Download PDF not working on an IPAD

[lgrupido]

I have a list control setup which is basically a list of PDF files.

If you click on file, it downloads it using a standard Alpha Download.

In the click event I created a javascript action and chose the download feature.

This works great on a browser in Windows, but when I try it on an IPAD (even using the Chrome browser) it doesn't do anything.

How can I make it work for both?

[gilbertro]

Re: Download PDF not working on an IPAD

Larry,
Just checking if you had figured a way to download PDF on iPad ?

[lgrupido]

Re: Download PDF not working on an IPAD

I punted.

I added a button so they could choose to download or have the system email the file as an attachment.

I don't own an IPAD, so I have no way of testing it.

[kingcarol]

Re: Download PDF not working on an IPAD

I thought this might help someone that stumbles across this thread. I use the following Xbasic code to create a pdf and store it on our server in a ClientDownloads folder (which we clear out every night). That file gets copied to the user's session stuff too. When a user clicks on a link to open the report, I first start a Wait message, then do an Ajax Callback to an Xbasic function like the one below. The wait message gets hidden by the action called at the end of this function to open another UX with the link to the report.

function VendorsToUseReport as c (e as p)

dim jobCode as c = e.dataSubmitted.MOBILE_JOB

dim reportLayoutName as c
reportLayoutName = "VendorsToUse_lt@c:\a5Webroot\web_chs_alpha.alb"

dim vDateTime as c 'to be used as part of the saved report name
vDateTime = time("yyyyMMdd_hms") 'year month day _ hour min second (used Ctrl down key in function to get the help)

dim reportFileName as c 'establish a unique file name by using the vDateTime that includes seconds in the name
reportFileName = "VendorsToUse_"+jobCode+"_"+vDateTime+".pdf"

dim clientID
clientID = e.dataSubmitted.CLIENT_ID

dim reportSavePath as c 'PDF report will be saved to the Client's ClientDownloads folder
reportSavePath = "C:"+"\\"+"ClientDownloads"+"\\"+clientID+"\\"+reportFileName

'check to see if a file with same name is already in download folder.  If so, then delete it.
'This is probably not necessary since the time stamp in the reportFileName will make it a unique name.
'BUT, just in case another user is doing exact same thing at same time...
if file.exists(reportSavePath) then
    file.remove(reportSavePath)
end if

'Add arguments to be used in the options.filter
DIM args as SQL::arguments 
args.add("whatJob",jobCode)

'identify the options that will be used as the last parameter in the report.saveas line
dim options as p
options.filter = "TblPOs.JOB_CODE = :whatJob"

dim PrintOptions as p
PrintOptions.EmbedFonts = .t. 'this is to make sure pdf on IPhones and IPad will be able to display text on reports.
'Per Selwyn:  The pdfs use fonts that are not native to the ipad or iphone and therefore need to be embedded.

'save the resulting pdf report in the ClientDownloads folder
'PER JERRY AT ALPHA
report.saveas(reportLayoutName, "PDF", "" , "" , reportSavePath,.F.,PrintOptions,args,options)

'set a session variable to hold the name of the PDF file that is now in the ClientDownloads folder
session.workingfilename = reportFileName
''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
'open the saved report with a link on dox view page

'first check to see if the file to copy exists.
'this is to avoid an error if the file does not exist
If file.exists(reportSavePath) then
	
	Session.SaveFileToSessionFile(reportSavePath,reportFileName)
	
	session.doxString = Session.FormatFileDataURL(reportFileName)
	session.doxFileNameForViewEmail = reportFileName
	dim jscmd as c = ""
	'wait message is closed in the action
	'jscmd = "{dialog.object}.runAction('HideAlphaWaitMessages');"
	jscmd = jscmd + "{dialog.object}.runAction('OpenDoxViewEmailFile');"
	VendorsToUseReport =  jscmd
	exit function

end if

'if we get to here, the file does not exit, give message to user
dim jscmd as c 
jscmd = <<%js%
{dialog.object}.runAction('HideAlphaWaitMessages');
A5.msgBox.show('PDF Not Found','<div style="height: 2in; width: 2.25in;padding: 15pt;">The PDF file does not exist.&nbsp;&nbsp;\nPlease contact CHS support for assistance or go back and try again.</div>',[{html: 'OK', value: 'ok'}],function(button) {if(button == 'ok') {
setTimeout(function() {},10)
}
});
%js%
VendorsToUseReport = jscmd

end function
'____________________________________________________________________________________________________

The action to open the DoxViewEmailFile opens another UX component in a panel that has a hyperlink with this code:

<font size="3"><a target="_blank" href="<%A5 ? session.doxString %>">Click to Open PDF</a></font>

When user clicks on the hyperlink, the report opens very nicely in a new browser tab on the Ipad or other mobile devices. Then user has all the tools provided by their mobile device to use for sending the report to someone else.

On that UX, I also have a button that user can click to open another UX to email the report, but that's not what this thread is about.

[lgrupido]

Re: Download PDF not working on an IPAD

I wasn't aware that if you did an Alpha print with a pdf link that it would open the pdf.

That is very useful to know.

[gilbertro]

Re: Download PDF not working on an IPAD

Carol, Are you running your code under IIS or the original stand-alone App server ?