Note: To be able to use the samples you must install novaPDF SDK
as samples work only with it. Download it here: nova PDF SDK.
The
VB Converter sample demonstrates how to convert an existing file by printing it to novaPDF Printer using the
ShellExecute function. It also demonstrates how to set different options and manage profiles.
The same approach should be used if you print using a "Print()" method from another object (like an internet browser or a report control). Just replace the
ShellExecute call with the call of your Print method.
When the application starts, it creates a few profiles and makes different settings in the profiles. Then it shows a dialog from where the user can select the active profile and change its settings using the controls from the dialog. After that a document can be selected from the harddisk and printed to novaPDF Printer using the
ShellExecute function call.
When using this technique to convert a file to PDF, you have to take care of the fact that
ShellExecute prints to the default printer. This function returns immediately and does not wait until the print is finished (it may return before the printing is actually started). Therefore you have to set the default printer to novaPDF Printer before calling
ShellExecute (using the
SetDefaultPrinter method), register
FileSaved message (or any other novaPDF Printer message) to be sure that the print job was started. In this message handler restore the default printer (with the
RestoreDefaultPrinter method). This way you made sure that the default printer was restored and your document is printed to novaPDF Printer.
Source Code Snippets 1. Declare INovaPdfOptions variable
'create the NovaPdfOptions object
Public m_NovaOptions As New NovaPdfOptions
2. Register novaPDF Printer messages
Public wm_Nova_FileSaved As Long
Public wm_Nova_PrintError As Long
Sub Main()
' Registering the messages send by the print in order to listen for them
wm_Nova_FileSaved = RegisterWindowMessage(MSG_NOVAPDF2_FILESAVED)
wm_Nova_PrintError = RegisterWindowMessage(MSG_NOVAPDF2_PRINTERROR)
Form1.Show
End Sub
' Sub that will handle the windows messages
Public Function VB_WindowProc(ByVal hwnd As Long, ByVal wMsg As Long, ByVal wParam As Long, ByVal lParam As Long) As Long
' For the registered messages perform specific tasks
If wMsg = wm_Nova_FileSaved Then
OnNovaPDFFileSaved wParam, lParam
Exit Function
End If
If wMsg = wm_Nova_PrintError Then
OnNovaPDFPrintError wParam, lParam
Exit Function
End If
' For other messages just send them via normal (old) handling process
VB_WindowProc = CallWindowProc(oldHandler, hwnd, wMsg, wParam, lParam)
End Function
3. Initialize INovaPdfOptions
Private Sub Form_Load()
On Error GoTo ErrorHandler:
Dim strProfile As String
Dim strActiveProfile As String
' initialize the NovaPdfOptions object
' if you have an application license for novaPDF SDK,
' pass both the registration name and the license key to the Initialize() function
' m_NovaOptions.Initialize(PRINTER_NAME, "<registration name>", "<license key>");
m_NovaOptions.Initialize PRINTER_NAME, "", "", ""
' sets the value of the windows messages handler to VB_WindowProc and sets the old handler address of function in oldHandler
oldHandler = SetWindowLongApi(Me.hwnd, GWL_WNDPROC, AddressOf VB_WindowProc)
cmbProfiles.Clear
....
Exit Sub
ErrorHandler:
Debug.Print err.Number & ":" & err.Description
End Sub
4. Set novaPDF Printer Options
Private Sub AddSmallSize()
On Error GoTo ErrHandler
m_NovaOptions.AddProfile2 SMALL_SIZE_PROFILE, PROFILE_IS_PUBLIC
' Set some options to this profile
' disable the "Save PDF file as" prompt
m_NovaOptions.SetOptionLong2 NOVAPDF_SAVE_PROMPT, False, SMALL_SIZE_PROFILE, PROFILE_IS_PUBLIC
' set generated Pdf files destination folder "c:\"
m_NovaOptions.SetOptionString2 NOVAPDF_SAVE_FOLDER, "c:\", SMALL_SIZE_PROFILE, PROFILE_IS_PUBLIC
' set output file name
m_NovaOptions.SetOptionString2 NOVAPDF_SAVE_FILE, "PDF Converter small size.pdf", SMALL_SIZE_PROFILE,
PROFILE_IS_PUBLIC
' if file exists in the destination folder, append a counter to the end of the file name
m_NovaOptions.SetOptionLong2 NOVAPDF_SAVE_CONFLICT_STRATEGY, FILE_CONFLICT_STRATEGY_AUTONUMBER_NEW, SMALL_SIZE_PROFILE, PROFILE_IS_PUBLIC
' don't detect URLs
m_NovaOptions.SetOptionLong2 NOVAPDF_URL_ANALIZE, False, SMALL_SIZE_PROFILE, PROFILE_IS_PUBLIC
' Set image compression method to JPEG and quality to 75, possible values are from 10 to 100
m_NovaOptions.SetOptionLong2 NOVAPDF_USE_IMAGE_COMPRESSION, True, SMALL_SIZE_PROFILE, PROFILE_IS_PUBLIC
m_NovaOptions.SetOptionLong2 NOVAPDF_IMAGE_COMPRESSION_METHOD, COMPRESS_METHOD_JPEG, SMALL_SIZE_PROFILE, PROFILE_IS_PUBLIC
m_NovaOptions.SetOptionLong2 NOVAPDF_IMAGE_COMPRESSION_LEVEL, 75, SMALL_SIZE_PROFILE, PROFILE_IS_PUBLIC
' make sure text compression is enabled, and set compression level to 9 maximum possible values are 1-9
m_NovaOptions.SetOptionLong2 NOVAPDF_USE_TEXT_COMPRESSION, True, SMALL_SIZE_PROFILE, PROFILE_IS_PUBLIC
m_NovaOptions.SetOptionLong2 NOVAPDF_TEXT_COMPRESSION_LEVEL, 9, SMALL_SIZE_PROFILE, PROFILE_IS_PUBLIC
' disable unused font embedding
m_NovaOptions.SetOptionLong2 NOVAPDF_EMBED_ALL_FONTS, False, SMALL_SIZE_PROFILE, PROFILE_IS_PUBLIC
Exit Sub
ErrHandler:
If err.Number <> NV_PROFILE_EXISTS Then Debug.Print err.Number & ":" & err.Description
End Sub
5. Start a print job
Private Sub btnStartPrinting_Click()
......
m_NovaOptions.SetActiveProfile2 cmbProfiles.Text, PROFILE_IS_PUBLIC
m_NovaOptions.SetDefaultPrinter
Dim strToExecute As String
Dim r As Long
m_NovaOptions.RegisterEventWindow Me.hwnd
m_NovaOptions.LicenseShellExecuteFile txtFileToConvert
r = ShellExecute(Me.hwnd, "print", txtFileToConvert, "", "", SW_HIDE)
btnStartPrinting.Enabled = True
Exit Sub
.....
End Sub
6. Restore default printer when printing finished
Private Sub OnNovaPDFFileSaved(wParam As Long, lParam As Long)
m_NovaOptions.UnRegisterEventWindow
m_NovaOptions.RestoreDefaultPrinter
End Sub
Private Sub OnNovaPDFPrintError(wParam As Long, lParam As Long)
Select Case wParam
Case ERROR_MSG_TEMP_FILE:
MsgBox "Error saving temporary file on printer server", vbOKOnly, "novaPDF"
Case ERROR_MSG_LIC_INFO:
MsgBox "Error reading license information", vbOKOnly, "novaPDF"
Case ERROR_MSG_SAVE_PDF:
MsgBox "Error saving PDF file", vbOKOnly, "novaPDF"
Case ERROR_MSG_JOB_CANCELED:
MsgBox "Print job was canceled", vbOKOnly, "novaPDF"
End Select
m_NovaOptions.UnRegisterEventWindow
m_NovaOptions.RestoreDefaultPrinter
End Sub
