A Couple of PDF Importing Questions

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audit55
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Joined: 10/16/2018 - 16:26
A Couple of PDF Importing Questions

 
I have to convert a lot of the same PDFs. I will get 1 to work and make sure to save the template so I can use it on the others. However I've run into an issue. It looks like each and every PDF has slightly different positioning by a couple of characters. Therefore when I use a trap in one, it may be blank/not match location exactly in the next such as this:
PDF1: Name
 PDF2:   Name
This means I have to redo the template for every PDF which leads into my 2nd question. When the above occurs, the trap line still has the data from the different PDF that I had made the template with. It doesn't look like I can reposition the trap characters in the layer without deleting the entire layer and grabbing the line from the current PDF.
Is there anything I can do to deal with the PDF movement?
Is it possible to fix the layer trap without deleting the entire layer when the template is based off a different file?
Regarding the PDF movement, the only thing I could think of was using floating layers for every single item. However floating traps seem to be a little weird where they won't let me highlight the entire area near where the trap was placed when specifying the columns. Is there a way around this and do you think floating traps are the only fix for the pdf movement?
Thank you in advance for help regarding these issues.

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Brian Element
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Joined: 07/11/2012 - 19:57

It sounds like you will need to use a floating traps.   If you haven't already you should check out the Report Reader Tutorial.pdf which was installed with IDEA, you can find it here: C:\Program Files (x86)\CaseWare IDEA\IDEA\Documentation.  Starting on page 36 it explains floating traps and walks you through an exercise.  When defining a floating field you have to define both the display width and the actual, these are most likely different.  Are you able to share an example of the pdf to look at?  Also hopefully Steve will have some comments as I think he has done more variable length pdfs then I have.

audit55
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Joined: 10/16/2018 - 16:26

Here is 1 page after removing personal data. I have no trouble getting the personal info from the top such as SSN, Name, Dates ect. However I need 1 column to have the section Employee 401k- Transition Contribution and label it as Type. Then a couple of columns over I need Contributions, Loan principal, Loan interest each as seperate columns.  The entire sectionn with fund names needs to be excluded and so does totals.  Also note that the Employee 401k- Transition can sometimes have more Types or fewer with different names than on this page.
Thank you for letting me know about the report instruction guide. I wasn't aware it existed and it was very informative. However I'm still having issues with the floating layer for the above. When I try and add any exta traps after the initial, the contribution, loans fields all move over.
Edit: Tried uploading the actual pdf file but it says thats not an allowed file type so I chose an image instead.

Images: