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Topic: How can I put these print restrictions on a .pdf file or in a plug-in?, 1 Attachments
Conf: (P-PDF) Developers, Msg: 94922
From: chicks
Date: 8/22/2003 04:13 AM

>I need to provide
>browser-based printing of a
>.pdf file that is delivered
>from the webserver. I would
>prefer to avoid active content
>such as applet, activeX, etc.
>

There are several ways to do this. If you can ask your clients to do a simple, one-time download/install, you have full control of your web server, and you understand MIME and helper apps, here is ONE way:

First, understand how helper apps (like Adobe Reader) are launched by IE and Netscape. They use a specific MIME type which is mapped to a file extension, which is in turn mapped to an application (acrord32 for Adobe Reader). So, when the web server sends a datastream of Content-Type application/pdf, IE will assume it's a PDF file, and will launch acrord32 to display it.

So, if we invent our own MIME specifically for printing (MIME types application/x-????? are meant for this), and it's understood by both our web server and our client PCs, we can do anything with the datastream that we wish.

Let's say we invent the MIME type application/x-ppf, and we associate file extension .ppf to it (on the client and server). Further, when IE or Netscape see a datastream with Content-Type application/x-ppf, they will associate it with, say, PrintPDF.vbs (found on this board), which will print it to either the default printer, or to a named printer.

If you fully understand the registry and MIME, and have full control of the server and client sides, it's straightforward. If not, look elsewhere.

Attached is an UNTESTED EAMPLE of a registry file to do the MIME and file associations for IE in Windows. For Netscape, you'll need to have the users do the association manually. For Linux or other OS, associate a shell script that launches the Abode Reader with the print command, or sends the datastream to GhostScript for printing.

ppf.reg
(872 bytes)