Functional Enquiry

[MikeHoffman]

Hi

My company is looking for a PDF printer driver for and want to know if PDF-XChange would be suitable.

Basically the requirement is for users to be able to print from any application (Office / IE etc). The created PDF file is then moved to a central server (i.e. a network share or possibly an FTP server) with an application-generated filename. The user will have no knowledge of the share or filename (i.e. so they won't do a 'Save As') - they just print to the PDF Driver. Therefore the driver will need API hooks that allow our application to do create the filename and move the file to the server.

They will also need to set a username and password on the print options applet.

Regards

Mike Hoffman

[John - Tracker Supp]

Hi Mike,

Our PDF-XChange Driver will do as required - but you will not be able to use the SDK version of the driver if you wish your end user to be able to print from any windows application to PDF - you will need to license the 'End User' version.

The SDK version must be entirely application controlled - this means that whilst you can print from specified 3rd party applications such as MS Word - you must call the 3rd party app from your app and pass your desired settings and license info to the driver as part of this process to avoid the driver working in evaluation mode and placing watermarks on every page.

As you will appreciate you would therefore need to know every potential 3rd party application you need to print from and be able to call correctly, programmatically from your app and pass any desired info such as the file name to print and any other parameters - if the 3rd party app allows this (via OLE etc) - some app's such as MS Word will allow this - but many more will not. I suspect this would not only be problematic - but impracticle in reality.

If I have understaood your needs correctly ....

Therefore you would install the End User version of the driver and as part of the install process (usually) set default parameters such as file name (using macro's etc ) and save locations - once generated you could then rename and move as required and if necessary delete from your own application etc - as required.

Does that suit your needs - or have I misunderstood ?

[MikeHoffman]

Hi

Thanks for your speedy response

All we really need is a generic PDF printer driver (there are several that are available for free) but with an API hook to allow a bit of our software to determine the filename and folder destination or transport (so they don't do a 'Save As' - our code will route the PDF to the required destination).

The number of clients will be large (and unknown) as it is basically a public printing service, so the user logs onto our web-site and downloads the driver etc and can then print documents to our printers.

Please let me know if you think any of your products can assist further.

Kinds reqards

Mike Hoffman

[John - Tracker Supp]

Hi Mike,

if you just want a simple Generic driver - for free - our PDF-XChange is not going to fit the bill.

As I am sure you will appreciate - we provide our own technology (not based on any open source products) and this allows us to provide an enriched product with service and support to match and in this respect I suspect we do not meet your needs.

However if you do want to add value and functionality and fast, highly compressed/optimised PDFs with excellent Office integration available in our End User products - arguably we do provide the very best.

Our SDK would allow you to do all you need and more in many ways - but it does not allow you to install as an 'open' product for general use - though once purchased it is Royalty Free when used from within your own applications.

On this occassion it looks like we perhaps cannot help - but please do come back if we can assist any time in the future.

Cheers