Corporate Flow
Illustration
Image Editing
Text Effects

Web

Automation

Canvas
Tips
and
Techniques

Deneba
Creative Department
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Deneba Systems Inc.
All Right Reserved Worldwide

Creating a PDF Form
Use Canvas from start to finish to create a printable PDF form,
complete with graphics, hyperlinks, and editable text fields.

As an owner of Canvas 8, you have at your command all of the tools that you will need to publish advanced
PDF documents. Follow along with us in this tutorial and learn how you can deploy your work electronically from
within Canvas without needing expensive additional third-party software or plug-ins..
A PDF (Portable Document Format) document is navigational, printable, compact, and viewable across a wide
range of platforms. Once created, PDF files could be viewed on any platform. In other words, a PDF file, which
is created on a Macintosh, can be downloaded from a Unix Web site and then read on a Windows platform.
Even though PDF continues to be increasingly popular in the publishing industry, the format is also widely used
among Web content creators due to its ability to be viewed on demand without browser compatibility issues or
downloading problems.
Any Canvas document can be turned into a PDF document. In this example, we will use Canvas to create a
custom PDF form which will contain graphics, hyperlinks, and editable text fields. This means that the Web
page viewer will be able to enter text directly into the form and print it to a local printer.

Preparing the Document
We start this tutorial by opening a new Canvas
Illustration file. From within the New Document
palette (File > New), choose Illustration as Type of
Document. Next select US Letter as the Document
size. When you are finished, click OK.

Creating a PDF Form (Continued)

Next, open the Rulers dialog box (Layout > Rulers
from the main menu) and change the units of
measurement to inches. Be certain that you adjust
the Scale settings to 1 inch = 1 inch.
You need to do this because this form will be printed
to a local printer. Therefore, we suggest that you
use inches as the unit of measurement.

Setting Guides
We will be using Guides to help us to attain a
visually pleasing and consistent border. The Guides
function will also aid in the placement of text.
Begin by displaying your rulers (Layout > Display >
Show Rulers). Next you will need to align the rulers
along the top and left side of your work area.
Now place your pointer and click on the top ruler
and drag the cursor down to where it will be slightly
past the edge of the background paper. Your guide
will appear as an aqua line.

To ensure accuracy you can double-click on a Guide.
Doing so will open the Guides dialog box. From
within this palette you can enter the precise
horizontal position of the guide.
In this example, we want a half-inch border around
the document; therefore you need to enter 0.50 and
press OK.

Creating a PDF Form (Continued)

Use this method to place guides until you have a
half-inch border completely around the page. When
you have finished with this step, you should have
two horizontal guides at 0.5 inches and 8 inches and
two vertical guides at 0.5 inches and 11 inches.
Your document should look like the example on the
right.

Placing Images
We want to add some color to our PDF form. So using
the Canvas Clip Art Collection available on CD, online,
or through DenebaShare (Windows only), we will
acquire an image of a tooth for our dentist's PDF
form.
If you are using the Canvas Clip Art CD, choose File >
Place and locate the picture or Canvas image you
wish to use and press OK.

Using the online clip art, we enter a keyword, in
this case "tooth", and press Search. When you find
a suitable image, choose "Download File" and save
it to your computer. Then you go to File > Place
and locate the Canvas file you just downloaded
and press OK.

Creating a PDF Form (Continued)

Using DenebaShare (Windows only) open
the DenebaShare Palette (Windows >
Palette > DenebaShare) enter a keyword
(e.g., tooth) and press search. When you
see an image you want, click on it, and
drag it into your working area.

The clip art image will appear as a group of objects.
We are going to use it just the way it is; however, if
you wanted to modify it, you would select the image
and press Ctrl + U (Windows) or Command + U
(Mac) to ungroup the objects. Once the objects are
ungrouped, you could change the color, stroke, size,
or even delete selections.
Tip: To regroup your clip art, select all of the
objects you wish to group and press Ctrl + G
(Windows) or Command + G (Mac).

Once you have acquired and modified or resized
your clip art image, drag it to the upper right hand
corner of your document or wherever it is going to
reside.

Ungrouped Objects

Creating a PDF Form (Continued)

Adding Text
Next we are going to start adding text to our form.
Begin by selecting the Text tool from the Toolbox and
click inside the work area of your document. Then
type, "Dental Credit Line."

You can change the font style very easily. Select the
text, then double-click on the Text tool in the
Toolbox. Doing so will open the Type palette. From
within this palette, you can quickly adjust the
appearance of your text. Size, font style, kerning, and
baseline can be applied to any text that you have
added to your document.

Because this text box will become our headline we
would like to make certain that it stands out.
Therefore we will modify the color of this text object.
To do this you need to select the text box, then click
on the Ink Fill icon, which is located at the bottom of
the Toolbox, and select a color that you wish to apply
to the text.
Continue to add the text usually found on a form such
as Last Name, Address, and Telephone.

Creating a PDF Form (Continued)

Aligning the Text
After you have created all of the text form fields
that will be used in this form, you will realise
that you need to align them into a uniform
arrangement.
You could do so manually. However the manual
method is time consuming and lacks precision.
We will show you how to use the Align tool to
make short work of this chore..
Use the Selection tool and drag your text into
the approximate position on the page that you
would like them to be in the document.

Next, find all the text that will appear on the same
line and select them.
Since First Name and MI will be on the same line we
will select them both and then choose Object > Align
> Bottom. This will precisely align the text
horizontally. After you have aligned your text, you will
group it (Ctrl + G for Windows or Command + G in
Mac) to keep it from becoming unaligned.
Continue to align and group the rest of the text that
will reside on the same plane.

Creating a PDF Form (Continued)

Now we need to vertically align the rest of the
text and space the lines evenly to give a uniform
look. To do this, first select all the text you wish
to align. Then open the Align palette (Object >
Align and choose Show Palette). From this
palette, select Vertical Inside Distribute and
Horizontal Align Left, see example. When you are
ready, press OK.

Your text should now be perfectly aligned and
spaced.
At this point, it is a good idea to group your text
to keep it aligned (Ctrl + G in Windows or
Command + G in Mac).

Creating a PDF Form (Continued)

Adding Style
We would also like to enhance the appearance of our
work. One easy method is to add a stylish border
around some of the sections within the form. In
addition to improving the visual appeal, this effort
should promote a higher level of understanding.
Prior to begining this step, make certain that you do
not have a Canvas object selected. You may quickly
ensure this by pressing the ESC key at least once or
twice.
Next open the Ink Fill palette by clicking on the Ink
Fill icon in your Toolbox and select no color from the
Inks palette.

For the next step, you will need to choose the Pen Ink
fill and select the color that you wish to use for the
border of the text box. In this case, we selected a
light blue color.

Next, select the Rectangle tool from the Toolbox.
Place the pointer in the upper left-hand corner of
the document and click and drag across the text to
create a border.
Note: We suggest that you use the guides that you
prepared in Step 1 of this tutorial to help you to
align the new border.

You could use these same steps to create titles for
each section.

You may also want to create text borders for the
text fields by using these same steps.

Adding Text Fields
At this stage you have finished with the form creation
portion of the tutorial.
For the next step, we are going to add editable text
fields to our form. Doing so will allow the viewer the
ability to enter text directly into your new form when
it appears online.
Without this ability, your Web visitor would have to
print the blank form and write the information into
blank fields. This could result in data that would be
open to penmanship or other typographical errors
thus rendering the data useless.
By adding editable text field boxes to your form, you
will allow the visitor to enter data directly into the
form, prior to printing it out.
To add an editable text field, first select the Text
Form Field tool from the Toolbox (see right).

Now you will need to place the pointer on the
location where you would like to create the text
box. Then click and drag the cursor across to
create the text field.
Continue to use this same technique to create
editable text form fields for the rest of the form.
Note: The text field borders have been
purposely left out of this image to avoid
confusion.

Creating a PDF Form (Continued)

Adding Hyperlinks
To assist people in reaching our site we have decided
that we would like to add a hyperlink to our form.
A hyperlink is a visible object such as text, a button,
or graphic image that directs a visitor to another Web
page on the Internet.
This is an extremely useful feature that will assist the
viewer should they need additional information.

To add a hyperlink begin by selecting
the text that you wish to convert into a
link. Do this by using the Text tool.
Then, open the URL Attachment
palette. Choose Window > Palettes >
URL Tag from the main menu or click
on the URL Tag icon just above the
Docking Bar.
Inside the Assign window, type in the
complete URL or Web address. Click the
Assign button to convert the selected
text into a hyperlink.
Note: From this palette, you could also
modify the Link Style. Examine the
section detailing the URL Attachment
palette in the Canvas Users' Guide for
further information.

Your link will now appear as underlined blue text if
you have decided to use the default settings as your
style.

Creating a PDF Form (Continued)

Adding Field Properties
For the next step, we are going to define an
Object Name for each text field using the
Object Specs palette.
To add specs, first open the Object Specs
palette by choosing Object > Object Specs
(see right). Select the Data tab.
Select the text field and then enter the
name in the Object Name field. Click Apply.
We recommend this step if you eventually
plan to have the PDF form submitted via email, script, or HTML. Once your document
is saved as PDF, the Object Names appear
in the text fields when the PDF form is
opened in Adobe Acrobat.

Saving Your Form
In our final step, we will save our Canvas document as a PDF
document. To begin, choose File > Save As and enter a name for
your PDF form. Choose a file location within your computer or
network, and then select "Acrobat(*.PDF)" as the file format. Click
Save.
After doing so, you will be presented with a number of options.
Take a look at these capabilities so that you can better understand
how PDF export process works.
General Options
Once a document is ready to be saved as a PDF, there are five
general options:
1.) Whenever Compress text and vectors is checked, all vector
graphics will be compressed including a stream of text data.

Creating a PDF Form (Continued)
2.) For PDFs that will pass through data channels that support only 7-bit data (such as e-mail), the Apply
7-bit ASCII encoding option is recommended.

3.) To ensure safe electronic transfer of documents, Embed font
subsets will embed all TrueType and PostScript (Type 1) fonts used in a particular PDF document. Note:
Embedding fonts will increase the size of the file; however, should your form be printed locally, all fonts will
retain precise appearance and spacing.
4.) If exact character positioning is not necessary, then Optimize text output should be chosen to reduce a
PDF's file size.
5.) Canvas also offers the choice to convert files into either RGB or CMYK as the color mode. The CMYK color
system is used in four-color process printing. The RGB color system is used for computer monitors.

Images
Most documents will contain photographs or rendered images of some sort. Regardless of the final destination be it print or the web - you will need to decide on how the PDF export engine will handle these images. The
standard resolution for online documentation is 72 dpi, while either 150 or 300 dpi is recommended for most
print documents.
It is also important to remember that the PDF export filter will compress all bitmap images. Lossless
compression is available for technical drawings and illustrations, while JPEG compression is ideal for
photographs.
Transparency
When exporting documents that contain transparent objects, the PDF Options dialog box has two
considerations:
1.) Render mode lets you choose to render:
a.) only the objects that contain the transparency
b.) all of the transparent objects and those that touch them
c.) the entire page
2.) There is also the option to select CMYK or RGB as the Color mode.
(Please see #5 of General Options for an explanation of these color modes.)

Creating a PDF Form (Continued)

Specify halftone settings
For print production purposes, there are a number of halftone shapes available from a drop-down menu. In
addition, LPI will define the density of the grid in lines per inch and Angle will define the orientation of the grid.
The particular choices for Shape and LPI/Angle depend upon specific pre-production needs.
Since this is a simple downloadable form, we are just going to choose Compress text and Vectors, Embed Font
Subsets, and set the resolution at 72 ppi.
Once you have made your selections, press OK and you are done.

Congratulations! The form is now ready for deployment. Because your work is now a PDF document it can
easily used either on a Web site or e-mailed to a customer. As mentioned earlier, the advantage of creating this
style of form is that your Web visitor has the ability of directly entering editable text that, when printed and
mailed to you, can be easily read and understood. The alternative would be receiving hand-written forms that
may be difficult decipher. In addition to your ability to receive vital information, you have also included a
hyperlink into your document which will grant your customer the ablility to contact you for additional details.

View the completed form.

Fill the form completely, sign it and to return it by fax: 555-555-2345 or regular mail to: Dental Credit Services,
1055 Illusion Ave. Miami, Fl 33175. For more information regarding Dental Credit services please visit our website at http://www.dentalcreditline.com. An incomplete form may result in the decline of your application.
APPLICANT

Please tell us about YOURSELF

First Name

MI

Last Name
Date of Birth

Social Security No.
Apt.

Address
City

State

Home Phone

Residence Type:

Time at Residence:

Mortgage/Rent Payment:

Zip

$

If your credit references and/or credit history may be verified in any other name, please list those names here:

APPLICANT

Please tell us about INCOME

Employer Name
Time Employed:

Employment Phone:

Occupation:
Gross Employment Income:

$

*Other Income:

$

* INCOME NOTICE: You need not disclose alimony
, child support or separate maintenance income if you do not wish to have it considered as a basis for repaying this obligation.

Instructions to DCL USA to provide credit and other information
Dental Credit is affiliated with other subsidiaries of DCL Corporation (”Affiliates”). While you understand that the following authorization and instruction is not a
requirement to quality for an Account, in order that you may learn about the credit or other offerings of Affiliates, merchant or their agents, you authorize and Instruct
DCL USA to provide to Affiliates, merchant or their agents, any credit or other information about you that you have provided on this application or that DCL USA obtains
from any credit reporting agency or third party. You understand that if you do not want to authorize and instruct DCLL USA to provide such information to Affiliates,
merchant or their agents, you should call within 10 calendar days after the date of this Application. DCL USA may begin to provide such information to Affiliates,
merchant or their agents if you do not call within those 10 days. At any time therafter however, you may call the 800 telephone number and upon your request, DCL USA
will promptly cease any further provision of such information to Affiliates, merchant or their agents. However, depending on when in a given month you call, you may
receive one solicitation after you call.
By signing below, you (1) hereby apply to Dental Credit Line USA (”DCL USA”) for a credit card account; (2) agree that everything stated on this application is true
to the best of your knowledge; (3) agree that DCL USA will retain this application or the information in this application whether or not it is approved; (4) make the
instructions concerning credit and other information above; (5) agree to the terms and conditions of the DCL USA Cardholder Agreement, which is available from DCL
USA, which will be given to you at the time your account is opened, and which is made a part of this application; (6) agree that we will have a purchase money security
interest in the goods purchased on your account; and (7) authorize and instruct DCL USA to request and receive credit information about you from any credit reporting
agency or third party.

PLEASE
SIGN

X
Applicant’s Signature

Date