How to include online postage in a scrlttr2 letter?

Question

The class scrlttr2 is well suited for using window envelopes by default. That means that it prints the address at the standardized position.

In Germany, you can buy online postage which is supposed to be printed on the envelope or on the letter into the window area next to the address.

Using the window area is of course more convenient.

The German Post Office ('Deutsche Post') only provides an integration for Microsoft Word (of course ;)).

Thus my question: How to include online postage in a scrlttr2 document?

The online postage is available at the Deutsche Post. I used the output format 'DIN A4 Normalpapier (Einlegeblatt)' (which is only available if a recipient is entered - a single character will do). You can get a sample file there. Since the page is in german I put the resulting sample PDF-file also on a private web-server.

The standardized position of the window is well explained in Wikipedia - the article is in german, but the figure contains all the information.

Answer 1

Another possibiltiy is to use tikz:

\documentclass[a4paper]{scrlttr2}
\usepackage[T1]{fontenc}
\usepackage[utf8]{inputenc}
\usepackage[ngerman]{babel}
\usepackage{graphicx}
\usepackage{tikz}
\setkomavar{fromname}{John Doe}
\setkomavar{fromaddress}{Fakestreet 1\\123 Faketown}
\begin{document}
\begin{letter}{%
  Jane X\\
  456 Fake Village
}
\begin{tikzpicture}[remember picture, overlay]
  \node [xshift=65mm,yshift=-60mm] at (current page.north west)
    [below right]
    {\includegraphics[trim=57mm 228mm 114mm 55mm,clip]{pstge.pdf}} ;
\end{tikzpicture}
\opening{Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren,}
\closing{Mit freundlichen Grüßen}
\end{letter}
\end{document}

Advantage: Easy to place the postage absolutely.

Disadvantage: You have to compile the document 2 times.

Answer 2

It looks like you can solve this by using KOMA-script options and internal commands. Please, have a look at the following MWE:

\documentclass[addrfield=backgroundimage,%
              fontsize=12pt, UKenglish]%
              {scrlttr2}
\usepackage{babel,graphicx}
\usepackage[utf8]{inputenc}

\setkomavar{addresseeimage}{\includegraphics[%
           trim=5mm 228mm 114mm 55mm,clip]%
           {postage_sample.pdf}}

\begin{document}
\begin{letter}{Name and \\ Address \\ of \\ Recipient}

\opening{Hello}

\closing{Kind regards}

\end{letter}
\end{document}

To change the horizontal and vertical placement of the image, change the first and last parameter (i.e. change the values 5mm or 55mm until it fit).

I have not analysed if this may have unintended side effects.

Answer 3

Using the eso-pic suggestion by Jake the example looks like this:

\documentclass[a4paper]{scrlttr2}
\usepackage[T1]{fontenc}
\usepackage[utf8]{inputenc}
\usepackage[ngerman]{babel}
\usepackage[texcoord]{eso-pic}
\usepackage{graphicx}
\setkomavar{fromname}{John Doe}
\setkomavar{fromaddress}{Fakestreet 1\\123 Faketown}
\newcommand{\includepostage}[1]{%
  \AddToShipoutPictureBG*{%
    \put(\LenToUnit{60mm},\LenToUnit{-70mm}){%
      \includegraphics[trim=57mm 228mm 114mm 55mm,clip]{#1}}}}
\begin{document}
\begin{letter}{%
  Jane X\\
  456 Fake Village
}
\includepostage{postage.pdf}
\opening{Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren,}
\closing{Mit freundlichen Grüßen}
\end{letter}
\end{document}

Advantages:

• Just one latex compile call needed
• eso-pic is available by default (e.g. with TeX Live)

I think I'll use this approach for future online postage needs.

Answer 4

I simply take a two step approach:

1. TeXing the letter without address and printing.
2. Using the software (which does no longer works i think) or the website to print the stamp with address using 'DIN A4 Normalpapier (Einlegeblatt)'

There are some older discussions on d.c.t.t.:

StampIt in LaTeX?

Briefe mit STAMPIT frankieren

Answer 5

Inspired by a blog entry I checked out the package picins:

\documentclass[a4paper]{scrlttr2}
\usepackage[T1]{fontenc}
\usepackage[utf8]{inputenc}
\usepackage[ngerman]{babel}
\usepackage{graphicx}
\usepackage{picins}
\setkomavar{fromname}{John Doe}
\setkomavar{fromaddress}{Fakestreet 1\\123 Faketown}
\begin{document}
\begin{letter}{%
  \parpic[r]{\includegraphics[trim=57mm 228mm 114mm 55mm,clip]{pstge.pdf}}
  Jane X\\
  456 Fake Village
}
\opening{Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren,}
\closing{Mit freundlichen Grüßen}
\end{letter}
\end{document}

Where pstge.pdf denotes the sample online postage PDF-file.

Disadavantage: picins.sty is not available on current TeX-Distributions (e.g. TeXLive).