# Creating PDF files from your Rails templates **URL:** \ **Category:** Rails\ **Created:** [May 30, 2007, 1:01am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/creating-pdf-files-from-your-rails-templates/105443 "2007-05-30T01:01:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![subimage](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/aca169/32.png) [@subimage](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/subimage)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2007, 1:01am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/creating-pdf-files-from-your-rails-templates/105443/1 "2007-05-30T01:01:58Z")
Just posted a little how-to about creating PDF files directly from Rails templates. Thought you all would enjoy it. [http://sublog.subimage.com/articles/2007/05/29/html-css-to-pdf-using-ruby-on-rails](http://sublog.subimage.com/articles/2007/05/29/html-css-to-pdf-using-ruby-on-rails) Cheers. * * * ## seth at subimage interactive ## [http://www.subimage.com](http://www.subimage.com) [http://sublog.subimage.com](http://sublog.subimage.com) > **[Freelance Time Tracking Software — Online Invoice Software](https://cashboardapp.com/)** > > Freelance time tracking software, online invoice software & project management. > Used by thousands worldwide since 2007. FREE trial. [http://dev.subimage.com/projects/substruct](http://dev.subimage.com/projects/substruct) ---
**Author:** ![subimage](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/aca169/32.png) [@subimage](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/subimage)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2007, 2:45am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/creating-pdf-files-from-your-rails-templates/105443/2 "2007-05-30T02:45:58Z")
Dude, sweet. I’m not anywhere good enough to implement that yet, but it’s definitely on my “to learn” list now. Thanks for your efforts. ---
**Author:** ![subimage](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/aca169/32.png) [@subimage](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/subimage)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2007, 4:06am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/creating-pdf-files-from-your-rails-templates/105443/3 "2007-05-30T04:06:11Z")
It’s actually quite easy. Download the files, include them in you rails app, and call 1 line of ruby code 😉 On 5/29/07, Sean C. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > ## – ## seth at subimage interactive ## [http://www.subimage.com](http://www.subimage.com) [http://sublog.subimage.com](http://sublog.subimage.com) > **[Freelance Time Tracking Software — Online Invoice Software](https://cashboardapp.com/)** > > Freelance time tracking software, online invoice software & project management. > Used by thousands worldwide since 2007. FREE trial. [http://dev.subimage.com/projects/substruct](http://dev.subimage.com/projects/substruct) ---
**Author:** ![subimage](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/aca169/32.png) [@subimage](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/subimage)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2007, 3:19pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/creating-pdf-files-from-your-rails-templates/105443/4 "2007-05-30T15:19:36Z")
hi, this is totally kicka\*\*! thanks for sharing. btw, confused about the princexml part. if this gets installed on a server, and i allow people to export their recipe in pdf format, i need to buy the license correct? thanks Subimage Interactive wrote: > Just posted a little how-to about creating PDF files directly from Rails > templates. Thought you all would enjoy it. > > [http://sublog.subimage.com/articles/2007/05/29/html-css-to-pdf-using-ruby-on-rails](http://sublog.subimage.com/articles/2007/05/29/html-css-to-pdf-using-ruby-on-rails) > > Cheers. > > * * * > > ## seth at subimage interactive > > ## [http://www.subimage.com](http://www.subimage.com) [http://sublog.subimage.com](http://sublog.subimage.com) > > [http://www.getcashboard.com](http://www.getcashboard.com) > [http://dev.subimage.com/projects/substruct](http://dev.subimage.com/projects/substruct) ---
**Author:** ![subimage](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/aca169/32.png) [@subimage](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/subimage)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2007, 5:19pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/creating-pdf-files-from-your-rails-templates/105443/5 "2007-05-30T17:19:25Z")
Seth, Thanks! This is great and will be very useful. PDF is one of those things I had been putting off. In case it is helpful for anyone else, I wrote up the installation steps and how I needed to modify it for use. [http://www.nullislove.com/2007/05/30/easy-pdfs-from-rails/](http://www.nullislove.com/2007/05/30/easy-pdfs-from-rails/) (To mixplate: The Prince license is here: > **[Prince - End User License Agreement](https://www.princexml.com/license/)** > > Convert HTML documents to PDF. Beautiful printing with CSS. Support for JavaScript and SVG. My understanding is that it’s free for non-commercial use. $495 for a single computer to use for commercial purposes. $3,800 to put it on a server for anyone to use.) Thanks again, Kevin S. ---
**Author:** ![subimage](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/aca169/32.png) [@subimage](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/subimage)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2007, 1:06pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/creating-pdf-files-from-your-rails-templates/105443/6 "2007-05-30T13:06:33Z")
Seth, Great stuff, I’ll have to try this out. I’ve bee looking to do exactly this for over a year! ---
**Author:** ![subimage](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/aca169/32.png) [@subimage](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/subimage)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2007, 8:16pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/creating-pdf-files-from-your-rails-templates/105443/7 "2007-05-30T20:16:09Z")
Cool take on it. A plugin might be nice to see as you suggested. Post a comment on the blog with the link so people can check out your write-up too! 😉 On 5/30/07, Kevin S. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > > ## – ## seth at subimage interactive ## [http://www.subimage.com](http://www.subimage.com) [http://sublog.subimage.com](http://sublog.subimage.com) > **[Freelance Time Tracking Software — Online Invoice Software](https://cashboardapp.com/)** > > Freelance time tracking software, online invoice software & project management. > Used by thousands worldwide since 2007. FREE trial. [http://dev.subimage.com/projects/substruct](http://dev.subimage.com/projects/substruct)