Challenge: PHP Browser emulator print html Web page to PDF

[spazamataz]

We need to have PHP print a Web page, from another server, to PDF.

What we don't need is for PHP to read the code of the Web page and print the code to PDF - we need PHP to actually print exactly what the Web user sees in their browser, just as if a Web user had navigated to the page and had their browser print the page.

I've extensively searched for a script to do this - I believe it will have to be written but don't really know where to start. It seems like the code would have to be some kind of Mozilla emulator.

Any suggestions for other solutions would be appreciated too - perhaps a non-PHP, client-side script that actually opens Mozilla, gives it the URL, then engages the print function.

Thanks!!

spazamataz

[justsomeone]

Do you need this to be highly automated?

You can get PDF generators which pose as printers, so you can load up the page in your favourite browser, then click on "File->Print" and chose your PDF emulator as your printer to instantly get a PDF version.

This would then be automatable using macro tools. Not elgant, not scalable, not errorproof, but an option at least.

Other than that, you might just need to get the mozilla suorce and hack about in it.