Re: Launch PDF's into Acrobat
Excellent, thanks Sarah... very helpful On May 16, 2005, at 3:16 PM, Sarah Reichelt wrote: In this case, they may have simply no idea how pick the application that would be used as their default PDF viewer... I think you meant "I really [hate] the programs that open an application if it isn't the one I would normally use." Right, point well taken, I think we all find that behavior somehow "abusive" in a subtle way. Yes, that's what I meant :-) So, then, (he scratches his head, pulls his whiskers) if not Acrobat, but "my PDF default" what is the solution? I think for Windows, you need to query the registry, but for Mac OS X, you need to look in the users Library -> Preferences folder and check the file called: com.apple.LaunchServices.plist Searching for PDF, I find an entry that lists a bundle signature of "prvw" and using the AppleScript below, I can see that this refers to "Preview.app" tell application "Finder" return the name of application file id "prvw" end tell HTH, Sarah ___ use-revolution mailing list use-revolution@lists.runrev.com http://lists.runrev.com/mailman/listinfo/use-revolution ___ use-revolution mailing list use-revolution@lists.runrev.com http://lists.runrev.com/mailman/listinfo/use-revolution
Re: Launch PDF's into Acrobat
In this case, they may have simply no idea how pick the application that would be used as their default PDF viewer... I think you meant "I really [hate] the programs that open an application if it isn't the one I would normally use." Right, point well taken, I think we all find that behavior somehow "abusive" in a subtle way. Yes, that's what I meant :-) So, then, (he scratches his head, pulls his whiskers) if not Acrobat, but "my PDF default" what is the solution? I think for Windows, you need to query the registry, but for Mac OS X, you need to look in the users Library -> Preferences folder and check the file called: com.apple.LaunchServices.plist Searching for PDF, I find an entry that lists a bundle signature of "prvw" and using the AppleScript below, I can see that this refers to "Preview.app" tell application "Finder" return the name of application file id "prvw" end tell HTH, Sarah ___ use-revolution mailing list use-revolution@lists.runrev.com http://lists.runrev.com/mailman/listinfo/use-revolution
Re: Launch PDF's into Acrobat
OK, let's maybe back up from this and draft the simple functional spec first without making any decisions on the the technology yet... (other than that we use revolution to drive the front end) 1) We have PDF documents on a web server comprising PDF's of issues of our magazine, each PDF doc contains all pages of an article: 1 page articles are single page PDF's, a feature story might run to 8-10 page PDF, fairly "heavy" 2 pages stories are 2 pages... etc. 2) we want to deliver a standalone Revolution application that provides access to the above, with a nice rich set of feature on the interface, 3) The primary one being, to read the current issue of the magazine. 4) a background HTTP GET loads the issue's table of contents into a field and pokes a custom prop with the URL's to the pages in the TOC, (save to external prefs file on quit.) 5) User clicks on one article in Table of Contents, Rev Downloads the PDF...is prompted if she wants to read now or off line later etc. then what: I mean in terms of letting the user decide how to view the PDF... Is there a cross platform system prop for "default PDF viewer" that we can dig from the local host. Perhaps we need to let the user set up his environment? Prompt: "Please locate the application you use to view PDF's" Problem: "Naive" (I prefer this to "dumb") users are already lost... as was noted in other threads... the level of expertise of some people using computers on a scale of 0 to 100 lies not infrequently somewhere in the .0002 to 1.5 range (smile) really, I am amazed at times, how what what I think is obvious in a UI completely escapes certain types... In this case, they may have simply no idea how pick the application that would be used as their default PDF viewer... I think you meant "I really [hate] the programs that open an application if it isn't the one I would normally use." Right, point well taken, I think we all find that behavior somehow "abusive" in a subtle way. So, then, (he scratches his head, pulls his whiskers) if not Acrobat, but "my PDF default" what is the solution? SKTS On May 15, 2005, at 12:55 PM, Sarah Reichelt wrote: It's important that you don't force people to use Acrobat if that is not their default PDF viewer. I'm not sure how you go about finding what IS their default but I really the programs that open an application if it isn't the one I would normally use. Sarah ___ use-revolution mailing list use-revolution@lists.runrev.com http://lists.runrev.com/mailman/listinfo/use-revolution
Re: Launch PDF's into Acrobat
It's important that you don't force people to use Acrobat if that is not their default PDF viewer. I'm not sure how you go about finding what IS their default but I really the programs that open an application if it isn't the one I would normally use. Sarah Under OS X, you also have Preview, which in many cases does just as good a job as Acrobat Reader (if not a better one), and is often much faster. Acrobat Reader is also available for many UNIX platforms, and there are open-source equivalents, such as Xpdf... On May 14, 2005, at 12:59 AM, Trevor DeVore wrote: On May 13, 2005, at 9:54 PM, Richard Gaskin wrote: If you just want to display PDFs and can live without Acrobat's features, you can display PDFs in a Player object. This will only work on OS X. QuickTime doesn't support this on Windows (or OS 9 IIRC). ___ use-revolution mailing list use-revolution@lists.runrev.com http://lists.runrev.com/mailman/listinfo/use-revolution
Re: Launch PDF's into Acrobat
Excellent, thanks, though I'm surprised we need an external to find this out from a Mac. But, it looks like a fairly complete recipe. skts On May 14, 2005, at 4:13 AM, Howard Bornstein wrote: On 5/13/05, Sivakatirswami <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: What I need now, and I will start digging the list archives, but typically I find it in the end challenging to put it all together -- and this may be simple: We could use the "whole ball of wax" relating to launching PDF's from revolution into Acrobat reader on any platform-- actually Mac OS9 and OSX and Windows will suffice. You might also want to check out Peter Reid's solution, captured on the Sons of Thunder web site at: http://www.sonsothunder.com/index2.htm?http://www.sonsothunder.com/ devres/revolution/revolution.htm?_file007 Look for File001 under File/Folder manipulation. -- Regards, Howard Bornstein --- www.designeq.com ___ use-revolution mailing list use-revolution@lists.runrev.com http://lists.runrev.com/mailman/listinfo/use-revolution ___ use-revolution mailing list use-revolution@lists.runrev.com http://lists.runrev.com/mailman/listinfo/use-revolution
Re: Launch PDF's into Acrobat
On 5/13/05, Sivakatirswami <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > What I need now, and I will start digging the list archives, but > typically I find it in the end challenging to put it all together -- > and this may be simple: We could use the "whole ball of wax" relating > to launching PDF's from revolution into Acrobat reader on any > platform-- actually Mac OS9 and OSX and Windows will suffice. You might also want to check out Peter Reid's solution, captured on the Sons of Thunder web site at: http://www.sonsothunder.com/index2.htm?http://www.sonsothunder.com/devres/revolution/revolution.htm?_file007 Look for File001 under File/Folder manipulation. -- Regards, Howard Bornstein --- www.designeq.com ___ use-revolution mailing list use-revolution@lists.runrev.com http://lists.runrev.com/mailman/listinfo/use-revolution
Re: Launch PDF's into Acrobat
-BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE- Hash: SHA1 Under OS X, you also have Preview, which in many cases does just as good a job as Acrobat Reader (if not a better one), and is often much faster. Acrobat Reader is also available for many UNIX platforms, and there are open-source equivalents, such as Xpdf... On May 14, 2005, at 12:59 AM, Trevor DeVore wrote: On May 13, 2005, at 9:54 PM, Richard Gaskin wrote: If you just want to display PDFs and can live without Acrobat's features, you can display PDFs in a Player object. This will only work on OS X. QuickTime doesn't support this on Windows (or OS 9 IIRC). -- Trevor DeVore Blue Mango Multimedia [EMAIL PROTECTED] ___ use-revolution mailing list use-revolution@lists.runrev.com http://lists.runrev.com/mailman/listinfo/use-revolution - --- Frank D. Engel, Jr. <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> $ ln -s /usr/share/kjvbible /usr/manual $ true | cat /usr/manual | grep "John 3:16" John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. $ -BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE- Version: GnuPG v1.2.4 (Darwin) iD8DBQFChfGh7aqtWrR9cZoRAtUTAJ41k57F9AXQR0kaO2fGTtvAvIW14gCeKF1v j7DSK2RgVUwbsiJ/7TLJsuA= =kPtA -END PGP SIGNATURE- ___ $0 Web Hosting with up to 200MB web space, 1000 MB Transfer 10 Personalized POP and Web E-mail Accounts, and much more. Signup at www.doteasy.com ___ use-revolution mailing list use-revolution@lists.runrev.com http://lists.runrev.com/mailman/listinfo/use-revolution
Re: Launch PDF's into Acrobat
On May 13, 2005, at 9:54 PM, Richard Gaskin wrote: If you just want to display PDFs and can live without Acrobat's features, you can display PDFs in a Player object. This will only work on OS X. QuickTime doesn't support this on Windows (or OS 9 IIRC). -- Trevor DeVore Blue Mango Multimedia [EMAIL PROTECTED] ___ use-revolution mailing list use-revolution@lists.runrev.com http://lists.runrev.com/mailman/listinfo/use-revolution
Re: Launch PDF's into Acrobat
If you just want to display PDFs and can live without Acrobat's features, you can display PDFs in a Player object. -- Richard Gaskin Fourth World Media Corporation __ Rev tools and more: http://www.fourthworld.com/rev ___ use-revolution mailing list use-revolution@lists.runrev.com http://lists.runrev.com/mailman/listinfo/use-revolution
Re: Launch PDF's into Acrobat
Aloha, Ken
Yes, that really does help.
Looks like his is an install-from-cd model. In my case I'll just push
the user to Adobe's site if they need to install.
What about the app-->doc pre-binding? i.e. to prevent the dread "I
don't know what application to use to open this document?"
I know on Mac it will be automatic if the user installs an
application...but every now and then we still see the "I don't know
the doc type... please choose an application..." in instances where the
resource fork of a PDF gets wiped and the prebinding to .pdf extension
is failing... rare, but it happens. You can tell because the doc.pdf
has no unique-to-my-mama-app icon- (saved from an email attachment,
downloaded from the net... i haven't figure out the exact recipe for
this loss of creator type, when even the extension is correct. What
about on Windows?
I guess we're asking is: how do we get Revolution to ensure the
app-->doc binding for PDFs? On each platform?
Thanks
Sivakatirswami
On May 13, 2005, at 4:20 PM, Ken Ray wrote:
On 5/13/05 7:54 PM, "Sivakatirswami" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Anyway, this would make a great "recipe" to add to others like XML
Demo... PDF's are here to stay and will continue to be a defacto
standard for data presentation. I think someone must already has this
totally wired and functional. Possibly can all be done in a single
script... if you have it, we would appreciate seeing that.
Here's Hugh Senior's script from the Scripter's Scrapbook that tests
to see
if Acrobat is installed and offers to install it (note, it uses Hugh's
'smartAnswer' answer dialog replacement, but you can use one of your
own). I
haven't tested it myself, but here it is:
on openPDF pFile
if isAcrobatInstalled()<>"true" then
askInstallAcrobat
else ... (launch file pFile) -- insert your code here
end openPDF
on askInstallAcrobat
put "Acrobat Reader is needed to preview and print this document. Do
you
want to install the Acrobat Reader on your computer now?" into tStr
get smartAnswer("Adobe Acrobat Reader needs
installing",tStr,"Yes","No")
if it="Yes" then installAcrobat
end askInstallAcrobat
on installAcrobat
global g_Volume
set the cursor to watch
set the itemDel to "/"
if the platform is "MacOS" then put g_Volume&"/MM pdf/Acrobat/Reader
Installer" into tAcroPath
else put g_Volume&"/MM pdf/Acrobat/Acrd4enu.exe" into tAcroPath
launch tAcroPath
end installAcrobat
function isAcrobatInstalled
get word 1 to -2 of
queryRegistry("HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\AcroExch.Document\sh
ell\o
pen\command\")
return it<>""
end isAcrobatInstalled
HTH,
Ken Ray
Sons of Thunder Software
Web site: http://www.sonsothunder.com/
Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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Re: Launch PDF's into Acrobat
On 5/13/05 7:54 PM, "Sivakatirswami" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> Anyway, this would make a great "recipe" to add to others like XML
> Demo... PDF's are here to stay and will continue to be a defacto
> standard for data presentation. I think someone must already has this
> totally wired and functional. Possibly can all be done in a single
> script... if you have it, we would appreciate seeing that.
Here's Hugh Senior's script from the Scripter's Scrapbook that tests to see
if Acrobat is installed and offers to install it (note, it uses Hugh's
'smartAnswer' answer dialog replacement, but you can use one of your own). I
haven't tested it myself, but here it is:
on openPDF pFile
if isAcrobatInstalled()<>"true" then
askInstallAcrobat
else ... (launch file pFile) -- insert your code here
end openPDF
on askInstallAcrobat
put "Acrobat Reader is needed to preview and print this document. Do you
want to install the Acrobat Reader on your computer now?" into tStr
get smartAnswer("Adobe Acrobat Reader needs installing",tStr,"Yes","No")
if it="Yes" then installAcrobat
end askInstallAcrobat
on installAcrobat
global g_Volume
set the cursor to watch
set the itemDel to "/"
if the platform is "MacOS" then put g_Volume&"/MM pdf/Acrobat/Reader
Installer" into tAcroPath
else put g_Volume&"/MM pdf/Acrobat/Acrd4enu.exe" into tAcroPath
launch tAcroPath
end installAcrobat
function isAcrobatInstalled
get word 1 to -2 of
queryRegistry("HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\AcroExch.Document\shell\o
pen\command\")
return it<>""
end isAcrobatInstalled
HTH,
Ken Ray
Sons of Thunder Software
Web site: http://www.sonsothunder.com/
Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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Launch PDF's into Acrobat
We want to thank those like Sarah who made the XML Demo and others for consolidating and documenting usage of various development areas making available a variety of related scripts in a single stack. Of course, there's always ten different ways to do something, but if you don't know any, having at least one as a model gets you started. What I need now, and I will start digging the list archives, but typically I find it in the end challenging to put it all together -- and this may be simple: We could use the "whole ball of wax" relating to launching PDF's from revolution into Acrobat reader on any platform-- actually Mac OS9 and OSX and Windows will suffice. Rather than repurposing certain kind of material from a print world environment into a revolution environment, we just want to have a "rich" Revolution "Library Interface" that includes access to PDF's repositories on servers over the internet. If I understand it correctly the algorithm is something like this 1) check if acrobat exists on users hard drive, 2) if not, inform them to download Acrobat Read and exit 3) Check if Windows registry is properly binding? (I'm not expressing this well) 4) if not, then write the necessary registry entry. 5) if pre-binding on the different platforms is "good to go" then simply download the PDF, save it to disk and launch it. easier said than done. I believe there were-are some additional issues about launching or booting a file into a program that was already up and running... Anyway, this would make a great "recipe" to add to others like XML Demo... PDF's are here to stay and will continue to be a defacto standard for data presentation. I think someone must already has this totally wired and functional. Possibly can all be done in a single script... if you have it, we would appreciate seeing that. Sivakatirswami ___ use-revolution mailing list use-revolution@lists.runrev.com http://lists.runrev.com/mailman/listinfo/use-revolution
