully this simple tutorial helped you with your development.
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20 Comments
Hi, I searched a lot about how to generate PDF with TCPDF in CakePHP. I feel lucky to find your tutorial so recent.
However, I tried your tutorial and it does not work. I am using CakePHP 2.1. Would you mind sharing how to do it in CakePHP 2.1.
THanks a lot!
Hi.
This tutorial is written in CakePHP 1.3.
But it should be very easy to convert to CakePHP 2.x.
What is the issue you encountered?
Regards
XD
Thanks XuDing, I think that I just got the configuration wrongly. Now I am able to make it work:)
Glad to hear that.
Help us share the site so that others can benefit from our tutorials too.
:)
Regards
XD
hello, how can i do to pas a variable from de controller to the view, and print that variable?? do you have any example?? also i need to pring a like 4 or 5 row how can i do that?? thanks from argentina
Hi.
Passing variable from controller to view: $this->set('viewName','value);
I assume you have knowledge with CakePHP, check out its documentation here http://book.cakephp.org/1.3/en/view/955/Controllers, and you will soon fall in love with this wonderful framework.
Regards
XD
I use http://www.pdfservices.net, create pdf from files html, css, php, ajax, mysql, printable and auto-print is better than any class I’ve used.
Thanks for the resource.
Regards
XD
thanks for your help, i did it with your tutorial. Regards
index.ctp este funciona con cakephp 2.1 es un ajuste en la forma en que se usa.
$this->Pdf->core->addPage('', 'USLETTER');
$this->Pdf->core->setFont('helvetica', '', 12);
$this->Pdf->core->cell(30, 0, 'Hello World');
$this->Pdf->core->Output('example_001.pdf', 'D');
?>
Hola, tienen algun ejemplo para traer informacion de la base de datos en un reporte? con TCPDF y Cakephp 2.1
I do not read your language.
;(
Regards
XD
Hello, have they algun example to bring information of the database in a report? With TCPDF and Cakephp 2.1
hello everyone
i get an error "Warning (2): Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at C:\xampp\htdocs\cakephp_final\views\helpers\date_picker.php:45) [APP\vendors\tcpdf\tcpdf.php, line 8757]TCPDF ERROR: Some data has already been output to browser, can't send PDF file"
Whats the problem on this? How to fix it?
i used cakephp 1.3 version.
It seems like it is caused by helpers\date_picker.php.
Check out if it is outputting anything.
Regards
XD
Sorry, I do not read your language
Regards
XD
Thank you so much.
For CakePHP 2.2 view should be:
$this->Pdf->core->addPage('', 'USLETTER');
$this->Pdf->core->setFont('helvetica', '', 12);
$this->Pdf->core->cell(30, 0, 'Hello World');
$this->Pdf->core->Output('example_001.pdf', 'D');
?>
Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /var/www/html/ems/cake/libs/debugger.php:686) [APP/vendors/tcpdf/tcpdf.php, line 8776]
TCPDF ERROR: Some data has already been output to browser, can't send PDF file
where is my problem. Local Xampp server working but live server does not work.Please help me.
Hi . I need to print in PDF a list of name that I have in the "view/user/indext.ctp" . How can I make a pdf of that list ? I tried this tutorial but I don't understand the way to "print" a view. I could only print some HTML code with this tutorial. Who know how to help me ? thx.
If I wish to use this helper inside a controller function how would I do it? In this case I want to render multiple pdf's and store it in a file directory on the server, so basically I don't want to send it to the view but I want to return it to the function that stores the pdf file.