Help reading a PDF

[o1sowise]

Hello.

I'm new here.
I've been asked to modify code that reads an XML file to also read a PDF (the source data can come in either format).
I'm working with VB5 and Adobe Acrobat 9 Pro.

I've been searching the web for examples and clues, but I see many different approaches.
Please advise on the easiest way to read a PDF.

[jggtz]

You could use the AcroPDF.dll
It's a PDF viewer that you can place in a form of your project
You'll find a lot of information if you google VB6 & AcroPDF

[gibra]

What does it mean to 'read' PDF?
If you just need to 'view' the PDF file then you simply use the appropriate system function ShellExecute, indicating "open" in the parameter lpOperation:
http://allapi.mentalis.org/apilist/ShellExecute.shtml

If you distribute your applications keep in mind that:
1) no guarantees that the user's system is installed Acrobat (could have Foxit Reader or another viewer) for which the ShellExecute function is strongly recommended because it will use the viewer installed, it does not matter what it is.

2) ShellExecute is a system function present in all Windows versions, so nothing OCX / DLL to distribute and install, which they bring with them always the 'usual' version compatibility issues.

[Keithuk]

As gibra says the easiest way is to use the ShellExecute API but the user will have to have an Acrobat Reader installed as it uses the default app to open a pdf file.

The ShellExecute is a very powerful API as it can do many things, open files, print files and email.

[o1sowise]

What does it mean to 'read' PDF?

Specifically I need to open it, read each line, extract data from it, just like we already do from an XML file.

[gibra]

Specifically I need to open it, read each line, extract data from it, just like we already do from an XML file.

Then you should use the Acrobat and PDF Library
http://livedocs.adobe.com/acrobat_sd...nce/index.html

[o1sowise]

Then you should use the Acrobat and PDF Library
http://livedocs.adobe.com/acrobat_sd...nce/index.html

... in VB, not C???

[gibra]

... in VB, not C???

You need to download SDK, will found a lot of sample for many languages:
http://livedocs.adobe.com/acrobat_sd...ccessible=true

[ah8ung]

Hi,

I use this code to view my PDFs from Excel:

Option Explicit
Private Declare Function ShellExecute Lib "shell32.dll" _
Alias "ShellExecuteA" (ByVal hwnd As Long, ByVal lpszOp As String, _
ByVal lpszFile As String, ByVal lpszParams As String, _
ByVal LpszDir As String, ByVal FsShowCmd As Long) _
As Long

Const SW_SHOWNORMAL = 1

Sub OpeninPDFannotator()
Dim strPath, strParam As String
strPath = ThisWorkbook.Path & "\Resources\test.pdf"
strParam = Chr(34) & strPath & Chr(34) & " /page=15" & Chr(34)
Call ShellExecute(0&, "open", "C:\Program Files (x86)\PDF Annotator\pdfannotator.exe", strParam, "", SW_SHOWNORMAL)
Excel.Application.Visible = msoTrue
End Sub

"Excel.Application.Visible = msoTrue" does not work because the code does not wait until the ShellExecute has finished.

Does anyone know how to get my code to wait for the shellexecute to finish?

Thanks in advance!