Managed PDF Conversion API

[RadekP]

Question : Is there any 100% managed-code API component on the market that
allows DOC/HTML -> PDF conversions similar to the activePDF wrapper
(http://www.activepdf.com) ? I would like to stress the word "conversion s"
of existing Word document or HTML files. Can somebody share any experience ?

I would really appreciate

Regards

Radek

[bruce barker]

Re: Managed PDF Conversion API

probably not unless the html is very simple. while you could find a managed
pdf writer, finding a robust managed html parser with a plugable rendering
engine is not likly. that is a rather huge project with a limited market.

note: activePDF uses IE to parse the html, then uses the IE print engine to
render the pdf (they supply a pdf print driver). a very clever solution.

-- bruce (sqlwork.com)

"RadekP" <radek@aldec.co m> wrote in message
news:#ON6mGU5DH A.2720@TK2MSFTN GP09.phx.gbl...[color=blue]
> Question : Is there any 100% managed-code API component on the market that
> allows DOC/HTML -> PDF conversions similar to the activePDF wrapper
> (http://www.activepdf.com) ? I would like to stress the word "conversion s"
> of existing Word document or HTML files. Can somebody share any experience[/color]
?[color=blue]
>
> I would really appreciate
>
> Regards
>
> Radek
>
>[/color]

[Gaurav Khanna [C# MVP]]

Re: Managed PDF Conversion API

Hi!

You could use tools like PDF995 that install them as printers. Next, you
could automate Word, open the DOC/HTML within it and send it for printing to
PDF995 printer which shall produce the PDF for you.

--
Regards,
Kumar Gaurav Khanna
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Microsoft MVP - C#/.NET, MCSE Windows 2000/NT4, MCP+I
WinToolZone - Spelunking Microsoft Technologies

http://www.wintoolzone.com/

OpSupport - Spelunking Rotor

http://opsupport.sscli.net/

Bangalore .NET Users' Group

http://groups.msn.com/bdotnet/

"RadekP" <radek@aldec.co m> wrote in message
news:%23ON6mGU5 DHA.2720@TK2MSF TNGP09.phx.gbl. ..[color=blue]
> Question : Is there any 100% managed-code API component on the market that
> allows DOC/HTML -> PDF conversions similar to the activePDF wrapper
> (http://www.activepdf.com) ? I would like to stress the word "conversion s"
> of existing Word document or HTML files. Can somebody share any experience[/color]
?[color=blue]
>
> I would really appreciate
>
> Regards
>
> Radek
>
>[/color]

[Adie]

Re: Managed PDF Conversion API

RadekP wrote:
[color=blue]
>Question : Is there any 100% managed-code API component on the market that
>allows DOC/HTML -> PDF conversions similar to the activePDF wrapper
>(http://www.activepdf.com) ? I would like to stress the word "conversion s"
>of existing Word document or HTML files. Can somebody share any experience ?
>
>I would really appreciate[/color]


Wouldn't xml and xslt do the trick for the html?

[RadekP]

Re: Managed PDF Conversion API

You mean - transform (X)HTML with XSLT into something that is PDF creatable
? Sounds like a chalange. I do not believe this has been done before ...

Radek

"Adie" <arsehinge@h-o-t-m-a-i-l.com> wrote in message
news:b631668f19 b78818f8e177fb5 7c144d7@news.te ranews.com...[color=blue]
> RadekP wrote:
>[color=green]
> >Question : Is there any 100% managed-code API component on the market[/color][/color]
that[color=blue][color=green]
> >allows DOC/HTML -> PDF conversions similar to the activePDF wrapper
> >(http://www.activepdf.com) ? I would like to stress the word[/color][/color]
"conversion s"[color=blue][color=green]
> >of existing Word document or HTML files. Can somebody share any[/color][/color]
experience ?[color=blue][color=green]
> >
> >I would really appreciate[/color]
>
>
> Wouldn't xml and xslt do the trick for the html?
>[/color]

[Adie]

Re: Managed PDF Conversion API

RadekP wrote:[color=blue]
>"Adie" <arsehinge@h-o-t-m-a-i-l.com> wrote in message[color=green]
>>
>> Wouldn't xml and xslt do the trick for the html?[/color]
>
>You mean - transform (X)HTML with XSLT into something that is PDF creatable
>? Sounds like a chalange. I do not believe this has been done before ...[/color]

Pretty sure it has, a college buddy says he did it for his final year
project. Never saw it perform though.

He used Java.

I'll ask him about it in more detail and update the thread when I hear
more.

[RadekP]

Re: Managed PDF Conversion API

Thanks Kumar for pointing out very interesting tool. I already do all of
that with activePDF but although richer in customization, activePDF is a bit
bulky and slow - its unmanaged API creates new virtual printer for each
conversion which takes unnecessary resources that tend to not even be freed
up in high volume conversions. What's particularly appealing and as I
checked fast is the PDF995's solution to convert files inside monitored
folder on-the-fly (http://www.omniformat.com/). This might lead into huge
performance cut without involving Word's or IE's printing APIs. Web
application could simply copy a file (in almost any format, including DOC,
HTML) into dedicated folder awaiting its conversion. Hmm.. I will see how
that works in practice....

Thanks again

Radek

"Gaurav Khanna [C# MVP]" <gaurav@wintool zone.com> wrote in message
news:%23pf7I%23 V5DHA.1672@TK2M SFTNGP12.phx.gb l...[color=blue]
> Hi!
>
> You could use tools like PDF995 that install them as printers. Next, you
> could automate Word, open the DOC/HTML within it and send it for printing[/color]
to[color=blue]
> PDF995 printer which shall produce the PDF for you.
>
> --
> Regards,
> Kumar Gaurav Khanna
> -----------------------------------------------------------------
> Microsoft MVP - C#/.NET, MCSE Windows 2000/NT4, MCP+I
> WinToolZone - Spelunking Microsoft Technologies
> http://www.wintoolzone.com/
> OpSupport - Spelunking Rotor
> http://opsupport.sscli.net/
> Bangalore .NET Users' Group
> http://groups.msn.com/bdotnet/
> "RadekP" <radek@aldec.co m> wrote in message
> news:%23ON6mGU5 DHA.2720@TK2MSF TNGP09.phx.gbl. ..[color=green]
> > Question : Is there any 100% managed-code API component on the market[/color][/color]
that[color=blue][color=green]
> > allows DOC/HTML -> PDF conversions similar to the activePDF wrapper
> > (http://www.activepdf.com) ? I would like to stress the word[/color][/color]
"conversion s"[color=blue][color=green]
> > of existing Word document or HTML files. Can somebody share any[/color][/color]
experience[color=blue]
> ?[color=green]
> >
> > I would really appreciate
> >
> > Regards
> >
> > Radek
> >
> >[/color]
>
>[/color]

[RadekP]

Re: Managed PDF Conversion API

Thanks Bruce. That's what I though. Would be nice to have simple and fast
managed-code API "even" utilizing print drivers for conversions. I guess
that's still a software gap-hole to fulfill...

Regards

Radek


"bruce barker" <nospam_brubar@ safeco.com> wrote in message
news:u3c08RU5DH A.2736@TK2MSFTN GP09.phx.gbl...[color=blue]
> probably not unless the html is very simple. while you could find a[/color]
managed[color=blue]
> pdf writer, finding a robust managed html parser with a plugable rendering
> engine is not likly. that is a rather huge project with a limited market.
>
> note: activePDF uses IE to parse the html, then uses the IE print engine[/color]
to[color=blue]
> render the pdf (they supply a pdf print driver). a very clever solution.
>
> -- bruce (sqlwork.com)
>
> "RadekP" <radek@aldec.co m> wrote in message
> news:#ON6mGU5DH A.2720@TK2MSFTN GP09.phx.gbl...[color=green]
> > Question : Is there any 100% managed-code API component on the market[/color][/color]
that[color=blue][color=green]
> > allows DOC/HTML -> PDF conversions similar to the activePDF wrapper
> > (http://www.activepdf.com) ? I would like to stress the word[/color][/color]
"conversion s"[color=blue][color=green]
> > of existing Word document or HTML files. Can somebody share any[/color][/color]
experience[color=blue]
> ?[color=green]
> >
> > I would really appreciate
> >
> > Regards
> >
> > Radek
> >
> >[/color]
>
>[/color]

[RadekP]

Re: Managed PDF Conversion API

Interesting. I would appreciate your feedback on that ..

Thanks Adie

"Adie" <arsehinge@h-o-t-m-a-i-l.com> wrote in message
news:3b7fdff4f8 54331e600511346 140cdc1@news.te ranews.com...[color=blue]
> RadekP wrote:[color=green]
> >"Adie" <arsehinge@h-o-t-m-a-i-l.com> wrote in message[color=darkred]
> >>
> >> Wouldn't xml and xslt do the trick for the html?[/color]
> >
> >You mean - transform (X)HTML with XSLT into something that is PDF[/color][/color]
creatable[color=blue][color=green]
> >? Sounds like a chalange. I do not believe this has been done before ...[/color]
>
> Pretty sure it has, a college buddy says he did it for his final year
> project. Never saw it perform though.
>
> He used Java.
>
> I'll ask him about it in more detail and update the thread when I hear
> more.[/color]

[Dino Chiesa [Microsoft]]

Re: Managed PDF Conversion API

have you looked at nFop ?

"RadekP" <radek@aldec.co m> wrote in message
news:ettOENc5DH A.1852@TK2MSFTN GP10.phx.gbl...[color=blue]
> Interesting. I would appreciate your feedback on that ..
>
> Thanks Adie
>
> "Adie" <arsehinge@h-o-t-m-a-i-l.com> wrote in message
> news:3b7fdff4f8 54331e600511346 140cdc1@news.te ranews.com...[color=green]
> > RadekP wrote:[color=darkred]
> > >"Adie" <arsehinge@h-o-t-m-a-i-l.com> wrote in message
> > >>
> > >> Wouldn't xml and xslt do the trick for the html?
> > >
> > >You mean - transform (X)HTML with XSLT into something that is PDF[/color][/color]
> creatable[color=green][color=darkred]
> > >? Sounds like a chalange. I do not believe this has been done before[/color][/color][/color]
....[color=blue][color=green]
> >
> > Pretty sure it has, a college buddy says he did it for his final year
> > project. Never saw it perform though.
> >
> > He used Java.
> >
> > I'll ask him about it in more detail and update the thread when I hear
> > more.[/color]
>
>[/color]

[luvdotnet]

Re: Managed PDF Conversion API

The Apache Group has done this!! I forgot their website though since I last
read about it. They used XSLT to generate PDF.

ElreyRonald

"Adie" <arsehinge@h-o-t-m-a-i-l.com> wrote in message
news:3b7fdff4f8 54331e600511346 140cdc1@news.te ranews.com...[color=blue]
> RadekP wrote:[color=green]
> >"Adie" <arsehinge@h-o-t-m-a-i-l.com> wrote in message[color=darkred]
> >>
> >> Wouldn't xml and xslt do the trick for the html?[/color]
> >
> >You mean - transform (X)HTML with XSLT into something that is PDF[/color][/color]
creatable[color=blue][color=green]
> >? Sounds like a chalange. I do not believe this has been done before ...[/color]
>
> Pretty sure it has, a college buddy says he did it for his final year
> project. Never saw it perform though.
>
> He used Java.
>
> I'll ask him about it in more detail and update the thread when I hear
> more.[/color]

[RadekP]

Re: Managed PDF Conversion API

Thanks Ronald

We will try to dig into that ..

Radek
"luvdotnet" <luvdotnet@hotm ail.com> wrote in message
news:%23%23H38H e5DHA.632@TK2MS FTNGP12.phx.gbl ...[color=blue]
> The Apache Group has done this!! I forgot their website though since I[/color]
last[color=blue]
> read about it. They used XSLT to generate PDF.
>
> ElreyRonald
>
> "Adie" <arsehinge@h-o-t-m-a-i-l.com> wrote in message
> news:3b7fdff4f8 54331e600511346 140cdc1@news.te ranews.com...[color=green]
> > RadekP wrote:[color=darkred]
> > >"Adie" <arsehinge@h-o-t-m-a-i-l.com> wrote in message
> > >>
> > >> Wouldn't xml and xslt do the trick for the html?
> > >
> > >You mean - transform (X)HTML with XSLT into something that is PDF[/color][/color]
> creatable[color=green][color=darkred]
> > >? Sounds like a chalange. I do not believe this has been done before[/color][/color][/color]
....[color=blue][color=green]
> >
> > Pretty sure it has, a college buddy says he did it for his final year
> > project. Never saw it perform though.
> >
> > He used Java.
> >
> > I'll ask him about it in more detail and update the thread when I hear
> > more.[/color]
>
>[/color]

[Tim Sullivan]

Re: Managed PDF Conversion API

>> its [activePDF's] unmanaged API creates new virtual printer for
each[color=blue]
> conversion which takes unnecessary resources that tend to not even be freed
> up in high volume conversions.[/color]

The activePDF API does not create a virtual printer in each
instance...a pool is maintained to prevent that from happening...if
all the printers in the pool are in use, then of course, it needs to
create one. But once the virtual printer is created it is re-used.
[color=blue][color=green]
>>What's particularly appealing and as I[/color]
> checked fast is the PDF995's solution to convert files inside monitored
> folder on-the-fly (http://www.omniformat.com/). This might lead into huge
> performance cut without involving Word's or IE's printing APIs.[/color]

FYI - PDF995 uses an OLD version of Ghostscript and their product
requires Word and prints to the PDF995 printer driver.

http://www.omniformat.com/faq.html

Tim