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Why no PDF file type

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    #1

    Why no PDF file type

    I can create a field that is JPG or JPEG and put it on my form and then for each record teh user can find a JPEG file on their computer and attach it to that record. You can do it with Bitmap files and HTML but how can you create a field where the user can attach a PDF file to that field? PDF is by far the most common file type over JPEGs and Bitmaps.
    Tags: None
    #2
    Re: Why no PDF file type

    PDFs are printer instructions; JPGs (and BMPs) are pictures. What is the source of your PDFs and can you use the likes of Irfanview to convert them to BMP or JPG? Do you need and can you take advantage of the text properties of PDF?

    BTW, my systems generally have at least five times as many JPGs as PDFs.

    Comment

      #3
      Re: Why no PDF file type

      Well, most scanners automatically scan as a PDF. They can convert to JPEG or BMP. Seems most of the other programs can handle PDF since it is the most common file format used. I'll just have to give instructions on converting to JPEG. Everything I receive from suppliers and everyone is a PDF file.

      Comment

        #4
        Re: Why no PDF file type

        Fred, why don't you send Alpha a request that this kind of support for PDF files be added ?

        Comment

          #5
          Re: Why no PDF file type

          Why not just add a field and populate it with the PDF name?
          Use the built in AS feature to open a different file type to view?
          You should be able to store any file type this way.
          See our Hybrid Option here;
          https://hybridapps.example-software.com/

          Apologies to anyone I haven't managed to upset yet.
          You are held in a queue and I will get to you soon.

          Comment

            #6
            Re: Why no PDF file type

            Ted, we do that with bitmaps. Here Scan is the field with the name of the file which is in the app's Photos subdirectory. Most systems will open *.PDF directly, so it should work although an error checker should be added just in case.

            Code:
            tbl = table.current()
fld = tbl.field_get("Scan")
target = fld.value_get()
dim photodir as C = a5.get_path() + chr(92) + "Photos" + chr(92)
sys_open(photodir + strtran(file.filename_parse(target,"NE"),chr(34)+")"))

            Comment

              #7
              Re: Why no PDF file type

              Tom,

              Thanks, I will ask.

              Comment

                #8
                Re: Why no PDF file type

                Ted and Sandy,

                Thanks to both of you. I'll just stay with a JPG file type for now. One problem is how do you set the file type to open a .JPG file. By default Alpha defaults to .JPEG file which no one ever uses. I would like to at least set the default open to .JPG

                Comment

                  #9
                  Re: Why no PDF file type

                  I agree with you that it would be nice if Alpha desktop could deal with PDF files more directly--would be a good wish list item except that it appears that nothing significant will ever again happen with A5 desktop (just my observation/opinion).

                  However, your statements below (except for the last sentence) does not fit my experience with scanners. What my scanners (old and relatively new) "automatically" do is totally up to me, and changing them to do something else "automatically" could not be easier. Maybe my current scanners (HP and Epson) are odd?

                  Originally posted by Windstarsoftware View Post
                  Well, most scanners automatically scan as a PDF. They can convert to JPEG or BMP. Seems most of the other programs can handle PDF since it is the most common file format used. I'll just have to give instructions on converting to JPEG. Everything I receive from suppliers and everyone is a PDF file.
                  Ray Lyons

                  Comment

                    #10
                    Re: Why no PDF file type

                    I agree with you on the scanner. The user will just have to set JPG as default. And yes I agree we're done with Alpha Desktop. I purchased V12 only to find that not one single change was made to desktop.

                    Comment

                      #11
                      Re: Why no PDF file type

                      Fred, how do you get JPEG as a default? A brand new workspace wants BMP here. The choice seems to be alphabetical.

                      Your scanner does not default to PDF, although the fancy software that came with might. I cannot recommend Irfanview highly enough; it cures most graphic ills.

                      Comment

                        #12
                        Re: Why no PDF file type

                        Doesn't alpha have that feature already?
                        I am referring to ActiveX controls where you could embed a PDF file in the form?
                        Or have things changed in the new versions?

                        Comment

                          #13
                          Re: Why no PDF file type

                          No,

                          You can assign a PDF file name to a button but you can have an image file reference or use a pdf file to attach to a record like you can using a JPEG, JPG, BMP file

                          Comment

                            #14
                            Re: Why no PDF file type

                            Have you looked into Active X controls?

                            Comment

                              #15
                              Re: Why no PDF file type

                              As G.G. suggests, you could do this with an ActiveX but I've never had a lot of luck with ActiveX's on forms.

                              I wrote a scanning app that used the Adobe PDF Reader ActiveX control to view the pdfs. It works back to Adobe Reader V8, I think. It still shows up on the ActiveX objects in the Ole Automation Browser and I assume (perhaps wrongly) that Alpha built the PDF supercontrol around it.

                              Latterly I find it much simpler/easier to store the full path to the pdf in the field record and use sys_open() in a "View PDF" button.
                              Finian

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