PDF::API3(3)

NAME
PDF::API3 - Next version after PDF::API2

SYNOPSIS

DESCRIPTION
"PDF::API3" is the beginning of a rewrite of "PDF::API2".

The purpose of this slightly modified version is to announce intensions for a rewrite, hopefully spawn participation, and to utilize cpan-RT for tracking bugs/fixes and wishlists/implementations.

After much time, effort, and with well received results, Alfred Reibenschuh is abandoning "PDF::API2". see http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/perl-text-pdf-modules/message/3615 <http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/perl-text-pdf-modules/message/3615>.

However we have seen great progress in moving towards paperless methods.

Furthermore the PDF specification is now an ISO standard.

Now is the time to really push forward with the development of an even better perl pdf solution.

This is a beginning toward that goal.

This version starts with "PDF::API2" 0.73, creating a new interfaced named "PDF::API3" with a new version numbering starting at 3.001.

There are a growing number of PDF "quick solutions". It is hoped that "PDF::API3" can coalesce many under one library. There is commonality that all "quick solutions" will need: find, open, read, write, parse files.

The intent is to provide a universal library for which other "solutions" may utilize for lower level functionality. As such, all PDF::API2 modules have been re-named as "PDF::API3::Compat::API2".

The intent is that the interface at the "API2" level will stay the same.

As the library is refactored, a new "API3" interface will be formulated. Low level functionality will be factored into "PDF::API3::Lib". The typical programmer interface will be factored under "PDF::API3". The typical programmer interface would utilized the lower level routines of "PDF::API3::Lib".

Other PDF libraries may be incorporated as "PDF::API3::Compat::distA", "PDF::API3::Compat::distB", "PDF::API3::Compat::distC", etc. As these are refactored to utilize or generalize "PDF::API3::Lib", their typical programmer interface will move under "PDF::API3" if general, or may be spun off as "PDF::API3x" extensions

The intent is to use git and encourage distributed development. A git and wiki will be put up soon.

Development philosophy includes development of lots of tests, tidy'ing and critic utilities, and utlization of Moose and other libraries that will speed development and provide a clean, solid, easily maintained, production ready system. And to develop appropriate programmer and maintenance documentation. Yes - maintenance of how it works and why choices were made so as to ease maintenance of it by others.

The intent of putting this release out is to inform the community of the effort, encourage others to participate, and to utilize the bug tracking system of CPAN for tracking bugs and new development.

Consider this pre-alpha software.

BUGS
All complex software has bugs lurking in it, and this module is no exception. If you find a bug please enter into cpan-RT.

FEATURE REQUESTS
Please enter into cpan-RT.

AUTHOR
Otto Hirr

Hopefully many others will contribute.

COPYRIGHT AND LICENSE
Copyright 2009 Otto Hirr

This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the same terms as Perl itself.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Alfred Reibenschuh for developing PDF::API2
Martin Hosken for developing Text::PDF and Font::TTF used in PDF::API2