How do I combine more than 2 PDF files into 1

[David Montgomery]

Report.SaveAs("CCL Statement","PDF",query.filter,query.order,"c:\email attachments\Client statement.pdf" ,.F.)
Report.SaveAs("Payment Coupon","PDF",query.filter,query.order,"c:\email attachments\Payment coupons.pdf" ,.F.)
Letter.SaveAs("CCL Pre-authorized","PDF",query.filter,query.order,"c:\email attachments\Pre-authorized draft form.pdf" ,.F.)


I use the above to create PDF files that I email with the following xbasic with no problems:

email_client_external(to_param,subject_param,message_param,file_list)
*for_each(filename,file.remove(filename),file_list)

In some cases this can mean as many as 5 to 6 attachments. I would like to combine the PDF files into one file and then have only one attachment to email. l like the idea of having just one attachment for the email rather than the multiple ones. I tried the following. But the pdf_append() seems to be limited to combining only two files. Is there a way to do this?

file_list = filefind.get("c:\email attachments\*.pdf",0,"PN")
list = crlf_to_comma(file_list)
pdf_append(list, "c:\email attachments\Client statement1.pdf")

[mmaisterrena]

Re: How do I combine more than 2 PDF files into 1

Try:

pdf_append(pdf_append("c:\File1.pdf", "c:\File2.pdf", "c:\combo1.pdf"),"c:\combo1.pdf","c:\combo2.pdf") etc..

haven't tested this yet, just an idea.

[mmaisterrena]

Re: How do I combine more than 2 PDF files into 1

sorry it would be more like:


pdf_append("c:\File1.pdf", "c:\File2.pdf", "c:\combo1.pdf")

pdf_append("c:\combo1.pdf", "c:\File3.pdf", "c:\combo2.pdf")

pdf_append("c:\combo2.pdf", "c:\File4.pdf", "c:\combo3.pdf")


and you would just attach combo3.pdf

[Lance Gurd]

Re: How do I combine more than 2 PDF files into 1

Here is an xbasic routine I changed from one of Selwyn's that gives a dialog box to pick the pdf's you want to combine and then you can sort them in order and make a new file ready for e-mailing.

You will need to change the following line to point to the directory where your pdf's are stored.

 
tempdir ="I:\Health & Safety\5 O & M Manual"+chr(92)

We use this to combine various manufacturers literature for the operations and maintenance manual for a client at the end of a contract. I need to add the index page and cover page bits, so it is not complete yet.

Hope this helps.

[David Montgomery]

Re: How do I combine more than 2 PDF files into 1

Thanks Lance, I appreciate your response. I was looking for a more behind the scenes routine. I created this function which seems to be working fine.

FUNCTION Email_Attachments as C ()

file_list = filefind.get("c:\email attachments\*.pdf",0,"PN")

count = w_count(file_list,crlf())

IF count > 1

DIM names[count] as C

names.initialize(file_list)

WHILE names.size() > 1

pdf_append(names[1],names[2])
file.remove(names[2])
names.delete(2,1)
count = count - 1
names.resize(count)

END WHILE

file_list = filefind.get("c:\email attachments\*.pdf",0,"PN")

END IF

email_client_external(to_param,subject_param,message_param,file_list)
file.remove(file_list)

END FUNCTION