Three Common Mistakes When Configuring Web Page Views for PDF Conversion

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This is a special guest edition of the Musings of Chin - brought to you by Mark, SmartSimple's Graphic Designer!

Three Common Mistakes When Configuring Web Page Views for PDF Conversion

1. Malformed HTML

When configuring a Web Page, ensure that your HTML format and structure adhere to Internet standards and is well formed. While certain browsers may handle HTML errors gracefully and render them unnoticeable, the PD4ML application is much more strict. You must always open and close all HTML tags appropriately.

2. Static Headers, Footers & Page Numbers

You should never statically code headers, footers, or page numbers in a document that will be converted to PDF. Since most Web Page documents are configured to be dynamic, their size will also be dynamic. Additionally, page lengths can change based on content. Instead, use PD4ML-defined headers and footers. They will be generated dynamically and correctly reference the various pages.

3. Relative Element Sizing

When configuring a Web Page for PDF conversion, you should have a definitive page size in mind. As such, you should use static pixel measurements to define the various dimensions of page elements such as tables, divs, etc. This will ensure that your content will always be confined to the appropriate paper size. You'll be given more control over the visual layout of your page no matter the size of content. You can avoid cutting off tables in between pages by using a style="PAGE-BREAK-inside: avoid" attribute on your tables.