Merge multiple Access Reports into one PDF file vb
Printed From: www.exp-systems.com
Category: PDF reDirect
Forum Name: Programming
Forum Discription: VBA and Batch Tools to control PDF reDirect Pro
URL: http://www.exp-systems.com/Forum_exp/forum_posts.asp?TID=513
Printed Date: 22 Nov 24 at 3:25AM
Topic: Merge multiple Access Reports into one PDF file vb
Posted By: seenfresh
Subject: Merge multiple Access Reports into one PDF file vb
Date Posted: 20 Jul 09 at 9:52PM
Greetings,
I am considered a freshman when it comes to vba, so having said. I have a situation where I need to convert multiple Microsoft Access Reports (about 6) into one PDF file with bookmarks using vba in Access. I am using Office 2007 and Acrobat 9. Acrobat 9 has a great add in that converts multiple Access reports into one PDF file, however I need to figure out how to automate this using vba. My earlier attempt at using Send Keys to access the add in was not efficient. Can anyone shed some advice on the best way to achieve this objective. I am familiar with Vba, but have never tried to access the PDF distiller or application using code.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance.
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Replies:
Posted By: Michel_K17
Date Posted: 21 Jul 09 at 11:28PM
Hi there,
Although I sympathize with your needs, I only offer help to problems related to my product, PDF reDirect Pro, and only if there is a problem with my product.
For general programming advice, or for help on a competing product to PDF reDirect Pro, I would recommend that you try any of the number of VB6/VBA forums where there are folks (and even participate as well) willing to help others with their questions.
Generally speaking, I would rather spend my time further improving PDF reDirect Pro.
Good luck with your quest!
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Michel Korwin-Szymanowski
EXP Systems LLC
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Posted By: seenfresh
Date Posted: 22 Jul 09 at 12:10PM
Thank you for the response.
I am not familiar with your product can your product be used in a way that would assist in my objective?
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Posted By: Michel_K17
Date Posted: 22 Jul 09 at 9:29PM
Hi,
For the most part, yes. PDF reDirect Pro [ http://www.exp-systems.com/PDFreDirect/Download/Install_PDFR_Pro_v228.exe - here ] comes with a 90 day trial. In addition you can download the free ActiveX component add-on [ http://www.exp-systems.com/forum_exp/forum_posts.asp?TID=254 - here ] which also comes with sample VBA code for Access (and word, and Excel). The code will show you how to convert a report to a PDF file, and how to merge multiple PDF files into a single file.
The only problem is that I do not (yet) provide support for bookmarks, so that could be a problem for you.
I hope that helps.
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Michel Korwin-Szymanowski
EXP Systems LLC
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Posted By: seenfresh
Date Posted: 23 Jul 09 at 10:23PM
Hi,
Good to hear. I have done quite a bit of research regarding my objective and have come across various applications that are similar in nature to your product. However, what may differentiate them from yours in my mind is by one question. You mentioned your product comes with ActiveX component add-on with sample VBA code that will convert a report to a PDF file... along with other capabilities. I am interested in converting/merging "multiple reports" into one PDF file, not multiple PDF files into one PDF file. Since Access already has built in VBA capabilites to convert one report to PDF it does not have Office com references to convert multiple reports to one PDF. Does your product have this capability?
Thanks again for your help.
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Posted By: Michel_K17
Date Posted: 24 Jul 09 at 12:33AM
Hello,
Yes, I believe it is possible, but not the way you are thinking. One option with PDF reDirect Pro is to "append" a report (converted to PDF) to an existing PDF. It's a bit like merging, but basically, you end up merging "as you go".
Unfortunately, I do not know of any way to convert multiple reports into a single PDF in one shot.
Cheers!
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Michel Korwin-Szymanowski
EXP Systems LLC
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Posted By: RickNTA
Date Posted: 02 Nov 09 at 10:49PM
Hi Michel -
Kind of an old thread but I thought I'd jump in here since I have a detailed question on the same topic.
We're trying to use PDFR V 2.2.6 (both Pro and the Active X via code) to merge 2 PDFs created with the Access PDF printer, but hit an error (in Pro it's that "One of the Files in the Merge List is missing, locked or encrypted"). When we try the merge with 2 PDFs created with PDFR it works fine. We've tracked down the problem - it's that Access creates PDF version 1.5 files while PDFR creates PDF version 1.4 (when we use Acrobat to convert the Access 1.5 files to 1.4 then we can merge them with PDFR just fine).
So my question: how to we get PDFR to work with PDF version 1.5? Will 2.2.8 do that? Or is it a function of the Ghostscript version? or something else?
Hope all is well!
thanks -
Rick N.
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Posted By: Michel_K17
Date Posted: 08 Nov 09 at 3:41PM
Hi Rick,
I recompiled the current version (v2.2.8) with the latest version of
the PDF Management library that I use. This version includes (very)
minor enhancements from other requests, so this new version is therefore v2.2.13.
The updated library "accepts" the malformed PDF files generated by
Microsoft Office products, and works around the error within. This should address the issue you reported (ie the problem is not "v1.5" PDF files, but rather the Microsoft PDF files themselves)
Here are the links to the upgraded v2.2.13 version:
- PDF reDirect Freeware full install: [ http://www.exp-systems.com/PDFreDirect/Download/Install_PDFR_v2213.exe - here ]
- PDF reDirect Professional full install: [ http://www.exp-systems.com/PDFreDirect/Download/Install_PDFR_Pro_v2213.exe - here ]
- PDF reDirect Free/Pro Upgrade v2.2.8 to v2.2.13: [ http://www.exp-systems.com/PDFreDirect/Download/Upgd_PDFR_Pro_to_v2213.exe - here ]
- ActiveX component w VBA Samples: [ http://www.exp-systems.com/PDFreDirect/Download/VB_Sample_for_PDFR_Pro_v22013.exe - here ]
- ActiveX component only: [ http://www.exp-systems.com/PDFreDirect/Download/ActiveX_Component_for_PDFR_Pro_v22013.exe - here ]
Therefore, for existing users, you should install the Upgrade and the ActiveX installation (w or w/o samples).
This *should* take care of the problem you reported. I tested only so far to check that the new code compiled and ran without renning through each sub-feature. I did not have a chance to check the specific Access issue you reported, but based on your results of the Beta version, it should be fine.
Cheers!
Note: For programmers looking for a complete PDF library that allows you to create new PDF files programmatically, or to manage existing PDF files, I use QuickPDF which is available [ http://www.quickpdflibrary.com/ - here ]. A single developer license is $249.
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Michel Korwin-Szymanowski
EXP Systems LLC
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Posted By: RickNTA
Date Posted: 09 Nov 09 at 10:20PM
Hi Michel -
Thanks - hope that didn't take too much of your weekend! The new versions (both PDFR Pro interactively and the ActiveX via code) work fine to merge the PDFs created with
Access. It's
clear that you're correct: it's not the PDF version (1.4 vs. 1.5) that
was causing the problem as we thought.
We've gotten a bit confused with version numbering and upgrading, so I want to check that with you. I
finally understand that it's the Capture.exe version that displays in
the UI (now 2.2.13), so that helps some. Our client currently has:
Capture.exe - 2.2.6
PDF_reDirect.exe - 2.2.6
PDFR_Printer_Cmds.exe - 2.2.5
ActiveX_PDF_Pro.dll - 2.2.8
(they're all actually 4 digits like 2.2.0.6 but I'm adjusting for what I assume is the normal VB version weirdness)
When we run the upgrade (which I realize is for 2.2.8 to 2.2.13) we get:
Capture.exe - 2.2.13
PDF_reDirect.exe - 2.2.6
PDFR_Printer_Cmds.exe - 2.2.5
(leaving ActiveX out of this since it's a separate issue)
But when we run the full 2.2.13 install, we get:
Capture.exe - 2.2.13
PDF_reDirect.exe - 2.2.6
PDFR_Printer_Cmds.exe - 2.2.8
So should we run the full install to get the more recent PDFR_Printer_Cmds.exe?
Also, I noticed that the production PDF_reDirect.exe v2.2.6 has a file date of 7/6/08 6:30 PM, while after a full 2.2 13 install the file is dated 8/4/08 10:06 PM. Should we be concerned about that?
thanks -
Rick
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Posted By: Michel_K17
Date Posted: 10 Nov 09 at 1:32AM
Hi Rick,
I had no realized (or rather, forgotten) that you were running v2.2.6. I was assuming v2.2.8.
Yes, there is a very minor difference between the two "PDF reDirect.exe". The changes are minor, and as I recall, is simply re-compiled with the reference to the new version of PDFR_Printer_Cmds.exe, and therefore, there is no code change, although I could have re-compiled with a "v2.2.8" to prevent concerns.
Since you have 100 users, I can update the upgrade program to make is a v2.2.6/8 to v2.2.13 upgrade if that helps. I'll put it together for you tomorrow.
The version displayed in the program's User Interface is not taken from Capture.exe, but rather, is read from the encrypted file called "data_v.dat" which reports on the version number of the entire package as some of the executables may be at a lower version if an upgrade was not necessary.
Cheers!
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Michel Korwin-Szymanowski
EXP Systems LLC
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Posted By: RickNTA
Date Posted: 10 Nov 09 at 12:02PM
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Hi Michel - That sounds good. And thanks for the info on the version reporting; it's often helpful to understand more of the details. thanks - Rick
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Posted By: RogerSy
Date Posted: 22 Mar 12 at 4:28PM
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The specifications for PDF are backward inclusive. The PDF 1.7
specification includes all of the functionality previously documented in
the Adobe PDF Specifications for versions 1.0 through 1.6. - http://agatheringofexperts.com/dr-paul-perito/ - Dr. Paul Perito
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