Patching PDF's...

[Valdier]

I have seen now a couple of pdf publishers that basically patch their releases at later dates... anyone have any idea how this is done?

I have created a fairly forms intensive PDF character sheet with a ton of auto-calculations in it... but now that I have done a lot of fixes and updates to some formula's I would like to figure out an easy way to patch my distributed versions of the sheet without having to basically give them an entire new copy of the file.

So, if anyone knows specifics, let me know

 

[Eternalknight]

Well, I'm not sure, but I would be interested in seeing the sheet!

Would you mind emailing it to me? eternalknight@hotkey.net.au

 

[Cergorach]

Basicly there are some programs that look at the two different files (in this case pdfs) and they note the changes of the new file. It then automatically generates an .exe that will change the file it was originally created for. Sometimes the program sees the changes as to big and generates an .exe file that is larger than the original file. Now there are a couple of programs out there that do this (mostly for windows), but they ain't cheap. I can't rememmber from the top of my head how they where called, but i'll check my other pc later today to see if i can find any bookmarks...

 

[Valdier]

That would be great, thanks... if you can let me know the name of any of them, I would be happy to look into them, since my sheet updates often I might consider them.

 

[Douane]

Perhaps you should take a look at this program: Patch Maker 1.2

Please take notice that I have no experience at all with this kind of programs [So I don't know what it can do.], however this link came up in a recent discussion about patching PDF's, so perhaps it prove useful to you.


Hope this helps!

Folkert

 

[deltacoder]

I love patch maker - I use it both for the software I write and for other files as well. It has a very simple interface - you can update an entire directory tree at once, or only a single file, etc. It automatically detects the changes between two versions.

--EDIT--

I should also add that Patch Maker is free (although it adds a small screen to the end of every patch with info about Patch Maker unless you register it - small price to pay).

 

[Henry]

Thank you for the fantastic tool! I always wondered where I could get such a utility - and being offered free is a major bonus. I may wind up registering it anyway, just for the ease of use it gives!

 

[deltacoder]

np. you might also check out their Install Maker - quick and easy, and I've seen it compress a 4Mb installation into about 900k of installer.