Create PDF from webpage?

[Ripcordless]

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I recently purchased a used iPad from Craigslist (actually not stolen) and am trying to integrate the device into my business use-case. However, I'm having trouble with a particular issue.

I need to find either an app or an inherent function of the iPad which enables me to create a PDF *from* a webpage, save that PDF, then email the PDF to a recipient.

The critical step and one I cannot find an answer to is saving a web page as a PDF. The rest (emailing the PDF) is pretty straightforward. Please note: I don't need to read or edit the PDF, only create it from a web page.

To add some additional detail to the discussion which may provide some appreciated response: I manage an e-commerce store. Orders come in via the web and I can view the packing slip in HTML format (as a web page). I need to convert that web page customer invoice into a PDF and email that to a vendor for drop shipment.

Some solutions I've tried:
- I've scoured the iPad app store but can find no app which will create a PDF from a webpage in Safari. But have I missed something?
-- I've tried the Atomic browser which has additional functionality beyond Safari but alas, no ability to PDF that I can find (though I've emailed the devs on that). Have I missed a function?
-- I've considered taking a screen capture and sending that but it ends up being unsupported by my drop ship warehouse (they print the invoice and add it to the out-going shipment) -- screen cap is too small.

Unfortunately, unless I can resolve this issue, my romance with the iPad may be short lived. I would welcome any and all suggestions. Thank you for your time.

 

[iPadCharlie]

There is an app called SiteToPdf for iPad for 99¢ that looks like it should work. The description says you can email the pdf's.

 

[Ripcordless]

Good start but not quite

Thank you for the suggestion. We're close but not quite there. The application allows you to save the PDF but you cannot name it, it automatically adds a second blank page (?) to the output, and while browsing through their interface, one cannot pinch/zoom or employ any other advanced hand-gestures found in any other mainstream browser.

This solution is cumbersome and unwieldy. I would welcome any other suggestions.

 

[Hasty]

Believe Pages allows you to export docs as PDF's by email. I haven't tried it, but you should be able to copy web content or screen grabs into pages. Anyone tried this?

 

[4phun]

Believe Pages allows you to export docs as PDF's by email. I haven't tried it, but you should be able to copy web content or screen grabs into pages. Anyone tried this?

Yes you can export Pages documents as PDF files. You can not however copy RTF into Pages which is what you want to do. An iPad user can save all he images on a web page to the photo roll then copy all the text to the clipboard then paste the text to a new Pages document. Then add the images back into the document using the meida control. The real crappy part is that the simplest way to get the PDF out of Pages is to export it as a PDF in an email to yourself.

A better solution is to use Google Documents from a desktop. There is a enw feature both in Gmail and in Goodle Docs that allows you to drag and drop text AND images into a new email or document.

You must enable these new features in Gmail by visiting the Google Labs settings of your Gamil account. In Google Documents you must view the second tab of settings and enable it there.

Then with Google Docs open CREATE NEW, copy selected web page CTRL C [Windows] or CMD C [MAC]. Paste using CTRL V or CMD V into you new document. Name the document. Download it as a PDF. Transfer the PDF to your iPad. It sounds cumbersome but if you download the PDF directly to DropBox you can easily grab it from anywhere in the world.

I use a combination of DropBox and Google Documents to manage all the files for the iPad.

 

[Shoma5er]

Hello,
Have you tried Create PDF Online Free. PDF Toolkit API for .NET, VB, Java, ASP for Programming PDF Server Applications and Converting PDF to Word. ?
for a $10 a month or $100 a year you can convert content to pdf online.
Im not sure if you can use the feature online but it worth mentioning.

Also, there is an app called readdleDocs, got it to view pdf files. it has a browser that allows you to save linked files into a file within the app, and you can email it from there.

 

[DavidWitt]

Imo, it sounds like you need a hybrid iPad/desktop/scripting solution, screencapture>mailto from Pictures, then a script to watch the email folder, and convert the screencapture png to a pdf.

This is a good example of how Apple is hobbling power users - Applescript could come in mighty handy in this instance

regards,
-David

 

[Hasty]

"example of how Apple is hobbling power users"
Lol don't be so suspicious. It's a new gadget which has only been out for six months and you are expecting to much from it. Apple had no idea what people would try to do with it once it was released into the wild.

Actually OP had you thought of contacting the developers of Site to PDF with regard to your needs?
Most devs would welcome suggested improvements to their apps, especially if it lead to more sales and you can't be the only one with this requirement.

They might even ask you to test the upgrade for them Sometimes you get lucky.

 

[E-vert]

Hi,

- I know the problem. I have set up the following procedure for myself.
- Search for the page in Safari
- Copy the link in Safari
- Go to Site2Pdf app
- Paste the link in Site2Pdf app.
- Create the PDF
- Then go to saved Pdfs
- Then open the Pdf in GoodReader App

It works quite well for me
Regards

E- vert

 

[Prevayl]

HELPPPP.lol

So here is where i need help? Can iPad view interactive PDFs

the reason is
I used the new Acrobat x to convert webpage to PDF.
the webpage was a %100 flash site, but it converted it no problem, when i open it on a pc-or mac, i can fully interact with the pdf as if it was the flash site itself(even looked exactly the same).
but when i sent it to my ipad the iPad wouldnt pull up the content in the pdf. It opend it but wouldnt show anything besides the url at the bottom.

What do i need to do to make it work with the iPad, if its possible to do so? if not, does anybody know when it will?

the reason is. ipad doesnt show flash content except through skyfire which is still lame. but if i could send my clients interactive PDFs of the flash site
that look and function the same way the flash site dose that would be awesome.

 

[dreamcarrior]

I also would love to know how to create PDF from website or anywhere in iPad. I normally pay for bills online and then create PDF files for records. Creating PDF has been the best way of keeping records for the past 10 years. However I cannot find a way to do it in the iPad, and it really bothers me.

 

[wytey]

Not perfect but try this

javascriptdf_url=location.href;location.href='http://pdfmyurl.com?url='+escape(pdf_url)

Add that as a bookmark to your web browser

When at the page you want to convert to as a pdf, open the bookmark menu and select that link, it will then create a pdf, once done, click the page, and then select open in ibook

You will then see a pdf of that web page, if the webpage is long, the pdf will have numerous pages

 

[Kricke]

I use an App called WebToolBox+ which saves a webpage to a pdf file and displays it in safari. Then I go to the http address line and insert a g in front of http and the PDF file is opened in goodreader.

I do think it executes a JavaScript script similar to the one mentioned above, or even exactly the same.

Does this help?

Knut

 

[4phun]

iAnnotate easily creates a web page for you out of a web site. It has its own browser to do this with and if you do not like the PDfs name you can change it.

Another way would be to take screen shots of existing web pages and combine them into a single document with something like pages. iAnnotate will create a web page with text that you can annotate, the Pages idea will give you a PDF with images and text.

I like iAnnotate but both Pages and iAnnotate are heavy duty iPad apps that cost $10 each, not exactly for the those who just want to mess around.

 

[zorah]

Save2PDF is another app that will save web pages as a PDF. I have it and use it.