Injecting Custom PDF to Universal Printer

On Version 10.5 2X Application XG

We have a custom FileMaker Pro App and I'm finding that we can create a PDF faster than the Universal Printer and the PDF file sizes are smaller. (Important since WAN bandwidth is limited at client.) My questing is this: From the server side is there a call by application or DLL where I can put our created PDF in a specific location on the server and have the PDF pop open on the clients computer? (just like the Universal Printer in PDF View Mode)

-Scott

 

Dear Scott,

At the moment there is no way how you can replace the PDF converter in use.
However there is a method how a server application can instruct commands to be sent to the client.
You can read more about this at:
http://www.2x.com/blog/2012/11/tech/new ... -commands/

Please explain more how the PDF you are mentioning is created as in Universal Printing this is part of the printing process (i.e. the Printer Spooler).

If you would like to discuss more please contact us at: http://www.2x.com/support/

regards

 

The problem with the Universal PDF creator is that the file sizes gets really large compared to the PDF generation by FileMaker. For single page items, it's not a concern, but for reports coming out of FileMaker, the Universal Printer is creating PDF's that are graphic and NOT text. (Not matter how I tell 2X to embed fonts, that only seems to effect EMF and not PDF.) So a 20 page PDF report will only be 400k if FileMaker creates it, but over 8MB if it's created by the Universal Printer.

I've tried to do something with the "Server to Client Command" feature and each time it's triggered, the client is asked permission to allow it. If there was way to suppress that annoying question so it does not popup every time someone need to view a PDF, it would be a more feasible solution.

 

Yes there is an option in the advanced settings on the client to always accept the commands.

 

I misread a setting and now I can send a command without asking permission. It works pretty well. The solution (that is still a work in progress) that works is to have a cmd/batch file that accepts and file parameter (a PDF file) and then moves it to the user's C:\ drive and then uses the client's default PDF viewer to view it. Here is the windows script that works:

Code:

@echo off
move %1 \\tsclient\c\lmxprint.pdf
"C:\Program Files (x86)\2X\ApplicationServer\2XRemoteExec.exe" cmd /c "start c:\lmxprint.pdf"

This of course is called from FileMaker on the Terminal Server and the script lives on the Terminal Server.
The only drawback is getting the PDF reader open in the Foreground. Plus I need to make sure all of the users are on 10.5 and I have a few 10.1 users that the autoupdate does NOT work for for some reason. (Once they were on 10.5, they seem to update without an issue.)

-Scott