Is Access VBA output to a PDF file still this complicated?
Hey. I gotta ask. Is Microsoft so frightened of Adobe that they still haven't provided a facility to output reports (via VBA. Not via the printer designation window, thank you...) directly into PDF format?
I've reviewed as many previous threads on this topic for which I have the stomach, and I'm so full of "Well, first you hafta send a bunch of registry calls out to blah blah blah..." and "First, make sure you have on green socks, then download this file converter from this guy named Earl, make sure you're exporting into a text file and then set the controls for the heart of the sun... (and HEY! You be CAREful with that axe, Eugene...) ... "
Pink Floyd references aside, where the hell are we? Some weird remake of "Contact"?
And the question I ask is still pretty simple. All I wannado is output a series of reports into separate PDF formatted reports via VBA (assuming DoCmd.OutputTo), assigning each of them a unique filename. (I got the unique filename down pretty good, guys'n'gals, so don't you go worryin' 'bout that part...)
And if Microsoft is, in fact, so frightened of the other accepted players in the market (as they are apparently "wont to be" these days ...), I guess I'll just go and dig into those dusty old boxes in the attic for my Snoopy helmet, get on the horn with Earl and pretend I'm back in 1987.
Anybody got any Windex for my goggles?
...Jed
I've reviewed as many previous threads on this topic for which I have the stomach, and I'm so full of "Well, first you hafta send a bunch of registry calls out to blah blah blah..." and "First, make sure you have on green socks, then download this file converter from this guy named Earl, make sure you're exporting into a text file and then set the controls for the heart of the sun... (and HEY! You be CAREful with that axe, Eugene...) ... "
Pink Floyd references aside, where the hell are we? Some weird remake of "Contact"?
And the question I ask is still pretty simple. All I wannado is output a series of reports into separate PDF formatted reports via VBA (assuming DoCmd.OutputTo), assigning each of them a unique filename. (I got the unique filename down pretty good, guys'n'gals, so don't you go worryin' 'bout that part...)
And if Microsoft is, in fact, so frightened of the other accepted players in the market (as they are apparently "wont to be" these days ...), I guess I'll just go and dig into those dusty old boxes in the attic for my Snoopy helmet, get on the horn with Earl and pretend I'm back in 1987.
Anybody got any Windex for my goggles?
...Jed
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ASKER
Thank you for your responses. I see which way this seems to be headed.
TOPIO, I'm not entirely sure how your comment applies; I'm working with Acrobat already, not the Reader, and the Access' VBA will not work with Acrobat. Aside from the usual RTF and HTML options, your only choice is Microsoft's proprietary utility, "Snapshot". (What??? An Operating System controlling which applications you can and cannot utilize ?????...)
Windows I/O will work with Acrobat if I manually set the printer designation to the Distiller, but VBA won't output directly into PDF format. I will take a look at your link to Acrobat, however, for general information.
It's reasonably clear that if there was a coding workaround that didn't affect the Registry, it would've popped up by now, so I'll split the points evenly and close this case.
Once again, many thanks for your thoughts...
...Jed
TOPIO, I'm not entirely sure how your comment applies; I'm working with Acrobat already, not the Reader, and the Access' VBA will not work with Acrobat. Aside from the usual RTF and HTML options, your only choice is Microsoft's proprietary utility, "Snapshot". (What??? An Operating System controlling which applications you can and cannot utilize ?????...)
Windows I/O will work with Acrobat if I manually set the printer designation to the Distiller, but VBA won't output directly into PDF format. I will take a look at your link to Acrobat, however, for general information.
It's reasonably clear that if there was a coding workaround that didn't affect the Registry, it would've popped up by now, so I'll split the points evenly and close this case.
Once again, many thanks for your thoughts...
...Jed
basically wha I was trying to say is that unless you use a printing application for PDF
Like acrobat distiller, or PDFwriter
there's not too many ways to easily create the PDF Files.
Prbably you can find a 3rd party app at
www.pdfstore.com
Like acrobat distiller, or PDFwriter
there's not too many ways to easily create the PDF Files.
Prbably you can find a 3rd party app at
www.pdfstore.com
ASKER
Thanks for the clarification, TOPIO ... I appreciate your help ...
All the best...
...Jed
All the best...
...Jed
ASKER
However, I compose and distribute applications to a number of clients. Philosophically I'm searching for a methodological Grail that won't increase the overhead for my clients. Hooking into a third party package available for a fee is not my first choice of solution in this specific circumstance.
That having been said, however, and based on what I've seen so far in previous threads on this topic, there in fact may not be any other alternative short of a series of registry calls and resets. I may be left with choosing between alternatives, none of which would have been my first choice. So I'll leave the question open for a couple of more days and we'll see how it shakes out.
Thanks again for your suggestion...
...Jed