Merlin - Readme document
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$Rev:: 71                    $:  Revision of last commit
$Author:: ppednekar          $:  Author of last commit
$Date:: 2012-11-07 19:32:14 #$:  Date of last commit

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Contents:
  Overview
  More Information and license
  Requirements for Server
  Requirements for Clients
  Merlin Installation
  Specifications for the files to be merged
  UI for using Merlin
  Credits

--------------
|* Overview *|
--------------
Merlin is an open source, document merging system.
1. It can merge multiple docx documents to produce single docx output document.
2. It can merge multiple pptx documents to produce single pptx output document.
3. It can merge multiple pdf documents to produce single pdf output document.
It also supports mail merging, wherein dynamic data could be inserted into
the documents(pptx and docx).

----------------------------------
|* More information and licence *|
----------------------------------
Merlin - document merging system
Copyright 2011, Primary Modules, Inc. (http://primarymodules.com)

-----------------------------
|* Requirements for Server *|
-----------------------------
* Linux or Windows 
* MySQL 
* Apache 
* PHP 5.2.0 or greater with the following libraries:
    Linux systems
        Compile PHP with zip support by using the --enable-zip configure option.
    Windows
        Enable php_zip.dll inside of php.ini.

    --enable-libxml is also required

------------------------------
|* Requirements for Clients *|
------------------------------
Mozilla FireFox,Internet Explorer 7 or later     

-------------------------------
|* Merlin Installation *|
-------------------------------
1. Download the latest merlin from 'https://primod.svn.cvsdude.com/merlin/trunk'(in htdocs):
2. Give merlin/files and merlin/tests/files folders all the permissions(0777)
3. Run test cases(docx_get_methods_test.php and docx_set_methods_test.php;pptx_get_methods_test.php and pptx_set_methods_test.php)
    /merlin/tests
	If they run without any errors all merging is working fine and you are ready to use merlin for merging.
4. In config.inc.php
    merlin_default_input_dir: is the directory of input files to be merged(merlin/files).
                              Files to be merged should be put here.
			      change index to merge the required files(merlin/files).
    merlin_default_output_dir: is the output files directory where the merged output file is generated.
    merlin_default_test_input_dir : is the directory of input files to be merged for test cases(merlin/tests/files).
                                    Files to be merged in test cases should be put here.
    merlin_default_test_output_dir : is the output files directory(merlin/tests/files).
                                      Merged output file from test cases will be generated here.

------------------------------------------------
|* Specifications for the files to be merged *|
------------------------------------------------
I.   Files given for merging should not be encrypted.
II.  For PPTX
     1. Files taken as input files for merging should have same base template properties,
       else the slide size,note size, default text style,presentation properties, view-properties 
       and table-styles will be taken from the 1st file that is given for merging.
     2. In future releases an configuration layer will be given where you could set all these properties.

III. For DOCX
     1. Files taken as input files for merging should have same base template properties,
       else settings,styles, themes and numbering will be taken from
       the 1st file that is given for merging.
     2. In future releases an configuration layer will be given where you could set all these properties.

--------------------------
|* UI for using Merlin *|
--------------------------
1) Include Mergeable Factory.Call static method createMergeableObject with file and filetype as parameters.
   It creates mergeable object. Use this object to append source mergeables to destination.
   eg:
      require_once $rootDirectory . '/classes/mergeable_factory.php';
      $obj1= MergeableFactory::createMergeableObject($dest);
      $obj2= MergeableFactory::createMergeableObject($source);
      $obj1->append($obj2);
   We can also create objects of the respective mergeable(eg:PptxMergeable) directly for appending source to destination.
   eg:1
      require_once $rootDirectory . '/classes/mergeables/pptx_mergeables.php';
      $obj1 = new PptxMergeables($dest);
      $obj2 = new PptxMergeables($source1);
      $obj3 = new PptxMergeables($source2);
      $obj1->append($obj2);
      $obj1->append($obj3);
   eg:2
      require_once $rootDirectory . '/classes/mergeables/docx_mergeables.php';
      $obj1 = new DocxMergeables($dest);
      $obj2 = new DocxMergeables($source1);
      $obj3 = new DocxMergeables($source2);
      $obj1->append($obj2);
      $obj1->append($obj3);
   eg:3
      require_once $rootDirectory . '/classes/mergeables/pdf_mergeables.php';
      $obj1 = new PdfMergeables($dest);
      $obj2 = new PdfMergeables($source1);
      $obj3 = new PdfMergeables($source2);
      $obj1->append($obj2);
      $obj1->append($obj3);
   Mail merge have also been implemented in merlin,wherein the merge words will
   be replace with the available data.
   Merge words must follow $data[account][name] syntax
   eg:
      $obj = MergeableFactory::createMergeableObject($dest);
      $data = array();
      $data['account']['first_name'] = 'Pooja';
      $data['account']['address'] = 'Raya Smriti,Khorlim Mapusa Goa.';
      $data['account']['phone'] = 9860830054;
      $obj->mergePhpVariables($data);
      In file the merge word would be like {$data['account']['first_name']}.
   (For more details refer index.php)


-------------
|* Credits *|
-------------
merlin
Copyright 2011, Primary Modules, Inc. 
http://primarymodules.com
Last Update: 2011-07-01