I am creating packets of candidate interview information in PDF format based on the contents of various files in both DOC and PDF format. Not all packets will necessarily have the same files and the files will all be named differently based on the name of the person who created the file, but the naming system at least will be uniform (i.e. DerekJansen_Resume.doc).

I will be creating hundereds of these packets over the next few months for 5 different mass interview days and would love to be able to automate the process. The files are in folders and I am in the process of creating a spreadsheet that will track which files are present and which are missing.

Example:
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+ Name + Resume + Cover Letter + Essay +
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+ Derek Jansen + Yes + Yes + No +
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The files are all kept in uniform file structure and naming system, for example:

DerekJansen/DerekJansen_Resume.doc

I mostly program in PHP and am unfamiliar with what lanauge I could use in this situation, but it seems like I could direct PDFCreator to somehow look at the table, look in the folder to select the files that are present, create the final PDF, save that PDF in that same folder, and then move on to the next entry in the spreadsheet.

Is there a good way to do this? I am on somewhat of a tight deadline, but I am willing to create the first round of packets manually and then hopefully automate this process for later interview rounds.

Thanks!

Derek Jansen