Code

Re: print to PDF & send as E-Mail... by vbscript?

mhudsonjr — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 14:25:01 GMT

I have found a solution to the faxing problem I have been having with InfoPath. Here is what I am doing.

I have made a separate Windows Application in C#, and I have a fully trusted form in InfoPath. I also installed drivers for a "Print to Tif". And I made a webservice that will store all my fax data into my SQL database.

On the print to tif you can specify where you want the file to be stored and you can also hide the window that comes open when it prints so that the user sees nothing.

On my print View I have a Fax Button. The first thing it does is submit to the webservice things like fax number that was inputted and who the fax will go to and things like that. Then I run XDocument.PrintOut() to print my print view to a tif. file on the local computer(and as noted before I adjusted the settings so the user doesnt see anything when this happens). Then I run that Fax App. from my Jscript Code and it grabs the tiff file that was just printed to a folder on my computer and sends it to the server to be faxed, or you can fax it directly from the local computer.

Just let me know if you have any questions on this. Thanks

Re: print to PDF & send as E-Mail... by vbscript?

mhudsonjr — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 18:42:36 GMT

Thanks, not sure how i overlooked that one. haha.

But after looking into the print to pdf in code(JScript). I stumbled upon an activeX control. Not sure if this is what I am looking for but this is the line.

var factory = new ActiveXObject("ScriptX.Factory");

factory.printing.PrintPDF("C:\\test.pdf");

I get an error when it runs that says automation server cannot create object. My form is fully trusted as well. Not sure if this is what i am looking for.

Re: print to PDF & send as E-Mail... by vbscript?

GLazkano — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 14:39:25 GMT

mhudsonjr:
Can anyone tell me what is wrong with my syntax in this statement.
XDocument.View.Export("C:\\Progam Files\\FaxDocs\\test.pdf", "PDF");

Hi, I think it fails because you type Progam instead Program.

Check it.

Re: print to PDF & send as E-Mail... by vbscript?

mhudsonjr — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 14:28:12 GMT

Due to page breaks and other issues with exporting, I am going to have to use a print to pdf instead of export to pdf. I have a pdf printer installed, but I do not want the user to have to do anything to get it to print. Example is that I do not want the users to have to select were they want it to save to or input the filename and hit save. I want all this to be done in code. I have seen some things on the web that leads me to believe this can be done by using an ActiveX control. Does anyone have any information that could lead me to the right place or any examples? Thanks

Re: print to PDF & send as E-Mail... by vbscript?

mhudsonjr — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 13:51:14 GMT

Can anyone tell me what is wrong with my syntax in this statement.

XDocument.View.Export("C:\\Progam Files\\FaxDocs\\test.pdf", "PDF");

I am trying to export my view as a pdf , but when i run this code it gives an error:

Infopath cannot export the form. The system cannot find the path specified.

I have created a FaxDocs folder to put the pdf in, but for some reason it cannot find the folder. Thanks for your help.

Re: print to PDF & send as E-Mail... by vbscript?

GLazkano — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 10:05:59 GMT

Hi,

it's my fault, my english is bad.

What I mean is that I have a taskbar in the right of the form. That taskbar, is only shown when the form is open. This is an image of the taskbar working with domain security:

But when I make the form full trust:

Do you understand me now?

Re: print to PDF & send as E-Mail... by vbscript?

Patrick Halstead — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 02:40:54 GMT

Great post on the Export logic!

Sorry, but I don't quite understand this sentence: "once I set the full trust for security, mi 'view bar' (an html taskbar) shows code, is not 'executing' the HTML code, it only shows that code".

Can you provide an image and more info on what you expect to happen and what you see happening?

Thanks!

Re: print to PDF & send as E-Mail... by vbscript?

GLazkano — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 15:11:24 GMT

Hi again,

it worked with this code:

XDocument.View.Export("C:\\MyView.pdf", "PDF");'

The only I need now is configure CutePDF as default PDF printer because now the problem is that the Adobe Reader doesn't show it with its size and page breaks.

I suppose that uninstalling Adobe Reader and installing CutePDF will print it with the CutePDF instead Adobe Reader.

Thanks for your help.

Update: Well, it works perfectly, but once I set the full trust for security, mi 'view bar' (an html taskbar) shows code, is not 'executing' the HTML code, it only shows that code. Am I the only person with that problem?

Re: print to PDF & send as E-Mail... by vbscript?

GLazkano — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 11:18:46 GMT

Hi,

when I use that code, infopath can't open my form. Can I use that code in VB? Is it necessary any plugin, library or something?

Re: print to PDF & send as E-Mail... by vbscript?

GLazkano — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 09:22:21 GMT

Hi Patrick,

thanks for your help. I'll try it as soon as posible.

I'll post with the results.

Thanks again!

Re: print to PDF & send as E-Mail... by vbscript?

Patrick Halstead — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 09:02:23 GMT

Hi Gorka,

Michael Hudson has sent me the following code:

            string FileName = "C:\\Documents and Settings\\mhudson.GCRC\\Desktop\\fax.pdf";

            FAXCOMLib.FaxServer faxServer = new FAXCOMLib.FaxServerClass();
            faxServer.Connect(Environment.MachineName);

            FAXCOMLib.FaxDoc faxDoc = (FAXCOMLib.FaxDoc)faxServer.CreateDocument(FileName);

            faxDoc.RecipientName = cbRefDoc.Text;
            faxDoc.FaxNumber = "123456789";
            faxDoc.DisplayName = "Test Fax";

            //int Response = faxDoc.Send();

            faxServer.Disconnect();

I assume this prints programmatically but uses the default printer. That was the problem he had. We are investigating a jscript workaround that will allow non-default printers to be selected.

Cheers!

Re: print to PDF & send as E-Mail... by vbscript?

GLazkano — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 11:16:21 GMT

Hi Patrick,

thanks for your reply. I tried Cute PDF and it's a nice solution to print Infopath forms as PDF, I will use it and recommend it.

But now the question is: is there any 'standard' code to print as PDF programmatically, or will I need to develop my own code?

Thanks.

Re: print to PDF & send as E-Mail... by vbscript?

Patrick Halstead — Sat, 17 Nov 2007 06:08:33 GMT

Hi Gorka,

In order to programmatically print, you have to make the form Full Trust (since print requires level 3 security). That will mean either signing the template using a digital certificate or creating an MSI via regform (which disables autoupdate). Both will incur an IT cost. That's why we don't recommend Full Trust. However, for a small number of "admin" users, it's not necessarily a bad option.

Selecting the PDF option will require either a PDF printer - I use Cute PDF - or a PDF export tool. Since InfoPath has enabled importers and exporters, someone may have already created an Export to PDF option, but that wouldn't enable printing. You'd have to write code to print as PDF.

Best regards,

Patrick

Re: print to PDF & send as E-Mail... by vbscript?

GLazkano — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 12:59:34 GMT

Hi,

is there a way (maybe code) to automatically print a form to pdf from a button?

Thanks.

Re: print to PDF & send as E-Mail... by vbscript?

Shiraz Cupala — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 15:36:13 GMT

Hi, you can print to the file, but then it's hard to actually get that file to attach to an email. For you scenario you will likely need to manually do the email step. The other option is to search for InfoPath PDF automation or such on Google to see if Adobe or someone else has the ability to output InfoPath forms to PDF automaticaly on the server. It may require saving your InfoPath XML to a database, creating a custom XSL to render the output (you can leverage your existing view XSL from InfoPath as a starting point) and then run that server side.