title: PDF Outline Text - Automation of Acrobat Sequences
body: <p>I have built an application that automates the filling out of form fields inside a pdf.  It then takes various assets and combines them together to generate a "print ready" product.  All of this is accomplished using the magic of iTextSharp.  When form fields are populated, they are then flattened to text.  The problem is that even with the fonts embedded they aren't really attached to the form fields in a meaningful way  (like straight text elements are) and the printers are complaining that the pdf is generating licensing errors due to this.  I researched this a bit and it just seems to be the nature of how form fields are.</p>
  
  <p>The artists we are working with requested that we research a way to "outline" the text that is created from flattening the form fields.  I found that running the PDF Optimizer with a custom preset allows for Text Outlining in Acrobat, and even better I can generate an Acrobat Sequence that runs this command on the pdf.  The problem is that Sequences can not be automated, at all.</p>
  
  <p>I found a plug-in called AutoBatch that allows for the execution of Sequences on the command line through a batch file.  The downside is that this would require installing Acrobat Pro and the Plug-in on the server this application will be running on.  Further it seems like an overkill solution just to <strong>outline the text</strong> in the pdf.  For all I know at this point iTextSharp may allow me to do this programmatic, but searching for such a thing on google returns little results and nothing relevant. </p>
  
  <p>So the question:  Is there a better way to outline text in a pdf than the current solution I have implemented or am I kind of stuck?</p>
  
  <p><strong>TLDR</strong>; PDF is generated w/ non-standard fonts.  I need to "outline" this text to send it to the printer.  Currently using AutoBatch Acrobat Plug-In to execute Acrobat Sequence from the Command Line.  Seems excessive, wondering if anyone knows a better way to automate font outlining.</p>