Previewing and signing documents | Integration details

[dsanto]

We would like to validate with you if your component can allow us to achieve this story of document signing

• We would like to make available a certain document (in pdf format at least) to a user A (on our web platform), the user would render it (with your component) and

sign it (with your component) in a certain place (defined previous - signing box), then we would save this document with the new signature

Then the document would be open by a user B, on this second opening user B would see the signature from user A but could not change it. User B then

can sign on a certain place with his own signature. And we could extend this workflow to other users C, D, etc.

To achieve this story we need to fulfill these baselines

• each user has his own signature

• the signature could be directly drawn over the document or getting an image from our db

• each user cannot change someone else’s signature

• each user can only sign on the signing places predefined - eventually, this predefinition should be done by UI (with your component) or by a certain code on de the document (edited) - It was not clear to us the way the positioning of the signatures is done on the documents, because what would be desirable it was to somehow we could draw a rectangle for signing positioning (storing the coordinates if needed) for each user and then when a that user would open the document we would point the signing positioning for him - this way we can be certain the correct signatures are placed in the correct parts of the document

[atirtahir3]

@dsanto,

Thanks for taking interest in GroupDocs.Signature and posting your concerns.
We offer GroupDocs.Signature API for following platforms:

• .NET
• Java
• Cloud

It is a totally back-end and UI-Independent API that could be integrated in any of your (.NET/Java/Cloud) application/project.

You can develop a front-end and integrate GroupDocs.Signature in it.

We would like to make available a certain document (in pdf format at least) to a user A (on our web platform), the user would render it (with your component)

API supports PDF document but doesn’t facilitate document rendering feature. However, rendering or opening of a document in front-end could be achieved at code level.

sign it (with your component) in a certain place (defined previous - signing box), then we would save this document with the new signature

You can set margin and alignment of signature. For example in .NET:

PdfFormFieldSignOptions textOptions = new PdfFormFieldSignOptions(textSignature)
{
    HorizontalAlignment = HorizontalAlignment.Left,
    VerticalAlignment = VerticalAlignment.Top,
    Margin = new Padding(10, 20, 0, 0),
    Height = 10,
    Width = 100
};

Eventually, you can save the signed document.

each user has his own signature

Yes, different users can do their own signatures in a single document. Please note that API doesn’t maintain or facilitate users management.

the signature could be directly drawn over the document or getting an image from our db

Yes, this could be achieved. API supports image signature as well.

• each user cannot change someone else’s signature
• each user can only sign on the signing places predefined

Once signatures are added they are not editable. So, one user cannot change signature of second user.
No, API doesn’t give such feature to set predefined places. Please note that API doesn’t operate any business rules. It means API knows nothing about user / or some stored areas / areas of pages etc.
However, we would suggest you to use following scenarios and possible solutions:

• GroupDocs.Signature API supports Form-Field type signature for Pdf documents and Text Signature to be inserted into existing Form-fields of Words Documents. API provides creation of Form-Field signature where user can compose some area at Pdf document to be signed later.
• When you create Form-Fields manually in Pdf / Words documents, this way you can specify the area to sign (by ID or name). See this example in .NET.

By these different options you can create your own Form-fields or specify where to exactly put the signature in existing Form-Fields.

Or another way is to just specify the area over Options.Left/Top/Width/Height /Alignment (where to put signature).

Summarizing this all, API doesn’t operate some high-level entities like users/permissions/roles. API is only about different operations on documents based on provided options. So it means all business rules should be handled/implemented at your end-point application/project.