Saving to PDF file from within viewer

rbuser

Hi,

I have a custom previewer (rbprvdlg.pas) where I would like to be able
to save the report to a pdf file.

I have tried the following script, but it seems to output nothing:

ppViewer1.Report.AllowPrintToFile := true;
ppViewer1.Report.showprintdialog := true ;
ppViewer1.Report.PDFSettings.OpenPDFFile := true;
ppViewer1.Report.DeviceType := dtPDF;
ppViewer1.Report.TextFileName := savedialog1.FileName;
ppViewer1.Report.Print;


It runs through the procedure. I can see printing page 1 of 2, and then
2 of 2 show up but the file it creates doesn't open up in a PDF viewer
and appears to have no content (compared to the actual document).

Is it possible to export / create a PDF file from within the previewer?

The actual file that is created is as follows:

---------------------------
%PDF-1.4
%????
1 0 obj
<< /Creator <>
/CreationDate <443a3230313230323235313534323037313027303027>
/Title <>
/Author <>
/Producer <5265706f72744275696c646572>
/Keywords <>
/Subject <> >>
endobj
2 0 obj
[/PDF /Text /ImageB /ImageC]
endobj
3 0 obj
<< /Type /ExtGState
/SA true
endobj
4 0 obj
<< /Type /Catalog
/Pages 5 0 R
endobj
---------------------------

Thanks & Regards

Adam.

rbuser

Sorry, I should add I'm using Delphi 2007 and Reportbuilder 14.03

Thanks & Regards

Adam.

nicocizik

Hi Adam,

This is not a known issue. If you try to print to PDF using the
built-in preview (or directly) do you get the same behavior? Are you
trying to export to PDF and generate to screen at the same time?

rbuser

Hi Nico,

Thanks for your reply. I am trying to create the PDF file from within a
previewer (on the screen).

Effectively I print to screen. I then want to be able to allow the user
to save what they're seeing on the screen to PDF from that preview window.

Thanks & Regards

Adam.

nicocizik

Hi Adam,

Yes but you mention that you are using a custom preview. If you try
exporting to PDF using the non-custom (built-in) preview, do you still
get the same behavior?

rbuser

Hi Nico,

Sorry - I'm a little confused. When I print to preview (screen) on the
built in one, I don't see an option that then allows me to save to file.

I can save to PDF fine from outside of the preview screen - but what I'm
wanting to do is save while the user has a preview screen up.

Can you please advise me if I'm missing something? Is there a save to
PDF option in the default previewer I'm not aware of?

Thanks & Regards

Adam.

nicocizik

Hi Adam,

If you set the Report.AllowPrintToFile and ShowPrintDialog properties to
True and preview the report, you can export to PDF by selecting the
Print button. Then from the print dialog, you can use the bottom "print
to file" portion to export the report.

rbuser

Thanks Nico,

That method works fine. What I am looking for is a more automated
option. (ie, a separate button that just brings up a Save As Dialog) to
simplify it for the users. (Make it more like what they are used to in
other applications).

I can do this if I use Gnostice - but can't seem to find a way to do it
without.

Best Regards

Adam.

nicocizik

Hi Adam,

Thanks, looking back at your old post I now see what is happening. In
order to print from the preview/viewer, the screen device first needs to
be disconnected so the onscreen report is not regenerated. In your code
you are calling Viewer.Report.Print which does not perform this task.
Try calling Viewer.Print instead and see if that solves the problem.

rbuser

Thanks again for your reply Nico,

Still no luck. Viewer.Print allows me to call print - but it just prints
to the default printer. It seems to be ignoring the changes I've made to
print to pdf instead.

Just to confirm, is this the script that I should have?

ppViewer1.Report.AllowPrintToFile := true;
ppViewer1.Report.showprintdialog := true ;
ppViewer1.Report.PDFSettings.OpenPDFFile := true;
ppViewer1.Report.DeviceType := dtPDF;
ppViewer1.Report.TextFileName := savedialog1.FileName;
ppViewer1.Print;

I tried "ppViewer1.AllowPrintToFile := true" but there is no such
property for the viewer.

Thanks & Regards

Adam.

nicocizik

Hi Adam,

In this case you would need to do something similar to what is coded in
the Viewer.Print method (only assigning a different DeviceType).

rbuser

Hi Nico,

Thanks again for your reply.

Sorry - but I'm completely lost now. I've tried to replicate the same
code on my form. At present I have the following script - but it will
not compile. I'm a little out of my depth now.

It's not aware of what the Producer is. (Doesn't look to be a property
of ppViewer1). Am I on the right track, or have I completely missed what
you are suggesting?

procedure TmySearchPrintPreview.SButtonSaveClick(Sender: TObject);
begin
with ppViewer1 do
begin
if ScreenDevice.Busy then Exit;
if (Producer <> nil) then
begin
{detach screen device}
ScreenDevice.Publisher := nil;

{set current page}
if ScreenDevice.AbsolutePageNo = 0 then
Producer.CurrentPage := 1
else
Producer.CurrentPage := ScreenDevice.AbsolutePageNo;

{print the report}
SaveDevice := dtPDF; // FProducer.DeviceType;
Producer.AddEventNotify(FWalkieTalkie);

Producer.ShowAutoSearchDialog := False;
Producer.DeviceType := dtpdf; // TppPrinterDevice.DeviceName;
Producer.PrintWithSameParameters;
end;
end;
end;

Thanks & Regards

Adam.

nicocizik

Hi Adam,

TppProducer is an ancestor to the report. Try using the report in place
of FProducer.

rbuser

Hi Nico,

Thanks again for your help.

I think I'm getting somewhere now. where.

I've replaced Producer with PPViewer1.Report

The following 2 lines do not compile:

SaveDevice := dtPDF; // FProducer.DeviceType;
Producer.AddEventNotify(FWalkieTalkie);

The first line refers to the FProducer.DeviceType. Since I have the line:

ppViewer1.Report.DeviceType := dtpdf;

A couple of lines down, I figured I could comment this one out.

The second one looks like it just raises an event. As I'm not worried
about events (and wanted to get this to compile) I removed this one too.

I also noticed I needed to make some other adjustment / changes to the
report to get it to print to PDF but I think it's working now.

Here is the full code that I have that compiles, and saves a PDF File
from the preview, just incase it is of any help to anyone else:

procedure TrbPrintPreview.Button1Click(Sender: TObject);
begin
if not savedialog1.execute then
exit;
with ppViewer1 do
begin
if ScreenDevice.Busy then Exit;
if (ppViewer1.Report <> nil) then
begin
{detach screen device}
ScreenDevice.Publisher := nil;

{set current page}
if ScreenDevice.AbsolutePageNo = 0 then
ppViewer1.Report.CurrentPage := 1
else
ppViewer1.Report.CurrentPage := ScreenDevice.AbsolutePageNo;

ppViewer1.Report.AllowPrintToFile := true;
ppViewer1.Report.showprintdialog := false;
ppViewer1.Report.PDFSettings.OpenPDFFile := true;
ppViewer1.Report.DeviceType := dtPDF;
ppViewer1.Report.TextFileName := savedialog1.FileName;
ppViewer1.Report.ShowAutoSearchDialog := False;
ppViewer1.Report.DeviceType := dtpdf; // Replaces SaveDevice?
TppPrinterDevice.DeviceName;
ppViewer1.Report.PrintWithSameParameters;
end;
end;

end;

nicocizik

Excellent, glad you got it working.