Show PDF [Resolved]

[haihems]

Hi,
How can I show a PDF from vb.net form?

[XTab]

 Process.Start("H:\Jetway Manual.pdf")

This form of code assumes that there is the standard file association between Adobe Acrobat and .pdf file extensions and will fire up Acrobat and show the named file.

[tr333]

if you have the full version of adobe acrobat installed, then you will be able to use the PDF ActiveX control that comes with it.

[RobDog888]

if you have the full version of adobe acrobat installed, then you will be able to use the PDF ActiveX control that comes with it.

Not quite true, if you have Acrobat Reader you can use the pdf.ocx to display a pdf on a form, etc. depending on
how much control you want over it you may still have to use the full version though.

[haihems]

Hi,
Thanks for your response. i did the following and it works.

Dim pdfProcess As Process
 pdfProcess = pdfProcess.Start("AcroRd32.exe", "c:\temp\a.pdf")

I've one more doubt. I hope the exe names for Acrobat will change like 'AcroRd32.exe' , 'Acro32.exe' etc., for different windows version. So how can I know the name of Acrobat's exe file in client' machine?

Or straightly can i give
pdfProcess= pdfProcess.Start("c:\temp\a.pdf")
to open the pdf straightly.

If there is no acrobat reader in clinet's machine , how can i track it???

Regards,
Hems.

[RobDog888]

Here is a way to get the associated program with the .pdf extension. Note, if the users system has another
program instead of Acrobat to open .pdf files then it will get that program and not Arobat.

Option Explicit On 
 
Imports System.IO
 
Public Module Module1
 
    Declare Function FindExecutable Lib "shell32.dll" Alias "FindExecutableA" (ByVal lpFile As String, _
    ByVal lpDirectory As String, ByVal lpResult As String) As Integer
 
    Public Sub FindAcrobat(ByVal strRunMe As String)
        Try
            'CREATE SOME VARIABLES
            Dim PDFExec As String = New String(" "c, 255)
            Dim strFileName As String
            Dim lRet As Long
            Dim SWriter As StreamWriter
            'CREATE A TEMP PDF FILE SO WE CAN FIND OUT WHERE THE LOCATION IS ONE ON THE SYSTEM
            strFileName = Application.StartupPath & "\temp.pdf"
            SWriter = File.CreateText(strFileName)
            SWriter.Write("1")
            SWriter.Close()
            'CALL THE API TO FIND THE EXE ASSOCIATED WITH MOV FILES
            lRet = FindExecutable(strFileName, vbNullString, PDFExec)
            PDFExec = PDFExec.Trim
            'IF WE GET ONE, LAUNCH THE PDF IN A NEW INSTANCE OF ACROBAT
            If lRet <= 32 Or PDFExec = String.Empty Then
                MessageBox.Show("Could not find Acrobat")
            Else
                Process.Start(PDFExec, strRunMe)
            End If
            'DELETE THAT PESKY TEMP FILE
            File.Delete(strFileName)
        Catch ex As Exception
            'IF ANYTHING GOES WRONG, LET PEOPLE KNOW WHO'S FAULT IT IS
            MessageBox.Show("An error has occured!" & ControlChars.CrLf & ex.Message)
        End Try
    End Sub
 
End Module

[haihems]

Thanks RobDog !!

Sure, this is helpful for me !!!

[RobDog888]

I hope so, but I just modified a class klienma gave me to work for IE and made it work for Acrobat.
So, I can only take partial credit.