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Can’t Save the Output PDF file

Printed From: www.exp-systems.com
Category: PDF reDirect
Forum Name: Using PDF reDirect
Forum Discription: Questions and Comments on using PDF reDirect Freeware and Pro
URL: http://www.exp-systems.com/Forum_exp/forum_posts.asp?TID=149
Printed Date: 22 Nov 24 at 6:28PM


Topic: Can’t Save the Output PDF file
Posted By: hkwokhung
Subject: Can’t Save the Output PDF file
Date Posted: 31 Dec 05 at 5:19PM

I will be very appreciated if any specialist can post the answer. My problem is when I save the pdf file by using the latest version of PDF reDirect (ver2.1.1), the file is never saved and the program is not responding. I can only copy the preview file from the temp directory created by PDF reDirect. I suppose there should be a much easy way.

Thank you so much for your reading this message.

 


Replies:
Posted By: Michel_K17
Date Posted: 31 Dec 05 at 6:40PM
Hi,

   I am going to guess that you are trying to save to a Folder or that you are trying to save using a filename that contains "complex" characters, which, unfortunately, is not supported (a limitation of the Microsoft controls that I am currently using). I have tried to come with a fix for this, but it will require a significant re-write.

   In the mean time, please ensure that the path and the filename only contains "Western" characters (and you can rename the file afterwards using Windows Explorer.

   Please let me know if this is not the problem. If it is something different, then:
  • go into the "Preferences", then
  • Turn on "Generate Log Files", and
  • Try to create and save another PDF (let it fail).
  • Re-start PDF reDirect,
  • Go back into the Preferences, and
  • Click the [Submit Bug Report] button.

   I will take a look at the error log when I receive it.

Posted By: hkwokhung
Date Posted: 31 Dec 05 at 10:44PM

Hi,

I submitted the bug report two hours ago. Forgot to let you know that when I changed the file name ("western" characters only) and saved to the assigned folder the program stopped responding.

cheers and Happy New Year.

 

Posted By: Michel_K17
Date Posted: 01 Jan 06 at 1:43PM
Hi,

   I have taken a look at your log file, and nothing seems obviously wrong, so I tried to duplicate the problem on my machine. This is what I did: I setup an external "D:" drive as I noticed that is the drive you were saving to.

   The PDF files you tried to create were called:
  • D:\forum_posts_asp?TID=149&PN.pdf
  • D:\Java\patternsreferences.pdf


   The good news is that I think I managed to duplicate the problem, as follows:
  • Tried to Save to C:\Temp\forum_posts_asp?TID=149&PN.pdf >>> OK
  • Tried to Save to D:\Temp\Test.pdf >>> OK
  • Tried to Save to "D:\Temp\forum_posts_asp?TID=149&PN.pdf" >>> FAILED.


   So, I reviewed the log. PDF reDirect correctly removed the question mark from the filename as it is a reserved character in Windows and is not allowed. After doing some additional testing, I found that the problem was the ampersand character (&).

   This is where it gets interesting. The ampersand symbol is allowed, and works fine on Windows, yet, when I use that symbol anywhere in the filename and save to an external drive, PDF reDirect stops responding (temporarily). Also, my computer hosting the external drive crashes (a Windows 98SE machine) with a BSOD (Blue Screen Of Death).

   I have done some research on the internet, and although the ampersand is not officially unallowed, it is, however "not recommended" according to a couple of web sites I have found.
  • They say that "In Windows NT, the ampersand (&) character is used to separate 2 commands on the same line. If it is used in either a file or a directory name, it will work in some cases and fail in others." .
  • On the Microsoft web site, I did not find anything explicit, except for this page (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/236589/en-us) where they state that "the ampersand symbol (&) at certain points within a long file name" will cause Powerpoint 2000 to crash.


   So, I did some additional testing and reviewed the code as well (no errors found). Out of the 5 additional tests, the external machine crashed 4 times, and it worked once. Also, I should point out that PDF reDirect did not "crash", but was trying hard to find the new PDF file. By just letting it sit for 10 minutes, it eventually came back with a message saying that the output PDF was not created.

   So, in conclusion: it seems like the ampersand symbol (&) works fine when saving to a local drive, but fails when saving over the network. Can you take a look and let me know if you agree with my assessment? I am particularly interested in finding out if
  • your "D:" drive is local or external, and
  • if the problem goes away if not using the ampersand symbol.


   Regards.



Posted By: hkwokhung
Date Posted: 02 Jan 06 at 4:13PM

Hi,

My "D" drive is a secondary drive connected to the mother board. I suppose it is a local drive. After performing your advise in keeping the log report under "Preferences" and sending the bug report to you, I changed the "start up directory" to "D" drive instead of default. Since then every printing of the web page whether it carried the "&" or I renamed it with "&" was OK.

By reading log reports, I found that the "log_combined.csv" was different from the log_CA.txt. I also found that the statements " AN UNEXPECTED ERROR HAS OCCURED IN SavebatchSettings; -DLL Error Number = 0; -Error Number = 9 Error Text: subscript out of range" were recorded. Don't know if that was the reason causing no responding.

By the way if I printed a secured web page the program didnot work and only the printing icon showed up.

Tkanks for your help and the tips in researching.

Cheers.

Posted By: Michel_K17
Date Posted: 02 Jan 06 at 9:31PM
Hello,

Thanks for the update. I've done some additional investigation, and still cannot come up with the "&" is causing this occasional problem. I'm glad to hear that you found a work-around.

   Here are some answers to your additional questions and comments:
  • The "D" drive on your computer is a local drive. Interestingly, I was not able to duplicate the "&" problem on my local (G) drive. Is your machine a Windows 98 by any chance?
  • The "log_combined.csv" is the log of the User Interface (log_ui.txt) and of the Capture and Conversion program (Log_CA.txt). The first column is the day of the year (1 to 364), the next is the time since the computer was turned on, the next is which program (CA or UI) and the last is the comment/value.
  • The "UNEXPECTED ERROR" you reported is unrelated. This occurs when you have not setup any batch printers. It should say "Expected error", a minor bug on my part which has no effect.
  • In case you have not done so, you can turn off the error logging now. It won't hurt anything (the code will prevent the files from getting too big), but it will improve the performance slightly if you turn it off.
  • I do not know why your secured web page are not printing. I tested Internet Explorer and Firefox, and both printed to PDF reDirect just fine. Are you using a different browser?


You are welcome: I'm glad to help!

Best regards,

Posted By: hkwokhung
Date Posted: 08 Jan 06 at 12:20PM

Hi,

My system is Window XP home edition. I came across another difficulty which did not relate to the other topic in the forum. Although the same "Error code -100" shown up, the program did respond. The problem happen when I merged the encrypted PDF file with another PDF file or I printed the encrypted PDF file by using PDFreDirect.

Thanks for your attention.

Cheers,

Posted By: Michel_K17
Date Posted: 08 Jan 06 at 1:05PM
Hi,

   I am not surprised. Adobe has placed "restrictions" in their Adobe Reader which makes it very difficult to "re-create" a new PDF from an existing one. If you are trying to remove the encryption from the PDF, you should use the "Decrypt PDF" feature of PDF reDirect Pro. As long as you know the password, PDF reDirect will create for you a new PDF with the encryption completely removed.

   Also, if you try to print a PDF form the Reader when it is not encrypted, you will find that your will get very large PDF files. If you are trying to extract 1 or more pages, you will have better results if you use the Page Extraction tool in PDF reDirect Pro.

   If the data is not "sensitive", you can send me the problem PDF and I can take a look to see if what I am saying is correct. Alternatively, you can switch to the "Professional" mode temporarily, remove the encryption from your file, and then return to the freeware version. You can switch "modes" (ie between freeware and Pro) by going into the preferences (the green button).

   Here is a screenshot of the "remove encryption" button.



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